Tag: Cooroy physiotherapist

Acute Wry Neck

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Have you ever woken up with an inexplicably stiff and painful neck that will only turn to one side? You might have been suffering from acute wry neck, a painful condition following a typical pattern of symptoms. In the clinic, wry neck is classified as one of two different types – Facet or Discogenic wry neck. 

Facet Wry Neck:

Facet joints are found on either side of the spine and allow controlled rotation and side bending of the neck. An awkward or sudden movement of the neck can cause a part of the joint capsule to tear or get caught in the joint, making it feel locked. The muscles around the area can also become tight and spasm, which amplifies the pain. The pain is usually sharp and can be pinpointed quite accurately to the part of the neck causing the problem, and the pain rarely travels down into the arm. It is usually possible to find a resting position where the pain goes away completely, only having pain when turning in specific directions. The good news about Facet Wry Neck is that your physiotherapist is usually able to help you ‘unlock’ the neck quite quickly with gentle mobilisations. Most of the time, a full recovery can be expected within a week. 

Discogenic Wry Neck: 

The vertebrae of the neck are separated from each other by fibrous discs, filled with a gelatinous centre. These discs provide support, flexibility and shock absorption. When placed under pressure, these discs may bulge or tear, and the resulting swelling can cause pain and muscle spasm in the surrounding area. It is important to note that in an area as sensitive as the neck, a small amount of damage can result in a large amount of pain. 

 

The development of discogenic wry neck is usually due to a combination of factors, including neck stiffness, poor posture and biomechanics than can contribute to the disc being vulnerable prior to the injury. In this case, it can be challenging to find a comfortable position, and it is more likely for the pain to travel into the arm and include pins and needles.

 

Treatment of discogenic wry neck is focused on reducing pain and muscle spasm with massage, taping, heat and postural education. Further treatment aims to reduce any stress that is being placed on the disc, mobilise any stiff spinal segments and correct any muscle imbalances. While the initial symptoms may settle down quite quickly, it can take up to six weeks to fully recover from discogenic wry neck. In this condition, it is also essential to address all the factors that may cause a recurrence of the issue.

Osteoarthritis of the Hip

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Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease that affects the cartilage of joints. Cartilage is a firm, flexible connective tissue that lines the surface of many joints and provides shock absorption and cushioning for the bony surfaces of those joints as they move. During the process of OA, cartilage gradually begins to break down and is worn away. This means that the bony surfaces below the cartilage start to rub together, creating increased stress and friction. The body reacts to this increased stress by creating small bony deposits around the joint, as more of these are created the joint becomes increasingly painful and difficult to move.

The hip is one the joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis. While OA is generally considered to be a disease associated with aging, younger people can be affected, particularly following trauma to the hip. As a general rule, however, the cartilage in our bodies loses elasticity as we age, making it more susceptible to damage. Other risk factors for the development of OA are a family history of OA, previous traumatic injury of the hip, obesity, improper formation of the hip at birth (developmental dysplasia), genetic defects of the cartilage, impingement of the hip (femoroacetabular impingement) and a history of intense weight bearing activities.

What are the signs and symptoms?

The most common symptoms of hip OA are pain and stiffness with reduced movement of the hip, particularly in the direction of internal rotation. These symptoms in a person over the age of 50, in the absence of a trauma that may have caused a fracture, indicate possible OA. Pain originating from the hip joint can be felt as a deep ache that can be noticed in the groin, buttocks, thigh or even knee. It is also typical for sufferers of OA to experience stiffness in the morning upon waking that lasts less than 30-60 minutes. Grating or cracking sensations with hip movements are also common complaints, along with mild to moderate joint swelling.

In the early stages, mild pain may be felt with activities such as walking or running. As the disease progresses these activities will become more painful with the muscles that provide additional support to the joint becoming weaker, exacerbating the disease process. For many people, a total hip replacement may be necessary to reduce pain and restore function.

How can physiotherapy help?

For mild to moderate cases of OA, physiotherapy can help to reduce pain and maintain function for as long as possible. Keep the musculature around the hip as Strong and healthy as possible can have a significant impact on your quality of life and your physiotherapist work with you to help you to set and reach your goals for treatment
Treatment will also include stretching, trigger point therapy, joint mobilization to increase the joint’s mobility, and a personalised exercise program, including hydrotherapy and isometric exercises that work to increase muscle strength while putting less pressure on the joint.

For those whose best course of treatment is surgical joint replacement, physiotherapy can help to achieve great outcomes by helping with effective preparation and rehabilitation, getting you on your way to recovery as quickly as possible.

None of the information in this article is a replacement for proper medical advice. Always see a medical professional for advice on your individual condition.

