Blog - Page 4 of 6 - Strive Physiotherapy & Exercise Clinic

Osteoarthritis Management

What is osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a condition where cartilage (the protective covering over the ends of your bones) becomes thin and starts to wear away.

This cartilage is what stops the bones in your joints from rubbing against each other.

Damage to cartilage can cause your joints to:

become painful, stiff or swollen
feel like they might lock up or give way

NOTE: It is also possible to have osteoarthritis and not feel any symptoms at all.

What causes osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis has no specific cause, however we know several factors lead to it’s development including:

excess weight
previous injury to a joint
overuse
genetics

The most common symptoms are stiffness, particularly first thing in the morning or after resting, and pain.

Affected joints, most commonly the hands, spine, hips and knees, may get swollen after extended activity.

How to manage osteoarthritis

One of the most beneficial ways to manage osteoarthritis is to get moving.

While it may be hard to think of exercise when the joints hurt, moving is considered an important part of the treatment plan.

Studies show that simple activities like walking around the neighbourhood or taking a fun, easy exercise class can reduce pain and help maintain (or attain) a healthy weight.

Strengthening exercises build muscles around osteoarthritis-affected joints, easing the burden on those joints and reducing pain.
Range-of-motion exercise like pilates helps maintain and improve joint flexibility and reduce stiffness.
Aerobic exercise helps to improve stamina and energy levels and also help to reduce excess weight.

At Strive Physiotherapy Drummoyne we can help you manage osteoarthritis so you can keep moving well. Call us for an assessment and advice regarding safe and beneficial exercises for you to do on 9819 6151.

Tags: Osteoarthritis
Posted in Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Strive on June 7th, 2016 by strive

Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains are injuries to the muscles, ligaments and tendons or ‘soft tissue’ of the body.

They usually occur during sports and exercise activities, but sometimes simple everyday activities can lead to a soft tissue injury.

Sprains

A sprain is a stretch and/or tear of a ligament, (connective tissue that passes from one end of the bone to another) and/or the joint capsule. Ligaments stabilize joints and limit unwanted movements.

The areas of your body that are most vulnerable to sprains are your:

• ankles
• knees and
• wrists

A sprained ankle can occur when your foot turns inward, placing extreme tension on the ligaments of your outer ankle. A sprained knee can be the result of a sudden twist, and a wrist sprain can occur when falling on an outstretched hand.

Strains

A strain is an injury to a muscle and/or tendons.

Tendons are fibrous cords of tissue that attach muscles to the bone. During movement, muscles contract to perform an action. Excessive pressure or load on the muscles during these movements can damage muscle fibres and/or the tendons resulting in local bleeding, bruising, and pain.

Strains often occur in your:

• lower leg (calf muscles)
• upper leg (typically the hamstring)
• groin or
• back

Degrees of severity of a sprain or strain

Soft tissue injuries are graded according to their severity and include:

Grade I – some fibres are torn and the site is moderately painful and swollen, but function and strength are mostly unaffected.

Grade II – many fibres are torn and the site is painful and swollen, with some loss of function and strength. If a ligament is sprained there is usually some instability in the joint.

Grade III– the soft tissue is totally torn, with considerable loss of function and strength. If a ligament sprain there is usually significant instability in the joint. Grade III injuries often need surgical repair.

Symptoms of sprains and strains

While the intensity varies symptoms of sprains and strains include:

• Pain
• Bruising
• Swelling
• Inflammation
• Weakness of muscles or tendon
• Instability around the affected joint

Treatment for sprains and strains

Most soft tissue injuries will take 3-6 weeks to heal properly.

It is important to get the correct treatment as soon after the injury as possible to help recovery and reduce the risk of further injury. This is where physiotherapy can get you back to moving well again.

In the first 24 hours after injury:
• RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
• Avoid exercise, alcohol and massage which can increase swelling.
• If symptoms become worse in the first 24 hours seek medical attention.

Mild to moderate sprains and strains
Treatments such as mobilisation and soft tissue therapy; bracing and electrotherapy can help you recover quicker. Exercise therapy to restore full strength and flexibility is an important part your treatment, particularly if you are returning to sport.

Severe sprains and strains
May require surgery. You will need a review and advice from a Sports Physician and/or Orthopaedic surgeon.

Tags: Joint pain, sprains, strains, symptoms, treatment
Posted in Joint pain, Sprains, Strains, Strive on March 30th, 2016 by strive

The importance of good posture

What is good posture?

We hear a lot these days of the importance of good posture, but what is posture and what happens if it is not at an optimum?

Posture refers to the position in which we hold ourselves against gravity. It is important when sitting or standing (static posture) and during activities such as walking and running (dynamic posture).

