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The Forgotten COVID impact.

Posted on October 28, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

After going through 18 months of COVID, there is a long list of things we have been continually bombarded with by the media. Most of them are not too good.
However there are some other things that I am seeing as a physiotherapist in my Hawthorn Clinic. These things are quite significant and may have long term impacts for many.

Glenferrie Sports and Spinal was able to continue practicing with restrictions through most of the lockdowns; but we could operate nonetheless. This was a lot more fortunate than many other businesses.

I considered myself lucky to be able to go to work and get out of home. I was able to have human contact and see things other than the 4 walls of home. I made it a priority to move daily and I walked about 50 km a week. This enabled my mind and body to be refreshed and carry on the day to day requirements.

Unfortunately this was probably not the norm. Many people sat for far more time than they would normally. Organic daily movements were not performed.

Younger people hibernated in their caves, eyes glued to screens, adults sat on couches and watched Netflix, and many seniors bunkered down to weather the storm.

Whatever the cause, the result was the same. People sat, got weak and developed poor postures and movement patterns.

The resullt is not good.

People are weak.

People are tight.

People are scared to get out as they are no longer comfortable moving safely as they once were.

As we open up we are seeing a lot of people who are hurting themselves by the most simple activities.

Those tight backs can’t handle the garden as they once did. The poor old shoulders can’t swing a club with force as yet. That dodgy neck is sore from too much time watching Squid Game.

But as we transition into freer times, the mind keeps saying Go Go Go. We’ve missed out on so much, it’s time to make up.

Absolutely; but think slow is fast.

Putting in some ground work and returning to movement gradually allows the body to modify.

Adaptation is where the body responds to any stress. It’s really good at working out how it can deal with what you are asking it to do.

A good example is a bodybuilder. Progressive loading allows them to lift more and more weight. But if they go too hard too soon they get injured.

The same applies here.

Ease back into activity.

Dont try and do the garden in one hit.

Go down to the range and hit a small bucket of balls.

Walk around the block instead of going for a 10km run.

Remember that your organic movement will also increase as we open up. You can now go out to the shops. You can now stand at a bar. You can now go for a picnic at the park.

If you keep going to the well, it’s going to run dry.

So try and reach a balance between increasing your exercise, and increasing your social life.

Otherwise you may be spending more time on my table than you like.

Knee Osteoarthritis- I don’t want surgery!

Posted on September 29, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint condition seen amongst the physiotherapy industry with knees being one of the most common areas. When patients present with knee osteoarthritis a common statement we hear is “I don’t want surgery”. The Australian National Joint Registry recorded 54,277 knee replacements in 2014 with 11,732 of these being revisions. Revisions refers to replacing a prosthesis or part of a prosthesis that was originally put in the knee. The majority of the time knee replacements are necessary as patients are in an unbearable state of pain. But sometimes patients haven’t looked at non-surgical options to help prevent or prolong the need for a knee replacement. So what can you do to avoid a knee replacement now? Below are 5 non-surgical options someone with knee osteoarthritis should try before surgery.

Home Exercise Program: a common theme seen amongst patients with knee osteoarthritis is decreased strength in their legs. Muscles are one of our main supporters of our joints and when they are strong, our joints are strong. In the knee our main muscle supporter are the quads or thigh muscles. When these muscles are strong, along with our hamstrings, calf and glute muscles, the pressure our knee has to bear is decreased and therefore can alleviate some of your pain. A simple weight bearing or non-weight bearing home exercise program can be tailored to your needs.
Hydrotherapy: for patients experiencing the extreme end of pain in their knee, or love the water, Hydrotherapy provides the ability to complete strength training without the force going through our knees as we would experience on land. The exercises completed in the pool can be matched to that which you would do in a home exercise program with the added support from the water. Patients tend to find they are able to do more exercise in the pool as well as finding the warmth of the water soothing for their joints.
Group Exercise Classes: for those individuals who find it hard to get motivated to exercise, Group Exercise Classes provide a great way to exercise, socialise and have fun. Various clinics, gyms and community health centres provide exercise classes targeted at osteoarthritic clients.
Diet: a contributing factor to pain experienced in osteoarthritic individuals is increased body mass. Sometimes when we start to experience the onset of pain due to osteoarthritis we stop exercising and along with an unbalanced diet we can cause increased pain in our knees as our body weight increases the force going through them. Some simple dietary changes can help decrease our body mass and therefore the forces our knees are under.
Education: overall patients need to be educated around osteoarthritis and what tips and tricks they can use in everyday life to help manage the condition. These can be as simple as advising on comfortable sleeping positions for those experiencing soreness during the night.

