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CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA: Ankle sprains are extremely common, however, this doesn’t make them easy to cope with when they happen to you. If you’ve ever spent two weeks hobbling around on crutches after an unfortunate twist, you’ll understand just how painful and difficult they can be.

What are they? 

Ankle sprains refer to a tear to the ligament fibres of the ankle. Commonly, a person will roll their ankle inwards and tear the ligament on the outside. Occasionally, the ankle will twist outwards and the ligaments on the inside of the ankle are torn and even less commonly, the fibres of the ligament that hold the two bones of the lower leg together tear (high ankle sprain). A sprained ankle will usually be painful, swollen, bruised, difficult to walk on and in some cases unstable. 

How does it happen? 

Ankle sprains can occur from something as simple as putting weight onto your leg when you think your foot is flat even though it’s not. The most typical pattern is  of a person jumping and landing on the outside of their foot or simply slipping and twisting their ankle. A sprained or twisted ankle is one of the most common injuries presented to emergency departments around the world. This is important as a severely sprained ankle can actually have very similar symptoms to a broken ankle and will need an X-ray. 

A medical professional should assess any severe sprain. However, there are some guidelines to help decide if a sprained ankle needs X-ray. 

1. You are unable to put weight on the ankle immediately after the injury.

2. You are unable to take more than 4 steps immediately after the injury. 

3. Pain on the bony edges of the outer foot and ankle. 

How long do sprains take to heal? 

Depending on the severity of the tear, from one to six weeks. Your physiotherapist is able to help with recovery and ensure nothing slows down the healing. Following any injury of the body, joints may remain a little stiff and lose strength and control. Even though the injured tissues have healed, the ankle doesn’t move quite the way it used to. This means that your risk of twisting it again is higher than before the injury. 

How can physiotherapy help?

Correct rehabilitation can help to prevent recurring injuries. As well as providing support to the unstable ankle, your physiotherapist will help you to strengthen any weak muscles and restore balance and control through exercise. They are also able to correct any abnormal movement of the joint following swelling.

CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA: A diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) for joint pain can be a great cause of distress. Many people believe that if you have arthritis your pain is not able to improve and will deteriorate until a joint replacement can be performed. The truth is much more complicated, largely due to our bodies’ incredible ability to adapt and change. 

Physiotherapists have always known that the pain and disability that comes with arthritis can be improved with a closely targeted exercise program. In some cases, the pain that is attributed to OA is actually due to a different, entirely treatable cause. In other cases, strengthening the musculature around the painful joint can have a significant effect by providing the joint with extra support. 

The way we move is often affected negatively by pain and this in itself can create changes to biomechanics that can further contribute to pain. In many cases, surgical intervention is the best choice for treatment and can have incredible results. However, there is a strong case for seeking physiotherapy treatment first to see if you can achieve the same results without surgery. Even if you do choose to go ahead with surgery, working with a physiotherapist beforehand can provide better outcomes.

Physiotherapists are highly skilled at identifying exactly what is causing your pain and helping you reach the highest level of function. While exercise is a very powerful treatment, it’s not that any exercise will take away any pain. 

To be effective, you will need to have a full assessment and a personalized treatment program created by your physiotherapist. This can involve identifying weak muscles, limitations in flexibility, finding painful trigger points, restoring movement to stiff joints and providing biomechanical assessment to make a combination of changes that can make a large difference to your pain and activity levels. 

Your physiotherapist can also identify any external factors that may be contributing to your pain. Such as unsupportive footwear, workplace set up etc. Talk to us to see how we can help you manage your osteoarthritis.

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. 

CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA: An ACL tear is one of the most dreaded sports injuries both for patients and therapists alike. Surgery and rehabilitation can be a tedious and difficult road, with full recovery taking up to 12 months in some cases. 

What is an ACL?

The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is a short, thick ligament in the centre of the knee joint that keeps the lower part of the leg firmly anchored to the upper part, preventing it from slipping forward. 

The ACL exists to provide stability to the knee. Following a tear the knee can feel unstable and give way suddenly. This isn’t always a problem with day to day activities, however, as soon as you need to stress your knee more when running, jumping or with sports that require twisting such as netball or skiing, it can pose a much bigger problem. 

What is the treatment?

Conventional wisdom has always been that when this ligament is torn completely the only pathway forward for a fully functioning and stable knee is reconstructive surgery and comprehensive rehabilitation. While small tendons tears can repair and heal themselves, a full thickness tear was believed to be incapable of healing on its own. 

A growing body of evidence is being collected that some full thickness ACL tears are capable of regenerating and healing without surgery. Rehabilitation for ACL tears will focus on helping the other structures of the knee step up to compensate for any lost stability and can have surprisingly good results. For most people the presence or absence of a ligament in their knee isn’t important, the function of the knee is really what matters.

Do I still need surgery?

This new evidence is simply adding to the discussion that needs to happen after any serious injury. The right pathway for you will depend on a variety of factors, including your own personal goals, financial situation and motivation to undergo rehabilitation. At a minimum, a trial of physiotherapy rehabilitation should be considered prior to undergoing surgery should be considered.

