Many people are confused whether to ice or heat when it comes to treating an injury. Ice and heat provide contrastingly different outcomes so it's important to get it right. In this blog I will give you some guidance on what to use and when. 

Many of us have a foam roller and/or spiky ball at home that we pull out when we’re feeling a bit stiff and sore. Using them correctly is the difference between receiving optimal benefits vs damaging the muscles and aggravating the situation further.

The connection between low back pain and walking may seem an unusual one. We often associate prolonged sitting or standing with low back pain and until recently, I certainly would have questioned the link if I had not worked out the cause to my own chronic back stiffness.

The often-crippling pain of plantar fasciitis presents at the base of the heel. In the early stages the pain is often described like a bruised bone, or feeling like you have a small stone underfoot. There can be a dull aching pain if you’ve been on your feet for a period of time, or a tightness in the arch of the foot.

Patellofemoral pain is the most common type of knee pain, often afflicting runners and cyclists and people who are sedentary. Patellofemoral pain typically occurs when the lateral thigh muscles become dominant, causing a shift of the patella (kneecap) towards the outside of the thigh.

Myofascial pain syndrome affects up to 85% of the general population causing considerable grief; it is therefore surprising that trigger points are still very much a mystery in the scientific world. 

Bursitis is a painful inflammation condition that affects the bursa (small fluid-filled sacs). Bursa help to reduce friction between bones and soft tissue by acting like cushions during movement. There are over 150 bursa within the body. Bursitis is often a symptom of a tendinopathy in the same area.

The majority of Low Back Pain is classed as non-specific, meaning there is no known specific pathology as to the cause of the pain.

I see such cases on a daily basis in the clinic, after ruling out potential red flags or neural implications, I go straight to one muscle I know will most likely be implicated – Quadratus Lumborum (QL).

With the temporary closure of many physical therapy clinics it is not possible to receive hands-on treatment for muscle aches and pains. This does not mean you have to suffer through discomfort for the coming months ahead. There are ways you can manage in the comfort of your home, until clinics can re-open.

One of the most common complaints I see is for repetitive strain injuries (RSI).  Unlike other injuries, RSI’s don’t have a specific time frame for recovery; in fact, they are notorious for hanging around for months, if not years. 

Stiff, Tight, Heavy, Weak?

We all get aches and pains from time to time but sometimes these aches and
pains hang around. Muscles that are chronically stiff, tight, achey, or weak can cause ongoing pain for an individual.

I don’t know how many times I hear people say, “I really need to work on my core strength,” or “my trainer says I need to activate my core more.”

 Do we really need to be so obsessed with our core?  How important is a strong core and good posture in avoiding back pain and stiffness? 

The current best practice management for tendinopathy pathologies is load management, along with a targeted exercise program, but what about cortisone injections and shock wave therapy? How well do they work and when should you seek them out, if at all?

Achilles tendinopathy can be painful and disruptive to everyday life. Here we look at the latest evidence, in particular what you should be avoiding in order to get back to your normal activity.

Recently I had the pleasure of treating a lovely 86-year-old post-polio survivor.  For as long as she could remember she had been experiencing debilitating muscle cramps all over her body which have become progressively worse as she has gotten older.  The cramps had become so bad she had become afraid to leave the house. 

What’s the difference between a myotherapist and a remedial massage therapist and who do I see when?

You’ve had an annoying pain or discomfort for quite some time but can’t pin point when you first noticed it.  It’s now been weeks or months; and continues to niggle during certain activities, movements or positions. The pain is not always there, but it’s distinct in its location and enough to be a nuisance or worse.  Of late it’s starting to impact on things you enjoy doing or need to do, exercise, sitting, driving, sleeping!! 

Osgood Schlatter’s disease is a painful knee condition which develops just below the kneecap at the growth plate of the tibial bone (tibial tubercle). It typically occurs in adolescents during a growth spurt, and disappears once they stop growing (around 14 years for girls and 16 for boys).

I am often having to explain what it is I do as a myotherapist, there seems to be some confusion where we are placed in the healthcare system compared to phsio's, osteo's, massage therapists, and chiro's. To showcase the diversity of what we treat, here is a typical day in my clinic:

Have you woken after a sleep and realised you cannot move your head to one side, or you are forced to turn your whole body to look in a certain direction?  This is acute neck pain, it comes on suddenly, most likely from having your neck in an awkward position for an extended period of time.

Lower-back pain is so common in our population that according to leading researcher, Professor Buchbinder, "we should treat it like the common cold," it’s VERY common.  In contrast to the common cold, rest is not recommended for low back pain, getting up and moving is.  One of the best things for low back pain is walking.

Traditionally, we think of tennis, (or golf elbow) when we experience elbow pain.  The majority of elbow pain is caused by time spent at the computer, not from playing tennis or golf! 
 

Swimming injuries are often caused by overuse rather than trauma. The repetitive nature of swimming can lead to muscle fatigue, heightening the likelihood of impingement type injuries. Poor technique and biomechanics are also a significant contributor to injury.

The highly repetitive action of swimming, which primarily uses the upper body for forward propulsion can predispose swimmers to overloading and overuse injuries of the shoulder. In fact, research indicates that 40-90% of swimmers will suffer from swimming related shoulder pain

There is a certain amount of cross-over with all 3 therapies, each will assess, treat and manage your condition with the goal of finding a solution to your pain or condition and assisting in getting you moving again. How this is done depends on your therapist, what they specialise in, and how they treat. 

Low back pain affects up to 80% of the population. We dispel some myths about low back pain, including why movement is essential, lack of core strength is not to blame, scans are often unnecessary and bulging discs are often NOT the cause of low back pain.