Overall knee osteoarthritis can be a debilitating condition that we can’t change, however we can manage it without the need for surgery. Book in to see one of our physiotherapists for more information.

Do you know someone with “text neck”?

Posted on September 23, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Mobile phones can be seriously bad news for your neck

Using your mobile phone can be seriously bad news for your neck. Take a look around next time your on a train, a tram, in the shops or a restaurant. It’s amazing to see the number of people with their head down, looking at their smartphone. These nifty devices have certainly made many aspects of our day to day life easier, but we definitely need to be smarter about the way we use them.

According to research published by Kenneth Hansraj, Chief of Surgery at the New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic, when texting on your mobile phone, people often adopt poor neck postures, leading to significant force being placed on the tissues of the neck.

When standing upright, the force on the neck is equivalent to the weight of the human head – which is approximately 4-5kg. When looking down at the screen of a mobile phone, the force on the neck can increase by up to approximately 27kg. This type of posture, if held for prolonged periods, or repeated frequently throughout the day, leads to adverse strain on the tissues of the neck. Over time, neck pain and a range of other symptoms (headache, arm pain, pins and needles or numbness) and/or injuries can creep in.

THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR – to avoid a pain in the neck, be mindful of your posture throughout the day, particularly when using your mobile phone OR other mobile device (tablet, iPod, laptop).

TIPS TO AVOID A PAIN IN THE NECK:

✓ Good posture, when it comes to the neck, involves keeping your ears relatively aligned with your shoulders, while gently drawing your shoulder blades back and together.

✓ Rather than tilting your neck, use your arm(s) and hand(s), and raise your mobile devise to a height where you can maintain an upright/neutral neck position while viewing the screen.

✓ Alternatively, lower your eyes to view the screen, maintaining your neck in a neutral position.

✓ Avoid prolonged use. While mobile devices are designed to be easily accessible, they should be used for short periods only.

So, next time you see your friends or family on their phone or mobile device with their head down, give them a nudge and remind them to stand tall and keep their head up! The same goes for other mobile devices – these can also lead to postural problems.

Share this article with friends and family to spread the word.

To arrange a postural assessment or review of your workstation set-up and work methods, arrange an appointment with one of our physiotherapists.

Have you just had elbow surgery?

Posted on September 16, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Download our post surgery handbook for all pre and post surgery information.

Download

Section 1: Pre-Operative Information

Section 2: Basic Elbow Anatomy: Which tissues may be involved?

Section 3: Indications for elbow surgery: Why operate?

Section 4: Elbow Surgery: What does it involve?

Section 5: Elbow Arthroscopy and CPM

Section 6: Post Operative Recovery & Rehabilitation

Neck Pain & how to get rid of it

Posted on September 15, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Neck Pain can be a debilitating health problem. Your head is heavy and balanced on a narrow support made up of seven bones called vertebrae. The vertebrae are separated from each other by discs, stabilised by joints and ligaments and moved by muscles. Because the neck is so mobile, it is easily damaged.

Onset of pain may be immediate or there may be a slow onset – pain gradually increases over several days or weeks. Pain or deep ache of the neck, shoulder or arm (this needs to be differentiated from true shoulder pain, such as tendonitisbursitis). There may be burning or tingling of the arm or hand or headaches. It may be continuous, or only occur when you are in a certain position. The pain may be aggravated by turning your head, looking up or looking down, you may experience stiffness of the neck and shoulder muscles and have a reduced range of motion of the neck.

Neck injuries most often result from motor vehicle, sports or occupational accidents. Damage may occur to vertebrae, joints, nerves, discs, ligaments and muscles. A common neck injury is the acceleration/deceleration injury or ‘whiplash’ where the head is thrown forward or backward.

