Acute Torticollis June 14, 2011
Posted by Joanna Wilson in Uncategorized.Tags: acute torticollis, back pain, neck pain, Phsyiotherapy, physiocare, physiotherapy, physiotherapy reading, shoulder injury, torticollis, whiplash, wry neck
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Torticollis means twisted neck, also referred to as wry neck, is a medical term for a stiff neck. Acute torticollis begins suddenly, usually you wake up with it and the cause is often unknown. It can be attributed to sleeping in an awkward position, sleeping in a draft or spending time outdoors in the wind. It can last from 24-48 hours to up to 2-3 weeks.
The pain is caused by the muscles in the neck going into spasm. Often the pain affects only one side of the neck but can radiate into the head or the shoulder. The neck may feel stuck in one position or cause spine contortion whereupon the neck is twisted to the right or the left.
Resting for a day or two can initially be helpful if the pain is severe. Your G.P. will be able to diagnose your condition based on your symptoms but if they have any doubts as to the cause of your neck pain, further investigations i.e. an x-ray may be ordered to rule out any disc involvement. A cervical collar should not be used unless the symptoms are particularly severe, and not for more than a few days as it is best to try to keep the neck mobile.
Analgesia, anti-inflammatory medication or muscle relaxants may help with symptom relief under the guidance of a doctor. Following a days’ rest, beginning gentle exercises will help prevent the neck from stiffening up further. A physiotherapist can provide gentle message and mobilisation of the neck to relieve symptoms.
Heat or cold packs may also help to resolve any inflammation and relieve pain. Use a few times a day, never apply these directly to the skin, always wrap in a towel to prevent further injury.
A physiotherapist can also give advice to improve your posture to promote good spinal alignment to prevent further episodes of torticollis reoccurring. The use of a good supportive pillow can also help you sleep in the correct position. It may be advisable to avoid driving if possible at the start of your injury because the restrictions on the turning of the head would make it impossible to view your blind spot.
Cricketers Rotator Cuff injury November 30, 2010
Posted by Joanna Wilson in Uncategorized.Tags: bowling injury, cricket injury, Phsyiotherapy, physiocare, physiotherapy, physiotherapy reading, RICE, RICE Treatment, rotator cuff injury, shoulder injury, Sporting injury, sporting injury reading, Sports injury, sports injury reading
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The shoulder joint comes under tremendous strain during any sporting activities. None more so than fast bowling cricketers. The shoulder rotates in many directions and has a great range of movement. The motion involved in over-arm bowling strains the shoulder joint and tears in the muscle can develops over time. It can start as a minor tear but with overuse can quickly develop into a major restricting injury.
The rotator cuff is made up of a group of four muscles called the subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus and teres minor. These four muscles combined are called the rotator cuff. Shoulder sport injuries to your rotator cuff are usually caused by two things – tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon, or a tear to the muscle caused by sudden trauma.
An acute tear happens suddenly whilst doing an activity e.g. bowling a ball, when a tearing sensation is felt in the shoulder followed by pain down the arm. A chronic tear develops over a period of time
The main symptom of a rotator cuff injury is pain which limits range of movement. The pain in your shoulder will be particularly severe when the arm is raised out to the side or you try to reach behind you. The pain may radiate down the arm to the elbow and can be worse at night. The shoulder may feel weakened and simple everyday tasks like dressing will become troublesome.
Initially treatment should be using the R.I.C.E method. Rest your shoulder for a few days avoiding the activity which causes you pain. Apply ice packs to your shoulder for about 20 minutes three to four times a day to help reduce inflammation. Never apply ice directly to the skin, wrap in a towel to prevent damage to the skin. A sling may be used for a few days to help give support to the shoulder but should not be over used as the shoulder needs gentle movement to prevent stiffness. Anti inflammatory analgesics should be taken under the advice of your G.P. to help with the pain.
If symptoms persist more than 2-3 days seek help and advice from a physiotherapist. A sports injury specialist can assess your injury and set out a treatment plan. They may give you stretching exercises to do at home to relieve symptoms and strengthen muscles to prevent further injury.
