Calf muscle tear! OUCH! Find out how physio can help!

2019-06-06Uncategorized No Comments

Running along and then BANG and your calf is torn?

What to do next?

Well first thing is stop running!

Get home and follow the next few steps!

 


 

How to know if you have torn your calf muscle?

  • A snap or pull felt at the time of injury.
  • Pain and weakness in the calf area.
  • Swelling in the area.
  • Bruising.
  • Weakness in the calf when trying to walk, climb stairs or stand.
  • Limping when walking.

What’s a calf muscle and where does it live!

There are two muscles that make up the calf, the gastrocnemius and the soleus.

Both these muscles attach into the achillies tendon that inserts at the heel.

 

 

 

So I have torn my calf….. What now?

Ice

  • Applying ice wrapped in a towel for 10 minutes a few times during the day will help to reduce inflammation and reduce pain.

 

Rest

  • Depending how bad the tear is you might need to use some crutches for a few days. It’s always best to get back walking normally as soon as possible, take as much weight as you can through your leg and slowly wean off the crutches.
  • If it’s not to bad and you want to continue with some exercise riding a bike is usually a good place to start as long as its pain free.
  • Prolonged rest does not help. The quicker you get moving the better!

 

Move + Strengthen

  • MOVE as quickly as you can!
  • When sitting slide your heel forward and back gently, often during the day.
  • Ankle pumps = Moving your foot back and fourth throughout the day.
  • The quicker you begin pain free loading the better.
  • Whether it be a partial tippy toe raise, pushing against a theroband and pointing your toes.

 


When should I start Physio??

—-> As quick as you can start your rehab the quicker you can return to play

 


What will the Physio do on the first visit?

–> Assessment your injury
–> Test muscle capacity and diagnose the grade of injury.
–> Educate you on appropriate exercises and form a management plan.
–> Taping to offload the injured calf muscle.
–> Soft tissue treatment around the injured area.

 

Any questions about an injury shoot us a message, give us a call on (02) 4751 9127 or book a session online!

Written by Georgia King (Physiotherapist at The Physio Depot)

Don’t start your day off on the wrong foot

2019-05-27Uncategorized No Comments

Don’t start the day with heel pain!

Plantar fasciitis has a multitude of ever changing names but the condition itself is characterised by tissue irritation in which the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone. The plantar fascia is a band of connective tissue attaching from the inside of the heel bone, along the base of the foot into the toes.

The role of the plantar fascia is to help us propel the body forwards by supporting the bones and joints within the foot. If it becomes irritated the heel can become very tender with prolonged standing and walking.

How to know if you have Plantar fasciitis?

  • Heel pain with the first few steps when waking up in the morning.
  • Heel pain after prolonged periods of sitting.
  • Sharp pain on the inside aspect of the heel.
  • Tenderness to touch the inside of the heel.
  • Pain with extended standing or walking.

 

 

What you need to know to get better!

 

TIMEFRAME

– Plantar fascia conditions take a long duration to completely rehabilitate.
– 6-8 weeks generally to settle acute flare up of heel symptoms.
– Anywhere from 3-9 months for a full recovery.

STRENGTH

– Intrinsic foot strength is crucial (These are the little muscles that reside in the foot).
– Plantar fascia and calf complex strengthening.
– Graded loading of foot and ankle complex.
– General HEAVY load and LOW rep training in the gym will help.

MOBILITY

– Big toe stretches.
– Ball releases under the arch of the foot (avoiding the sore spot).
– Calf stretching.

 

LOOK UP THE CHAIN

– What’s happening beyond the foot is important to assess hip and trunk stability.
– Poor control beyond the foot can lead to excessive loading on the foot

 

TRAINING LOAD AND ACTIVITY MODIFICATION

RUNNING: Decrease intensity and speed work can make your symptoms
STANDING: Long periods of standing and walking can exacerbate your symptoms.
PROLONGED INACIVITY: Keep moving little and often throughout the day.