Bad posture can cause neck pain, ligaments are over-stretched, muscles become tired and the neck joints and nerves are put under pressure. Slouching your shoulders with your head pushed forward, sleeping with your head in an awkward position, or working with your head down for long periods, will all tend to cause or worsen neck pain. If you are experiencing neck pain, it is important that you have your condition assessed by a physiotherapist.

A Physiotherapist can provide an assessment or examination to help determine the source of pain and its behaviour in the body. The location of the pain and how it behaves can provide an understanding of the underlying physiological problem and provide a treatment plan. Your treatment may involve:

Soft tissue massage
Manipulation
Joint mobilisation techniques
Postural re-education
Strengthening, stabilising and stretching exercises to help you manage your problems long-term
Neural mobilisation techniques
Trigger point therapy
Advice and recommendations for ergonomics/desk setup and activity modification

Research tells us that symptoms lasting longer than three months become habitual and are much harder to solve. The sooner you get on top of your neck symptoms the better your outcome.

Seated Neck Stretch

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
Extend your right arm along the right side of the chair.
Place your left hand on the top of your head and slowly tilt your head to the left.
Apply gentle pressure with your hand to increase the stretch. To feel a deeper stretch, you can hold onto the seat of the chair. This stabilises the torso and allows you to isolate the stretch on the side of your neck.
Hold on this side for 30 seconds, then slowly lift your head up and repeat this stretch on the other side.

Towards Wellness

Get in touch with us so we can help alleviate your neck pain.

How to prevent falls

Posted on September 9, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Falls are an ominous yet very real part of life for people over 65 and many falls
can be prevented once the causes are determined. Over 400 risk factors leading
to falling have been identified including lack of physical activity resulting in loss
of muscle tone, decreased bone mass, poor balance, and reduced flexibility;
impaired vision, medications, disease including Parkinson’s, dementia, stroke and
arthritis, surgery, and environmental hazards.

The risk of falls and associated complications rise steadily with age and can be a
marker of increasing frailty. Frailty is not clearly defined but is widely accepted to
include a comibination of weight loss, fatigue, reduced grip strength, diminished
physical activity or slowed gait associated with increased risk of falls, hospitalisation,
loss of mobility and independence, increasing disability and death.

The Stats:
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has found that the number of elderly people
who die each year from falls has quadrupled over the past decade. 1530 people
over the age of 75 died from falls in 2011, compared to 365 in 2002. Falls are also
the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation in persons aged 65 years and
over in Australia. In 2011–12, 96,385 people aged 65 and over were hospitalised
for a fall-related injury. The increasing rate of fall-related hospital admissions
reflects Australia’s ageing population. The number of fall-related hospitalisations
for older people has increased 2.3% per year between 1999–00 and 2010–11.

Physios have become increasingly aware of and concerned about the risk of
falls and the hazardous long term effects on the older generation. Physios have
seen the devastating effects falls can have on an individual and their loved ones.
More often than not they result in serious injury, loss of confidence, and reduced
mobility. All of these can subsequently cause loss of independence and quality of
life. For anyone dealing with falls or the risk of falling it can be frustrating and lead
to feelings of helplessness and lack of self-esteem.

Physiotherapists can play a crucial role in the prevention of falls in older people.
There is evidence that appropriately prescribed interventions can prevent falls.
The strongest single predictor of future falls is a history of previous falls. This is
probably because an individual’s reason for falling the first time is likely to recur.
Assessment of physical functioning is the next strongest predictor.

Exercise programs for balance, strength and falls prevention:
Exercise is a fall prevention intervention because impaired muscle strength and
poor postural control are known to increase the risk of falling and are amendable
to change with exercise. The programs involve exercises targeting gait, balance, functional tasks, strength, flexibility and endurance.

Evidence shows us that home-based exercise programs containing some form
of balance and strength training are the most important intervention strategy to
effectively decrease falls.

Strength Training:

Strength and balance retraining is the most long-term, effective fall prevention
measure that has cardiovascular, metabolic, and self-confidence benefits in
addition to greater stability. Research has shown that falls can be prevented by
retraining your balance and improving your muscular strength, endurance and
flexibility.

Physiotherapy helps you maintain your vital independence with the
implementation of individual, class and home exercise programs for balance,
strength and falls prevention.

