What is Sciatica? Sciatica is a condition that involves compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, hence its name. This leads to sharp, aching or burning pains in the lower back that can travel down the back of the thigh and even past the knee following the path of the sciatic nerve. You may also experience neurological symptoms such as muscle weakness, numbness and other altered sensations. Research shows an incidence of 10-40% of the population will experience sciatica at…
Osteoarthritis currently affects approximately 3.6 million Australians. Equally, approximately 2 million people live with some form of knee and/or hip osteoarthritis. Furthermore, It is more common in females, people who are overweight and people suffering from a previous injury. It is a condition that leads to painful joints and surrounding tissues, difficulty moving and has an impact on daily living activities. Treatment Fortunately, there are effective treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee/hip that do not involve surgery. Therefore, joint replacement…
The Achilles tendon is the main tendon around the back of the ankle that is involved in propulsion. Giving us the power to walk, jump and run. With different training loads, the tendon can be exposed to unusual forces resulting in a condition called Achilles tendinosis. Michael Tricarico, our Senior Partner / APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, explains a little more about Achilles Tendinosis s in this short video. What is Achilles Tendinosis? This is characterised not only by inflammation but…
Osgood-Schlatter disease is probably a condition you heard about growing up, whether you had it or your friends had it. Osgood-Schlatter disease is essentially an overuse injury of the knee that is common in growing children and adolescents. Repetitive activity, particularly jumping activity can cause swelling and irritation over the growth plate at the top of the shin. What are some causes of Osgood-Schlatter's disease? Osgood-Schlatter disease is caused by an imbalance of growth between the bones, muscles and Tendons. This causes the…
Cervicogenic Headache is a secondary headache that occurs due to musculoskeletal or neurological dysfunction in the neck. Michael Tricarico our Senior Partner / APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist explains a little more about Cervicogenic Headaches in this short video Its main source of referred headache is thought to be an irritation in the upper neck structures as they share the nerves that relay pain signals up to the head. It could be caused by a traumatic incident, arthritis, nerve irritation on…
Another year older means another year wiser, but unfortunately, getting older also means our bodies can undergo many changes. While physical decline is normal with ageing, a lack of physical activity and exercise can further contribute to this decline. These include: reduced muscle and bone strength, reduced balance, reduced joint flexibility, reduced cardiovascular and respiratory function, and increased body fat and blood pressure. There can also be an increased susceptibility to anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, and stroke risk. Benefits of…
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…
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.…
At Hoppers Physio, we pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality individual care. We are fortunate to have a fully equipped gym, with reformers, trapeze, barrel, bike, treadmill, fit balls, and more. Our staff assess all our clients individually and tailor programs to suit their needs. If you are considering pilates, our clinical programs are a great place to start. You will have an initial assessment with one of our physiotherapists, involving a real-time ultrasound of your abdominals to gain…