 

Any questions about an injury shoot us a message, give us a call on (02) 4751 9127 or book a session online!

Written by Georgia King (Physiotherapist at The Physio Depot)

What’s that painful lump on my kid’s knee? It’s Osgood Schlatters Disease!

2019-05-01Uncategorized No Comments

Osgood schlatters disease is a knee condition affecting generally growing 12-14 year old children that highly active. It’s typically associated with pain at the front of the knee and a bony prominence can form on the top of the shin bone. The pain is due to inflammation at the growth plate in which the quadricep tendon attaches at the top of the tibia.

When kids are growing the tendon creates extra tension at the insertion which leads to pain and inflammation (See picture below).

 

 

 

 

 

WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?

  • Growth spurts: A bone grows faster than muscle therefore the muscle cannot maintain optimal length at the attachment point of the tendon. This creates a traction effect in where the tendon joins onto the bone.
  • Training load: This typically ramps up after school holidays and we see an increase in these types of conditions this time of year.
  • Muscle tightness: Tight quadriceps and hip flexors are often contributing factors.
  • Muscle strength imbalance: Poor quadricep strength and gluteal strength can increase the likelihood of suffering from osgood schlatters.
  • Gender: Unfortunately, boys get this more than girls!

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS

  • Point tenderness at top of the tibia.
  • Prominence at top of tibia (Bony knob below knee).
  • Difficulty kneeling or sensitivity to tapping the knee.
  • Pain with running and jumping activities.
  • Dull ache after activity and sport.

HOW CAN PHYSIO HELP?

Getting the correct diagnosis is key to make sure you’re treating the right condition and there is no involvement with the patellar tendon or knee cap issues.

Once we know what’s going on a combination of all these ideas can help manage your condition:

  • Soft tissue releases to take pressure off the bony prominence!
  • Taping techniques!
  • Anti-inflammatory ideas!
  • Stretching protocols!
  • Strengthening exercises!
  • Ice!

With the start of so many sporting seasons in the winter months that involve hopping, jumping and sprinting it’s a common problem we see in the clinic this time of year!

If you have any questions about your kid’s injury shoot us a message, give us a call on (02) 4751 9127 or book a session online!

Written by Pat Lincoln (Physiotherapist at The Physio Depot)

 

Upper back feeling tight? Try these 5 quick tips!

2019-04-14Uncategorized No Comments

Sitting by day, stiff by night!

 

Do you spend a lot of your day sitting at a desk or in the car?
Are you suffering with neck pain?
Do you find your upper back stiff and you just can’t get it to go away?
Struggling to lift that weight overhead?

We understand how annoying that can be!

Here are some tips on how to improve your upper back mobility and reduce your symptoms!

 

Foam Roller stretch!

Spend a few minutes each night opening the thoracic spine using a foam roller. Simple and effective way for reducing your symptoms. Aim for 2-3 minutes working in a variety of different spots.

Regular work breaks!

When working at a desk try to get up often during the day, go for a walk to the printer, grab yourself a glass of water or go and say hi to a friend! Our body is designed to move and likes to be up and about during the day.

Computer screen height!

Ensure that your computer screen is at the right height so you don’t fall into a hunched position. The top of your screen should be at eye level.

 

Work stretches in sitting!

Rotate your upper body around pulling with your arms and keep your hips forward. Hold for 10 seconds and complete 3 big breaths aim for 3-4 per side.

Bow and arrow stretch!

Lay on side with top knee resting on foam roller. Rotate upper body around and take a deep breathe, come back to starting position and repeat 15-20 x per side.

 

Any questions about an injury shoot us a message, give us a call on (02) 4751 9127 or book a session online!

Written by Georgia King (Physiotherapist at The Physio Depot)

Stop that pain in the neck!

2019-04-05Uncategorized No Comments

Are you experiencing regular neck pain that just won’t go away, it’s possible that parts of your daily routine are contributing without you realising!

Here are a few common everyday activities that might be making your neck pain worse!