Frozen Shoulder August 10, 2010
Posted by Joanna Wilson in Uncategorized.Tags: frozen shoulder, Phsyiotherapy, physiocare, physiotherapy, physiotherapy reading, RICE, shoulder injury, Sporting injury, sports injury reading
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Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis is a condition that occurs in adults between the ages of 40 and 60. It is estimated 1 in 20 people will suffer and it affects more women than men. A frozen shoulder is not related to arthritis.
A frozen shoulder occurs when there is thickening and swelling of the flexible tissue that surrounds your shoulder joint. This tissue is known as a capsule. The shoulder capsule is fully stretched when your arm is raised above your head, and hangs down as a small pouch when your arm is lowered.
In cases of frozen shoulder, it is thought that bands of scar tissue form inside the shoulder capsule, causing it to thicken, swell, and tighten. This leaves less space for your upper arm bone in the joint and makes any movement stiff and painful.
It is not entirely certain what causes a frozen shoulder but some sufferers of certain diseases seem more prone i.e. diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s disease and stroke sufferers.
The symptoms of a frozen shoulder come on slowly. Initially, an ache in the shoulder will develop into pain and stiffness, which is usually worse at night, and leads to gradual loss of shoulder movement. This is known as the freezing phase and can last several months. The frozen phase follows with the shoulder stiff in one position leading to muscle wastage but should not be more painful. Restriction of shoulder movement can last up to a year or more. Finally the thawing phase, where there is a gradually increase in range of movement and decrease in pain and stiffness.
These phases will affect individuals differently and your symptoms may last longer or shorter than this. During all phases, performing of everyday tasks will become increasingly difficult e.g. dressing or driving.
Treatment of a frozen shoulder is with analgesia and physiotherapy. If analgesics alone do not help with your pain, anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed by your G.P. depending on any other illnesses you suffer from.
A physiotherapist will be able to help with shoulder exercises to maintain movement and flexibility. They may also use massage. A physio may also recommend the use of thermotherapy, the use of heat or cold pads, or use a TENS (transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) machine. This eases pain by numbing nerve endings.
In rare cases, surgery may be offered to manipulate the shoulder or keyhole surgery performed to release the tight capsule.
Rotator Cuff Injury December 15, 2009
Posted by Joanna Wilson in Uncategorized.Tags: Phsyiotherapy, physiocare, RICE, RICE Treatment, rotator cuff injury, shoulder injury, Sporting injury, sporting injury reading, Sports injury, torn rotator cuff
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The most common sports injury to your shoulder joint is a rotator cuff injury. The rotator cuff is made up of a group of four muscles called the subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus and teres minor. These four muscles combined are called the rotator cuff tendon. This injury is common in swimmers and sports using rackets especially those involving repeated overhead motions with your arms.
Shoulder sport injuries to your rotator cuff can be caused by two things – tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon, or a tear, caused by sudden trauma or gradually by wear with age. An acute tear happens suddenly whilst doing an activity e.g. serving a ball, and you get a tearing sensation in the shoulder followed by pain down the arm. This will be followed by a
limited range of movement of the shoulder joint often unable to abduct the arm, pain on movement of the joint and muscle spasms.
A chronic tear develops over a period of time and affects people over the age of 40. Symptoms include pain in the joint especially on leaning on the elbow and pushing upwards on the shoulder or if sleeping on the effected joint and a feeling of weakness in the joint more common on the dominant side.
Initially treatment should be self-help. Rest your shoulder avoiding the activity which causes you pain. Apply ice packs to reduce inflammation. Take analgesics and anti-inflammatory medication. Do move your shoulder gently to prevent stiffness.
If symptoms persist more than 2-3 days seek help from your G.P or physiotherapist. A sports injury specialist can assess your injury and set out a treatment plan. They may give you stretching exercises to do at home to relieve symptoms and strengthen muscles to prevent further injury.
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