Optimum posture (or good postural alignment) is where the position of the joints and limbs of the body are in a state of muscular and skeletal balance, allowing us to move with minimal strain on the musculoskeletal system.

A quick and easy way to check your standing posture is to stand side on to a mirror and draw an imaginary vertical line from your ears, to your shoulders, then down to your hips, knees and ankles. These points should be in line for an optimal standing position.

The reality is, especially in modern day life, with increased time sitting in front of a computer or looking down at mobile phones/tablets, our posture is often not at optimum.

You may have noticed when you checked your posture, that your head was forward of your shoulder and/or your shoulders were rounded or perhaps your hip was forward of your knee and ankle.

All of these variations in posture can lead to muscular imbalance. This is where some muscles overwork, while others will become weak to maintain the variation, leading to joint stiffness and eventually neck, back and/or shoulder pain.

What you can do about it?

Do a posture check

Stand with your feet slightly apart
Soften your knees slightly (unlock them)
Shift your body weight back so that your hips and knees are more over your ankles/ mid foot
Make sure your pelvis is in neutral alignment (not tipping forward or back)
Relax the muscles of your bottom
Relax the shoulders and chest
Turn on your core muscles by lifting your trunk and head up

Have a Physiotherapy Assessment

A physiotherapy assessment can identify the factors contributing to poor posture and help you to correct it for the long term, preventing injuries pain and dysfunction. Why not try it? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Try Pilates

Pilates is a very effective way to train your muscles to move efficiently. Pilates focuses on building core strength around your spine and improving muscular balance throughout your body, leading to an improvement in posture. Ask us for more information on how it can help you and help change your posture for the better.

Posted in Strive on October 14th, 2015 by strive

Keep moving well

Why you should keep moving well

We all know that exercise and moving is good for us, and that lounging around and sitting for long periods isn’t.

Did you know that Australia has released guidelines for all age groups on the minimum recommended weekly activity levels?

The Department of Health has released an excellent document Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for all age groups (2014). CLICK HERE to read the GUIDELINES.

In summary if you are between 18-64 you should:

Be active on most, preferably all, days of every week

Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week

Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week

There are guidelines for all age groups including 0-5’s and 5-12’s, and 13-17’s and 65+.

Any physical activity is better than doing none

The guidelines stress that any physical activity is better than doing none. So if you currently do not do physical activity, start by doing some and gradually build up to the recommended amount.

If you need some help with working out what the best exercise is for you, please feel free to ask me.

Physiotherapists are well placed to develop exercise programs that are specific to your needs and align with the type of exercise that you like to do!

Posted in Exercise on October 5th, 2015 by strive

Does cold weather increase joint pain and stiffness?

There are plenty of people who report an increase in joint pain and stiffness in cold weather.

But is this fact or fiction?

Results of scientific studies to date are mixed.

From clinical observations I definitely see an increase in people presenting with joint pain during the colder months.

So what may be some of the contributing factors?

1. A Decrease in Barometric Pressure

Barometric pressure is the force exerted by the weight of the atmosphere. Some researchers have proposed that a drop in barometric pressure (which tends to accompany cooler, damper weather) could allow tissues in joints to swell and put pressure on nerves that control pain signals.

But other researchers suggest that this minor drop in barometric pressure in winter is unlikely to be significant enough to cause joint pain. It does seem to be possible at extremes of barometric pressure, like going to mountain tops or deep sea diving.

2. Amplification of pain signals from the joint

One theory with more scientific evidence behind it is the notion the cooler weather can amplify pain signals from affected joints to the brain.

So, for people with existing joint pain like arthritis, nerve signals travelling from the joint have been found to be amplified in the brain by signals carried on separate nerves called sympathetic nerves.

Sympathetic nerves are part of the body’s system for automatically maintaining its internal functioning. When it’s cold, these nerves constrict blood vessels in the limbs, to minimise heat loss and help keep the vital organs of the body warm.

However, the increased activation of these nerves around joints in response to cold weather might also lead to an increase in the pain a person feels.

3. A decrease in mobility

There are some factors that we can do something about – and mobility is one of them.

Shorter days and cooler temperatures make us less inclined to be as active as we are during the summer months. This increased immobility tends to make joint pain worse.

Why?

Being less mobile decreases nutrients and oxygen to the joints increasing the feeling of ‘stiffness’.

Similarly a decrease in movement, shorter amount of daylight and a bout of cold and/or flu can lead to a low mood which we know is linked to a higher level of perceived pain.

The best solution for joint pain is to get moving.

Not only does it increase much needed oxygen and nutrients to the joints, it also helps overcome the winter blues!

Tags: Joint pain
Posted in Joint pain on June 28th, 2015 by strive