 

Your sleeping position

 It’s easy to underestimate the impact your sleeping position has however, spending hours in one position will undoubtedly have an effect on your body. Pillows that are too high or too flat can mean your cervical joints are sitting at the end of their range in too much flexion or extension. Similarly, sleeping on your stomach often means your thoracic spine is locked into extension and your neck is fully rotated. In simpler terms, this means your joints are under more stress than necessary. Ideal sleeping posture allows your spine to maintain it’s natural curve!

 

Your daily commute

Many of us make sure our work stations are ergonomically set up to reduce stress and strain throughout the day. Few of us take the same consideration when it comes to driving. In fact, the set up of your car can be just as important as your work-desk, particularly if you are driving more than 30 minutes everyday. The correct setup in your car can mean you use less effort to drive and turn your head less often to check traffic. Set up your commuting environment so you’re not looking down at your phone or book for hours each week!

 

Your downtime

Many of us unwind by watching TV or our laptops at the end of the day. Your position during this time can be something you give little thought to however, looking up to view a screen mounted on a wall or looking down at a small screen or laptop can put pressure on the upper structures of the neck. Take a few minutes to consider what posture you’re sitting in before settling down to binge watch a Netflix series and see if you can either lower the height of your screen or raise it slightly so your neck can be in a more neutral position.

 

 

Your exercise routine

 Any activity that requires sustained positions or repetitive neck movements can contribute to neck pain. Cyclists can be stuck in neck extension while looking ahead and breast stroke swimmers can also have excess neck extension. Freestyle swimmers with reduced thoracic or neck rotation can have difficulty achieving rotation when breathing which can cause pain and discomfort over time. Talk to your physio about what you do and how to modify your activities to decrease the stress on your neck!

Any questions about your neck pain shoot us a message or give us a call on (02) 4751 9127.

 

Noisy Knees? Not as bad as they sound!

2019-03-21Physio Tips No Comments

Noisy knees?

I have been asked frequently recently how to fix creaky knees!

The truth is sometimes you can and sometimes you can’t!

The good thing is that there is no evidence that having crunchy knees is causing any damage to the knee joint!

Although it’s hard to convince yourself that when your knees sound like bubble wrap every time you squat, lunge or go down stairs!

WHY DO THEY CRUNCH AND CLICK?

As the knee bends the knee cap slides up and down a groove within the thigh bone. If the relationship between these two parts of the joint lose perfect synergy we get poor movement, this then leads to the joint clicking and crunching.

  • Joint position throughout movements where there is added compression around joint leading to popping or clicking.
  • Tendons flicking across boney prominences as you move through squatting or stairs.
  • ‘Gas bubbles’ within the joint burst as we move through fast or large movements (much like when you crack your knuckles!).
  •  Mild wear and tear within the cartilage surfaces of your knee means there is more friction between the bones and can lead to crunching.

 

Simple solutions to help quieten the crunch!

 

  1. Loosen your quad muscles

    Foam rolling or stretching the thigh muscles out is crucial. The tighter the quads become over time the more compressive forces develop around the knee cap. More compression force means the joint mechanics are altered and you get more clicking.

 

  1. Improve glute strength and control

    Does you knee wobble all over the place when you do a single leg squat?? If this sounds familiar then it’s due to poor hip muscle coordination and strength. Improving this can improve knee control which in return will reduce noisy knees as the knee is not ‘dropping in’ when you do a squat.

  2. Move more & Sit less

    Chronic sitting can lead to quad and hip flexor tightness that builds over time. Over time this starts to wreak havoc with the knee cap as the quads span the hip and knee joint meaning it gets pulled from the both end.

  3. Quadricep strength

    Improving quadricep muscle strength especially VMO  (the inside quadricep muscle) helps stabilise the knee cap within the groove of the thigh bone and can reduce crunching inside the joint.

  4. Knee cap mobility

    Getting stuck into the tissue surrounding the knee cap with a massage ball is important to keep the knee cap gliding smoothly through its groove. This is key for quietening those knees down.