Heel Pain – Plantar Fasciitis

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Plantar fasciitis is a common condition causing pain in the heel or into the arch of the foot. The Plantar fascia is a connective tissue which runs underneath the foot from the heel bone to the base of the toes forming the foot’s arch. Often injury is due to repetitive load and less commonly due to a traumatic injury. Due to the insertion of the plantar fascia on the heel bone often it will present as heel pain on walking.
Causes:
Repetitive or prolonged activities i.e. runners, dancers, gymnasts
Sudden increase in exercise or load
Poor foot posture- flat feet or high arches
Poor hip and knee muscle strength and control
Calf muscle tightness or joint stiffness
Inappropriate footwear
Signs and symptoms to be aware of are morning pain with the first few steps which eases with movement, an initial onset of pain with exercise which eases as you warm up, tenderness on the arch of the foot or the heel and pain when walking with no shoes or flat soles. With a progression of symptoms people may experience constant pain with walking which increases with loading and exercise.
A Physiotherapist will be able to diagnose plantar fasciitis by thorough assessment to target the cause and best management approach individually for you. Treatment may consist of advise on appropriate footwear, arch support when required, soft tissue release, joint mobilisation and home exercises of stretching and muscle strengthening. A Physio is then able to rehabilitate a patient through a gradual return to exercise to prevent reoccurrence of the injury.
If you have been experiencing heel or arch pain a physiotherapist at Hinteractive Physio can assess and diagnose the source of your symptoms to assist with the best treatment and management. Call us today on 54425556 or email us hinteractivephyio@gmail.com is you have any questions of enquires.

What is Yin Yoga?

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Blog by Physiotherapist Simone Bifulco

Most forms of Yoga today are dynamic and very active in their practice, designed to work more on the muscular part of the body.  Yin Yoga is opposite to this.  Yin Yoga works on another deeper layer of our soft tissues called fascia.  It is a gentle but very powerful practice that works deeper into the fascial network system of our bodies.  Yang is everything that moves and is symbolized by fire and sun.  Yin is the slow, the calm energy, the water, the moon.  Everybody has the Yin and Yang energy Chi within themselves.  The Yin Yoga practice consists of specific poses that are held in stillness for between 3 and 5 minutes to promote an elongation of the fascia being worked on in those poses and activating the energy chi to flow in those areas as well.  Yin Yoga goes beyond a physical workout and helps us to balance out energetically, emotionally and mentally.

Osgood Schlatters – The Sporting Knee

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The Sporting knee: Osgood Shlatters
Osgood Shlatters is an overuse injury of the knee which commonly affects children and adolescents. Symptoms usually develop during a growth spurt due to an increase in tension on the tendon that attaches from the kneecap to the shin, placing excess load onto the growth plate (a cartilage point in immature bone) of the shin bone. This condition tends to affects boys more than girls between the ages of 10-15 years old with symptoms typically presenting during activity or exercise and improving with rest. There will be tenderness on the bony prominence of the shin bone with possible swelling and the child may be reluctant to put weight on the affected side resulting in limping or a change in walking pattern.
Children who regularly play sports involving repetitive running, jumping and twisting such as soccer, netball and tennis have a higher risk of developing Osgood Shlatters due to the increased load on the knee. Other factors which may cause an onset of symptoms are tightness in the thigh muscles or hamstrings, a history of a previous knee injury, weakness around the hips and pelvis, poor foot posture or non supportive footwear. There can also be external factors such as a sudden increase in training frequency and intensity and competitions.
A physiotherapist is able to diagnose Osgood Shlatters through a detailed review and examination. In some cases, especially if the symptoms have been ongoing for a long period of time X-ray imaging may assist with diagnosis but is not essential. Once diagnosis is confirmed it is important to rest from sport and aggravating activities. A physiotherapist is then able to begin a gradual, pain free return to sport program when the child is able to manage. Tapping or bracing is an effective way to offload the tendon and can assist with pain relief. Other treatment techniques include massage, ultrasound therapy, advise on footwear and strengthening and stretching techniques.
If your child has been complaining of knee pain with their sport it is important to have them assessed to ensure they have effective treatment and management. Our physiotherapists at Hinteractive Physio will be able to assist with an evidence based approach of management and return to sport.

Clinical Pilates – What is It and Is it for Me?

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Pilates is one of the most popular forms of exercise worldwide.  It is a mind-body conditioning exercise program that utilises a variety of different exercises to improve core muscle awareness and strength as well as posture, balance and flexibility.  Pilates classes are taught by a variety of different instructors in various locations.  A lot of Pilates classes are taught in fitness centres by fitness instructors and may not be specifically targeted to different populations or injuries/physical limitations.

Clinical Pilates combines traditional Pilates exercises with the knowledge and skills of a physiotherapist (or other suitably qualified health professional).  This enables the physiotherapist to specifically choose, modify or adjust exercises that meet an individual’s needs based on careful observation and clinical assessment.  The specific choice of exercises can be the difference between an exercise program that is effective and one that is not or has a potential for increased injury risk.  Clinical Pilates teaches body awareness, optimal posture and movement patterns, flexibility, improved balance and reaction time as well as improved local and global muscle strength.

 

At Hinteractive Physio, we offer clinical Pilates in either a mat or equipment (Pilates reformer machine) based setting.  Clinical Pilates is generally suitable for most people, however those who find it difficult to get on and off the ground, may prefer the Pilates equipment classes.  Classes run for just under 60 minutes and if clinically required for injury or condition management may be claimed through your health fund.  You will need to make an appointment with a physiotherapist for a Pilates assessment.  During this assessment, the physiotherapist will take a history of current and past conditions, assess your physical limitations or requirements for optimal functioning, assess your core muscle activation and control levels, and teach you the basic terms and positions that you will require for your Pilates program.  This initial Pilates assessment is claimable through your private health insurance.  If you have any questions regarding clinical Pilates or if it may be of benefit to you, please contact our friendly staff on 5442 5556 or drop in to the clinic at 3/11 Garnet Street Cooroy.  Alternatively, a current timetable and class information is available on our website: www.hinteractivephysio.com.au

 

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