Our program consists of an individual assessment. Tailored exercise programs
such as those set out for you by a Physiotherapist, have been shown to be more
effective than general programs at helping people regain good balance. Gentle
strengthening, mobility and balance exercises with our Physiotherapists will help
you maintain your independence and confidence.

It is never too late to start exercising, if you or a member of your family are
concerned with your safety and balance, we would love the opportunity to
assist you. Get in touch with us or book in for a chat.

Top 3 positions in the bed…

Posted on September 8, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Sleeping Positions and how it affects your body?

People often complain of pain in various body parts when they wake in the morning. Common culprits are the neck, shoulder, lower back and hips. Often these morning aches can be attributed to how we have slept during the night, and can be fairly simply addressed.

Are you a front sleeper?

Sleeping on your front puts a lot of stress through the neck and often results in difficulty and discomfort in turning your head in the morning. Simply needing to breathe means front sleepers will always have their head turned one way or the other, and considering the amount of time you’re asleep that’s a big ask of your neck! Front-sleeping is usually considered the least-desirable option due to the effect it has on the neck. As in intermediate step, you could try placing a pillow under your chest to take some of the pressure off your neck, but the best thing in this situation is to try and train yourself to sleep in a different position (on either your side or back).

Are you a side sleeper?

Sleeping on your side is a better option than front-sleeping, and is usually much better for your neck. A good contour pillow is especially helpful to give side-sleepers adequate neck support. Side-sleepers waking with shoulder pain may benefit from placing an extra pillow underneath their torso (just under the armpit), thereby creating a channel for your lower arm to rest it. If you’re a side-sleeper that wakes with lower back or hip pain try sleeping with a pillow between your knees to take some of the weight off your pelvis and lumbar spine.

Are you a back sleeper?

Sleeping on your back is ideal, so great work if that’s you! The most common complaint from people sleeping on their back is pain or tension in the lower back, usually caused by tight psoas muscles. Try putting a pillow underneath your knees to take some strain out of the lower back.

Should you be experiencing any of the above and find that these measures don’t resolve the situation, massage may help to treat your symptoms and an assessment of your sleeping position can be beneficial also.

Get in touch with us to book in for a massage or talk to your physio.

YOU WILL GET BETTER RESULTS IF YOU DON’T SIT ON YOUR BALLS…. Spikey balls that is!

Posted on September 2, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

The Spikey Ball can give great temporary release to any soft tissue tension you target, so providing your condition is a soft tissue one, releasing soft tissue tension can get you through most challenges. Fascia shrinkage and muscle fibre trigger points are common causes of soft tissue fatigue/tension that result from soft tissue ‘over use’ or ‘under use‘.

Spikey balls and stretching are easy ‘no cost’ ways of managing soft tissue tension. Post activity compression and pro-active sports massage are two other simple ways to effectively speed recovery and prevent soft tissue injury that can come from stored soft tissue tension/fatigue.

When treating your upper body from shoulders to hips the Spikey Ball should be placed between your body treatment area and a wall. Then by leaning into the spikey ball and lowering and raising your upper body by bending/straightening at the knees you will produce a rolling action through soft tissue. Combine this action with upper body rotation and you will cover all treatment areas through back, upper arms, chest and glutes including lateral glutes. As you self-treat this way you can vary the pressure through the SB by leaning into or out from the wall. What you are looking for is a twitch/response from muscle and when you feel it, you’ll know instinctively, you reduce your movement to “very specific” over the point for about 5 to 10 seconds…….then move on.

Legs and arms require a different technique. For legs, use both hands to roll the spikey ball through quads, hamstrings, calves and shins (front of lower leg) and always treat the non-weight bearing leg. With quad’s, if you are treating the right side lean to the left side and treat the right quad. With hamstring/calf and shin, place the foot of the side for treatment on a chair then treat with the two handed technique. Upper arms can be treated as the upper body, forearms can be treated as the legs, but with a single hand obviously.

Another spikey ball technique is instead of the rolling motion, you hold the Spikey Ball in one hand and press the spikey convex side into the area for treatment applying good pressure as you want to target the fascia beneath the skin then with the spikes gripping the skin and fascia begin a rotating up and down, back and forth movement, without allowing the ball to roll or slide. Do this for 5 seconds then move on to the edge of the last area treated and repeat the action. This technique is great for arms, legs and glutes.