 

If you need help get in touch here  www.thephysiodepot.com.au 

Help your low back pain fast!

2019-03-13Physio Tips No Comments

Lower back pain is the pits!

We all know someone that has a ‘bad back’ with constant struggles when it ‘goes out’.

We understand at The Physio Depot how if effects your life and family.

Our Physio’s have treated 100’s of lower back patients back to full function.

 

5 quick ideas to help your back pain fast!

Keep it moving!
Lower backs don’t like to sit still, keep them walking regularly and avoid lengthy periods of sitting.

 

Don’t hold your breath!
Breath holding increases muscular spasm and creates unhelpful movement strategies.
Aim for 30 big diaphragmatic (belly breaths) every hour.

 

Gentle stretches!
Your back will not like aggressive stretches or holding positions for too long. Aim for gentle movements in and out of positions (think flow not hold).

 

Ice or Heat!
Most of the time with back pain there is a degree of muscular spasm (That horrible cramping feeling when a muscle tightens).This a protective mechanism and is perfectly normal to experience this. We encourage HEAT to help relax this muscle response.

 

A good nights sleep means a strong pillow game!
Use pillows either between your knees if on your side or under your knees if lying on your back to help reduce the pressure off your back.

 

If you need help get in touch here  www.thephysiodepot.com.au 

I have labral tear in my shoulder? What does that mean!

2019-03-06Physio Tips No Comments

Shoulder Labral Tears

 

What is it?

A ring of flexible, fibrous connective tissue, known as the glenohumeral labrum, surrounds the shoulder joint. This labrum increases the stability of the shoulder while allowing for the required flexibility of one of the bodies’ most sophisticated joints. One well-known muscle of the arm, the biceps, has an attachment directly into the labrum and is a common site of injury. A tear of the labrum can occur in many locations, however the most common is at the point where the biceps tendon attaches to the labrum. Usually, this tear follows a typical pattern and is referred to as a superior labrum tear, anterior to posterior (SLAP tear).

 

What causes it?

SLAP tears can be caused by trauma such as a fall onto an outstretched hand or a dislocated shoulder. Tears can also develop over time with repeated throwing actions or overhead activities as the labrum is weakened and eventually injured. Traumatic tears are more likely to be symptomatic than tears that develop slowly.

 

What are the symptoms?

As mentioned, SLAP tears can occur suddenly, through trauma or develop slowly through repeated stress. Often if the injury develops over time, patients can be unaware they have sustained a tear and the injury doesn’t have a significant impact on their pain or function. Preexisting SLAP tears can however, place more tension on the long head of biceps tendon, leading to overuse disorders as a secondary complication.

When the tear occurs through a sudden action or trauma, symptoms can be more marked. Sufferers often notice pain deep in the shoulder joint with overhead shoulder movements, a feeling of weakness, loss of power and/or accuracy with throwing activities. Some people may notice a popping or clicking sensation and occasionally the shoulder may give way. In severe tears, the shoulder might feel unstable and even be at increased risk of dislocation.

 

How can physiotherapy help?

Your physiotherapist is able to help diagnose a suspected SLAP tear and send you for further imaging if needed. SLAP tears are often graded by severity from I to IV as a way to guide treatment. Physiotherapy is usually recommended as a trial for all tears before considering surgical repair and in many cases can effectively help patients return to their previous activities, symptom-free.

Treatment involves:

  • Gradual strengthening of supporting shoulder muscles.
  • Flexibility of shoulder capsule and surrounding muscles.
  • Graded return to full activity with sports specific condition.

If physiotherapy is unsuccessful, surgical repair with a full rehabilitation program is recommended.

Are you having shoulder pain or issues training due to shoulder pain?

We’d love to hear from you!

Send us a message and we can reach out to see if Physio can help you 🙂

 

 

 

6 tips to keep new runners injury free!

2019-02-28Physio Tips No Comments

Avoid an injury with these 6 tips!

