Technology is a wonderful thing, the investigations that we can do now to find out what is really going on inside the body is amazing, X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans. . . the list goes on! But are we too reliant on them? If you have a pain in a joint or your spine getting the right image can help get an accurate diagnosis. BUT medical professionals must be careful…
The 3 S’s of a “happy” knee: No Swelling Straight Strong If you have knee pain focusing on these 3 points will make an enormous difference. Before Surgery Most of us are aware of the need for rehab after surgery. But there is increasing research to suggest that to get the best results from surgery you need to do some work before surgery too. Dr Donald K Shelbourne is an…
So what exactly is a ligament? Within a joint there are 4 key structures that keep you moving: Bones – a joint is where 2 bones meet Cartilage – this is the squishy stuff on the end of bones, in the discs in your spine and in extra cushions like the meniscus. This stops the bones rubbing together Tendons – the rope like fibres that join muscles to bones Ligament…
Recent evidence suggests that as many as 20% of patients who have a Total Knee Replacement (TKR) continue to suffer chronic pain after surgery. The follow up looked into who this 20% might be – are there any common themes? Women We know women have a higher incidence of chronic pain. We also now know that pain messages in women are conveyed using a different biological system to men. So…
Knee pain – just one of those things that happens as you get older right? Or because you’re a runner. Or a tennis player. Or a padel player. Or . . . . just one of those things you learn to live with. Or is it? If you’ve got knee pain and you aren’t making progress perhaps there’s more to it? The whole body Everything in the body is connected.…
So many of us have “sprained” an ankle. That general term for “I fell and hurt my ankle and it’s still sore”. In medical terms a sprain is when there is a “stretching or tearing of ligaments” so it’s a useful catch all term for joint injuries that need a bit of rest and Ice but not much more. But a recent study suggests that there might be longer term…
Arthritis – such a common diagnosis for so many people and so many joints. But what is it? Arth – joint Itis – inflammation This can happen to any joint in the body –any point where 2 bones meet, and this includes each disc of the spine as well! Sometimes we are given more complicated names for specific joints or conditions: Osteoarthritis – when the cartilage within the joint has…
Technology is a wonderful thing, but more and more I am seeing pain and problems due to people spending so much time hunched over their smartphones and computers. With a desktop PC, the separate components could be adjusted for better posture. But using a laptop, tablet or smartphone, people often work away from a desk, hunched over on a sofa. The average human head weighs between 10 and 12lbs or…
I’m not a fan of cortical steroid injections. Repeated research has shown that while the initial pain relief can be significant, prolonged and repeated use starts to break down the tendons within the joint, like a fraying rope. Which inevitably leads to more pain and more problems. Tennis Elbow is a complicated condition, often misdiagnosed and therefore mistreated, it isn’t uncommon to hear of patients having had treatment for many…
I do quite a few radio interviews myself here on the coast, so I was fascinated to hear a fellow physiotherapist give a radio interview. David Peirce from Pondera Physiotherapy talked on Brisbane radio about neck pain and makes some interesting points. You can listen to his interview and I’ve highlighted some of the key points he makes below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/220466998″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] The first point he…