If you want to know which option is best for you, have a chat with your physiotherapist about your personal circumstances and they can help you work through the pros and cons of any decision. 

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

CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA: An essential component of physiotherapy treatment is your home exercise program. All physiotherapists know that patients who complete their exercises will have better outcomes from their treatment, however it can be difficult to find time to complete them. Here are a few tips that can help you to fit your exercises into your weekly routine. 

Plan when to complete them

 

Making a plan might sound simple, but the expression ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’ has some truth to it. Physiotherapy exercises are specifically targeted towards weak and tight muscles. The exercises are likely to be a little difficult and uncomfortable. Setting time aside in advance to complete them can help you overcome any resistance to getting them done.

Ask your Physio to prioritise them

Your physiotherapists might give you a combination of exercises to complete. If you’re struggling to find time to complete them all, ask your physiotherapist to rank the exercises in order of importance, this can help you to make sure you complete the most important ones when you are short of time.

Set triggers as reminders

You can use small every day tasks as reminders to remind you to complete your exercises. Some examples include boiling the kettle, brushing your teeth or as a final task before getting into bed.

Use Positive reinforcement

 

Combining a task you don’t enjoy with one that you do is a great way to motivate yourself. You can either pair your exercises with something you love such as watching an episode of your favourite tv show or give yourself a reward once they are completed. Either way, the more positive associations you make with completing your home exercise program, the less barriers you make to completing. them. 

Want more tips? Ask your physiotherapist for their top tips and tricks for fitting your exercise program into your day.

CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA:

What is it?

The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band on the underside of the foot that helps to support the arches and deep muscles of the foot. Often over time, if any stress that is put upon the plantar fascia becomes too much and it can begins to degenerate, causing pain when the foot is placed on the ground. 

Plantar fasciopathy is also known as plantar fasciitis and can be notoriously difficult to treat. It is a progressive condition but in some cases a self-limiting one. The condition does sometimes, eventually resolves itself. Without treatment, however, the condition can take up to two years to go away and is extremely painful in the meantime.

What are the symptoms?

The first symptoms are a slight pain on the inside of the heel in the mornings; usually the first steps of the day arethe most painful. As the condition progresses there may be pain with walking or running. In severe cases pain might be felt all the time, even when resting.

What is the cause?

For athletes it is likely that the problem is caused by training program errors, poor biomechanics, tight calves and inadequate support in footwear. In other people, it’s more likely that the problem is caused by standing for long periods on hard surfaces. Other risk factors include age, poor footwear choices and increased weight.

How can physiotherapy help?

The first stage of treatment will involve diagnosis and identification of contributing factors. Your physiotherapist can apply taping techniques to unload the fascia and use hands on techniques to restore flexibility to the calf muscles and fascia. This can provide great relief of pain, particularly in the early stages of treatment. A specific loading exercise program will be implemented and they will also advise you on a suitable training program, footwear and stretches. They can also help make modifications to your running style if this is contributing to the problem. 

There are medical options for heel spur removal, shockwave therapy and steroidal injection however these treatments work best if used in conjunction with traditional physiotherapy 

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

CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA: For most of us, the hours we spend sleeping are simply a time for rest and recovery. However, you might be surprised to learn that your sleeping position can have a significant impact on your body, particularly if you already have an injury. Here are some tips from your physiotherapist to help to stay pain free overnight.

Back Pain Tips

For sufferers of back pain, finding a comfortable position at night can be difficult. Ideally, the natural curves of the spine should be maintained and supported throughout the night. Ideally, your body should be held in a position of minimal stress while sleeping. This means that all your joints and muscles are resting in a neutral position

A mattress that is too soft might feel comfortable to begin with, but over time will let you sink too much, meaning the curve of the lower spine will be lost. Waking up with a stiff spine could be a sign that you are using the wrong mattress. A mattress that is too firm can also mean your spine is held in a flattened position throughout the night, which is both uncomfortable during the night and when you wake up.

For many people, sleeping on their side keeps their spine in a more natural alignment than when sleeping on their back. If you do sleep on your back, placing a pillow under your knees can help to maintain your lumbar spinal curve throughout the night. This can also help to reduce hip and knee pain.

Neck Pain Tips 

The neck is often the most vulnerable part of the body if your sleeping setup is not ideal. Side sleepers may let their neck fall excessively to the side with a pillow that is too low or have their neck elevated too much by having their pillows too high.

If you find yourself putting your arm under your pillow while you sleep, it is likely that your pillow is too low. Having your shoulder in this position overnight can put unnecessary stress on the structures in the shoulder joint and should be avoided if possible. Stomach sleeping can also put additional pressure on your neck as it is turned to the side for long periods.

Hip Pain Tip

Side sleepers often spend their nights with one leg crossed over their body. This can place extra pressure on the structures on the side of the hip, such as tendons and bursa and can impact the health of these tissues as the compression can reduce the blood flow to the area. Placing a pillow under your knee while sleeping on your side can help to maintain a neutral alignment of your hip.