  1. SLOW + STEADY WINS THE RACE
    A sudden increase in training load is the number one reason people get injured running so take it slow. Aim for no more than a 10% increase load per week, when I say load this could be measured via time or distance.
  2. DON’T NEGLECT YOUR STRENGTH TRAINING
    Your muscles and tendons are exposed to very high loads when you run. Your calf may produce loads of up to 4-5 times your body weight when you run so get strong and you will reduce your likelihood of an injury.
  3. FOOTWEAR
    There is a maze of expensive footwear to confuse a new runner. As well as a range of different opinions about barefoot, supportive, ultra-gel cushioning, zero drop… And the list goes on!  Just find something comfortable to start and this will be a process of trial and error until you find what works for you. It will depend on your type of training, foot muscle strength, terrain and distances you run each week.
  4. INTENSITY MATTERS
    If you’re new to running do not jump straight into speed work. Your body needs time to adjust to this type of training, so focus on 90% of your training being completed at an easy to moderate pace with periods of active recovery/walking.
  5. REST
    Your body will need more rest than a conditioned runner. Your raining gains are made when you recover so ensure you’re getting your 8 hours of sleep a night. Aim for no back to back running days in the first 3 months of your journey to running.
  6. HAVE A GOAL
    Create a  plan for your running journey. Then you can create a system of increasing your running capacity each week for the desired outcome. This works well as you can calculate your weekly kilometres run in total and build this number slowly (see 10% rule above).

Happy Running!

If you need help with running injuries, running programming or strength training
Get in touch here  www.thephysiodepot.com.au

Or Book an appointment here  https://the-physio-depot.cliniko.com/bookings#service

 

Pregnancy! It’s not cool to wee a little when you laugh!

2019-02-21Physio Tips No Comments

PREGNANCY! WHATS HAPPENING TO MY BODY?

It can often feel like you are walking around in someone else’s body while you’re pregnant. You gain weight, your body becomes more stretchy (ligamentous laxity) and you grow a tiny human. If you have never been pregnant, imagine suddenly having to carry around an extra 15kgs strapped to your front and trying to do your everyday activities. Evidence has shown that exercise during pregnancy is really beneficial when done safely and can reduce complications during delivery.

 

EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY

Research has shown many health benefits from exercising during pregnancy. If you have haven’t been active leading up to your pregnancy it is recommended that you start with low intensity exercise such as walking or swimming accumulating 150 minutes per week. If you have been active leading up to your pregnancy then between 150-300 minutes of low-moderate intensity exercise is recommended per week. Here are examples of suitable forms of exercises during pregnancy.

  • Walking
  • Swimming
  • Cycling
  • Strengthening exercises
  • Pilates
  • Pregnancy yoga
  • Water based exercises

 

WHEN TO STOP EXERCISING IF PREGNANT!

If you experience any of the below during exercise it is recommend you stop the activity you are doing,

  • Bleeding
  • Shortness of breath prior to exercise
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Chest pain
  • Preterm labour
  • Decreased foetal movement
  • Amniotic fluid leakage
  • Excessive body temperature

EXERCISES TO AVOID

  • Contact sports
  • High altitude or scuba diving
  • Exercises laying on your back after the 4th month
  • Holding your breath during exercise
  • Walking lunges
  • Sudden change of direction activities
  • Jumping and high impact exercises in 3rd trimester

Now that you are pregnant, looking after your changing body is even more important. Below are some common muscles that get tight and some stretches you can do to help! It is common during pregnancy that some muscle groups become tight.

These include: Hip flexors – Low back – Quad – Chest – Shoulders.

STRETCHES

Although your body begins to stretch out some muscles will still be working harder than others and can often get tight.

Here are some safe stretches for you to do!

Cat cow stretch

 

Hip flexor lunge +  Seated piriformis stretch  

Chest openers on foam roller

If you are having pain during pregnancy be sure book an appointment online or call us on (02) 4751 9127.

 

Written by Georgia King
(Physiotherapist at The Physio Depot)

 

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