So, you’ve been sent for a scan to assist with determining a clearer diagnosis, prognosis, intervention and assessment of your injury or dysfunction – but, why have they chosen that particular scan? Following is an explanation for each type of scan that will hopefully help to clarify why a particular scan has been chosen for your situation.Read More
What is DOMS? You’ve probably felt it after charging back into exercise after hibernating through Spring. DOMS or Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness, as the name implies, is that lovely muscular ache that develops after exercise – usually between 24 and 48 hours after. It generally occurs after high-intensity, unaccustomed exercise, and is especially prevalent when there have been eccentric movements. Eccentric exercise involves movements where the muscles are contracting whilst lengthening, e.g downhill or long-distance running. You may love it or…
Taping and strapping There are various strapping and supporting tapes, along with taping techniques that are commonly used by physiotherapists, for a variety of reasons. These various combinations may be used to: Relieve pain Improve joint stability Stabilize or support an injury Reduce re injury when returning to normal activity Facilitate normal movement, muscular or postural patterns Prevent injury The different tapes used include: Rigid strapping tape – also known as sports tape or athletic tape. As the name…
Use Pilates to ease winter stiffness As we slowly transition out of the chill of Winter, are you noticing that your body is moving with a bit more stiffness than you would like? Well, Clinical Pilates might just be the exercise to help you to ‘loosen up’. Stiffness or tightness in a muscle can have one or even several different causes. During the cold season, you have likely been tensing up in an attempt to keep warm, as well as…
The role of ultrasound in physiotherapy When most people think of ultrasound they usually imagine the type that produces images of the inside of the body, such as with monitoring the health of a developing baby in the womb. This differs to the therapeutic ultrasound that Physiotherapists have been using since the 1940s to enhance treatments. Therapeutic ultrasound works by emitting ultrasound waves that cause the vibration of soft tissues, which increases blood flow to the localized area, as directed…
Strains, sprains. Sprains, strains Is it a strain, or is it a sprain? Just like colds and flus the terms strain and sprain are often used interchangeably, but they actually refer to injuries of different tissues of the body. Basically, a strain refers to the tearing of a muscle or tendon, while a sprain is a ligament tear. Muscles and tendons work together to create and transmit forces that produce movement, while ligaments provide more of a supportive and stabilizing…
Pregnancy Massage Lower back, hip/pelvic pain, fatigue, headaches, swelling and general all-over body tightness are some of the most common presentations women may experience during pregnancy, and even post pregnancy too. If you are experiencing any of these during your pregnancy, then you may greatly benefit from a pregnancy massage. A pregnancy massage can help to provide relief through soft tissue massage and stretching techniques, which aim at reducing muscle tension as well as improving blood flow. This can help…
Pains, drains and automobiles Commuting long distances is a common occurrence in this spread-out country that we live in. Not only is this draining on our minds and bodies, but it is also commonly associated with pain in the back, neck and shoulders, particularly for those who regularly spend long hours in the driver’s seat. While newer cars often have more adjustable driver’s seats, they still tend to lack adequate lumbar support – encouraging poor posture as your supporting muscles…
Do you need gait analysis? Have you suffered from an injury, illness or deformity that may have affected your posture and/or the way that your body moves? Do you feel like walking or running is or has become more difficult than it should be? Then you may want to consider having a gait analysis. Gait analysis involves just that, the analysis of how you walk or run through observation and assessment. If you have poor technique in relation walking or…
Do your feet suffer after running? Your feet are complicated structures, composed of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves that are “designed” to work together as a team. However, if one team member stumbles, it can impede the functioning of the rest of the foot. With time it will also end up affecting other areas of the body as adjustments are made to keep you moving forward. There are various areas of the foot where you may experience pain…