Speak to your physiotherapist for more advice on how to improve your sleeping posture and find out if your sleeping setup is right for you.

CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA: If you’ve ever started a new hobby and noticed your balance isn’t quite up to scratch, it can be quite a disturbing discovery. Balance is an important part of many activities and if your balance is not being challenged regularly, it’s easy for it deteriorate without you noticing.

What is balance? 

Keeping your balance refers to a state where your centre of gravity is maintained over your base of your support, preventing you from falling. Your body is always working hard to keep this equilibrium without you realising it. Balance is controlled by many systems that work together, including the visual, vestibular, proprioceptive and musculoskeletal systems.

What is proprioception? 

Proprioception refers to the awareness of your body’s position in space. The central nervous system gains sensory input from the muscles, skin and tendons and interprets the information, creating a sense of where your body is positioned. This is how you know your foot is flat and ready to take your weight when you step, without needing to look at it. You may not have heard of proprioception before, but it is vital to keep you from falling and can be improved.

How can I test my balance? 

Your physiotherapist is able to assess your balance more extensively, however here are a few quick tests you can do at home to see if your balance can be improved.

Stand with two feet together and close your eyes. 

Try again, this time standing on one foot. Close your eyes only once you have found a steady posture with your eyes open. 

To increase difficulty, stand on an uneven surface, like a pillow on the floor. 

Aim to balance for at least 30 seconds in each of these postures. If you can’t have a chat with your physiotherapist and see if your balance can be improved. They will be able to offer you some practical tips on how to reduce falls and injuries.

CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA: Strains and sprains are words that are used almost interchangeably when describing injuries, however, they each have quite distinct meanings. The most straightforward explanation is that a “strain” refers to a tear in a muscle or tendon, while a “sprain” refers to a tear in ligament fibres. Here we briefly describe what that means and how we treat sprains and strains differently. 

Ligaments are fibrous tissues that connect and hold bones to other bones. These are very strong parts of your anatomy and, depending on the joint, provide large amounts of support and stability to the body. 

Some ligaments are so strong that sometimes a bone will break before the ligament will tear. When ligament fibres do tear, the nearby joint can feel unstable as it has lost some of its structural support. 

A torn ligament will usually become painful and swollen, it may appear red and also warm touch and occasionally there will be some bruising. The pain will be worse with movement or if the ligament is placed under more stress. Occasionally, if a ligament has torn all the way through, the pain will not be as severe as it is with a partial tear.

Your physiotherapist can grade the severity of a ligament sprain, which will help guide treatment and expected recovery times. Muscle strains are easy to confuse with ligament sprains, however, there are a few tell-tale differences. Following a muscle tear, it is more likely that you’ll feel weakness rather than instability. The pain will also be isolated over the muscle, rather than near a joint. 

An injury to a ligament will be tender over the site of the ligament and special tests can be done to test for any joint laxity. Treatment is also slightly different as sprains will need more support and will sometimes even need to be braced, whereas muscle strains will benefit from gentle movements earlier. In both cases, following the basic principles of rest, ice, compression and elevation is great advice in the early stages of any injury. Applying heat is not recommended until at least two days after the injury.

It is important to seek a professional opinion when recovering from both a strain and a sprain. It is very easy to re-injure an area while it is healing if undertaking strenuous activity too early and without correct rehabilitation. Speak to your physiotherapist for more information. 

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

CUMBERLAND PHYSIOTHERAPY PARRAMATTA:

1. Problems that seem to arise for “no reason” are usually a result of disuse or lack of movement. 

It’s common to want to know why pain has occurred; however, it’s not always easy to identify a cause. What you come to learn as a physiotherapist is that pain and tissue damage are just as likely to arise from disuse and inactivity as they are to develop from an accident. 

Our bodies are made to move and modern-day life simply doesn’t allow for enough movement. We certainly shouldn’t be sitting as much as we are as this allows our joints to stiffen, muscles to shorten and weaken, and nerves to become extra sensitive. 

There is also evidence that movement is essential for joint health, due to the movement of joint fluid that provides nutrients to the joint structures. The reason physiotherapists are always advocating for more movement is that we see the long-term effects of disuse on a daily basis. 

2. Bad habits are hard to break, but the best time to make a change is today. 

Small, gradual changes made today can have a big effect in the future. Some habits that should be formed early are incorporating as much exercise into your routine as possible. It’s harder to be fit and active in your 60s if you weren’t active in your 30s. 

Being active now is arguably one of the most important things you can do to ensure you have a comfortable and healthy later life. Other changes that are best to make today are improvements to your posture and balance as these both will tend to deteriorate over time.

3. Pain is affected by so much more than just tissue damage. 

Your beliefs and attitudes about pain can have a huge impact on how you experience pain. Being fearful and anxious will amplify pain. The worst-case scenario is actually very unlikely and seeking the treatment of a physiotherapist can help to ensure the best outcomes possible.