Have you ever experienced neck pain after a quick movement to your neck or woken up with a stiff neck? This could be a condition called Wry Neck. What is Wry Neck? Wry neck occurs when the joints on one side of your neck become stiff. This may result in pain, movement restriction or stiffness on one side, making it difficult to turn your head to do daily tasks such as computer work, driving or looking down at your phone…
Ankle sprain - is one of the most common injuries that occur in sports. They are most prevalent in fast-change-of-direction sports such as footy, basketball and netball. These injuries most commonly occur when changing direction, landing from jumps, or even landing on an opponent's foot. What are the ankle ligaments? Ligaments are strong bands of connective tissue that connect bone to bone. Ligaments help support the ankle and provide stability during everyday tasks such as walking and running. The…
Within the sporting world, it is common practice for athletes to commence a thorough warm-up to get their bodies physically prepared to play. Typically, the most known method of warming is stretching. However, in terms of recovery and injury reduction, there is a more modern approach to warm-ups, known as dynamic warm-ups. Dynamic warm-ups consist of repetitive movements that are ‘active’ in nature. These are usually structured to be similar to the movements that the sport/activity needs. Keeping constantly moving…
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most common causes of wrist pain. It can affect anyone at any age, with a slightly higher frequency seen in females and those over the age of 30. The risk of developing is increased for those with previous wrist injuries, inflammatory conditions or those who work or perform activities involving repeated movements at the wrist joint. These include typing, gripping tools, computer work or repetitive lifting. What are…
What is Lymphoedema? Lymphoedema is a chronic condition. It causes swelling from excessive amounts of fluid in the body. While it usually affects the arms or legs, it may also involve the trunk, breast, head and neck, or genital area. The lymphatic system comprises a network of lymph nodes and vessels that transport fluid (lymph) from the tissues into the bloodstream. When this system is impaired, it cannot efficiently drain this fluid, causing swelling. Components of Complex Physical Therapy (CPT)…
What can cause Boney Stress? Boney stress can be caused by a sudden increase in physical load such as beginning a new running program, sport or activity resulting in an overload/overuse injury. One type of overuse condition that is seen in physiotherapy clinics is bone overuse injuries. Two common types are: Stress reaction: With a repeated overload of strenuous weight-bearing activities, along with inadequate recovery. This could lead to the bone having an inability to withstand the current demands being…
What is the rotator cuff? The rotator cuff refers to a group of 4 shoulder muscles that all play an important role in the movement of the shoulder. It acts as stability of the shoulder joint itself when the arm is in an elevated position. Since the rotator cuff has such an important role in shoulder function, it is very common for this structure to be injured. Perhaps one of the main types of injuries that can occur to this structure is a…
Have you or someone you know experienced the feeling of dizziness before? It can be very unsettling. Our experienced Hoppers Crossing Physiotherapists understand the uncertainty around this feeling of dizziness. We explain vestibular rehabilitation and what it involves in this article. Firstly, the treatment of symptoms of dizziness, vertigo, motion sensitivity, balance and postural control issues that occur due to vestibular dysfunction could be a result of many things. Keep reading as we explain three common causes of dizziness or…
What is Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI)? Hip pain is widespread across all age groups throughout life, whether an elite athlete or someone in the general population. Many conditions may cause hip pain, such as femoroacetabular impingement (also known as FAI for short). What is it? This is a condition where the ball and socket part of the hip joint cannot move around through range. This is due to the way the head of your femur (thigh bone) moves around the socket…
ACL ruptures have gained significant media attention of late due to the amount of time missed in sport, particularly among elite AFL, soccer and rugby players. This blog will explore what an ACL is, how it is important for knee stability as well as explore the surgical and physiotherapy treatments for them. What is an ACL? The knee joint does not have a large range of motion but instead possesses a high amount of stability to keep the joint together.…