When using a Spikey ball you can treat directly onto your skin or through clothing…… easy!

Another use of the spikey ball is when driving, especially long distances, when your posterior shoulders and lumber areas ache from the poor posture of driving. Place a Spikey Ball between your ache and the back of the driver’s seat and wriggle around a little, I think you will be happy with the relief you get!

If you need any more advice, get in touch with us and book in for a massage!

What are shin splints? And do you suffer from them?

Posted on September 1, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Medial tibial stress syndrome also known as shin splints is pain along the shaft of the tibia (usually at the inside of the shin). This syndrome is often seen in active athletes who participate in activities such as running or high impact sports such as basketball, football or netball. Shin splints occur when there are high amounts of force placed upon the shin which can be caused by many factors. These forces usually cause micro trauma and overuse by small repetitive loads.

What causes shin splints?

Flat feet
Tight Muscles / Achilles Tendon
Poor footwear
Poor biomechanics
Poor running/training surface
Previous Injuries Treatment for shin splints can be as simple as a modification to one or all of these factors.

What does it feel like?

A Sharp pain over the inside of the lower leg.
Pain at the start of exercise which often eases as the session continues
Aching pain often returns after activity and may be at its worse the next morning.
Sometimes some swelling
Tender to touch

For example, finding better footwear and a softer running surface can prove helpful. Changing your training type or loads to better suit your biomechanics and body type can settle pain quickly. Customised orthotics is an easy way to offload muscles and joints to promote better biomechanics. It is best to see a podiatrist to properly diagnose these symptoms, assess your training / playing and construct an in depth treatment plan.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, get in touch with our podiatrists and make an appointment today.

Getting back into exercise

Posted on August 18, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

We now know about the benefits of physical activity, but it can seem overwhelming to start, especially in these times when we have lost our routine. Below I have listed a few ways to help support bridging this gap and important considerations to remember when starting.

Start slowly and build up progressively: people often make the mistake of going too hard, too quickly. This is a key reason we see patients coming to see us, as this approach often leads to injury and pain. Building up slowly will help mitigate the chance of injury. Remember any exercise is better than nothing; you can start with a walk around the block and build from there.

Find a friend: Having someone to hold you accountable and motivate you can make a big difference. If you don’t have someone within your 5km radius at times like these, organise a virtual run with friends or join Strava so you feel more supported and inspired to exercise. Incorporating a social element will also be beneficial for your social and mental health (remember to stay 1.5m away from each other though).

Be organised and plan ahead: With the busy lifestyles we lead and the complexities of lockdown now, it can be daunting even thinking about engaging in physical activity. However, if you structure your day and set aside time to exercise, it decreases the stress of trying to fit it in or not doing it at all. I personally find it easier to exercise in the morning because by the end of my day I always feel too tired and drained to be physically active.

Set goals for yourself: Setting goals gives you something to work towards. There are always going to be days where the kids are being demanding, you’ve had a tiff with your partner or work is stressful, so are lacking the will and energy to exercise. Having a goal will help motivate you to work hard during your session. Your goal may be a certain HR, it may be time based, lifting a certain weight at the gym, or it may be as simple as setting a distance for yourself. Some patients enjoy signing up for events as it keeps them accountable.

Undertake more incidental exercise: as discussed in the previous blog, walk to the supermarket down the road instead of driving, walk in your lunch break, take the stairs instead of the elevator, get off public transport a stop early. Every bit of physical activity is beneficial for you, it doesn’t always have to be a structured 5km run.

Pick physical activity you enjoy doing: some people love running, others enjoy going to the gym. Some people prefer a hill climb on their bike, whereas others enjoy yoga and pilates. I know myself I love chasing a ball and playing competitive sport, so I opt for this option of physical activity as much as possible. Some people enjoy online classes for convenience and time benefits, whereas others like to get out into nature. You are more motivated to undertake physical activity if you enjoy it and this optimises compliance and maintenance. Variety and a mix of all different activities is critical for some people so they don’t lose interest.

Warm up, stretch and cool down: Warming up and stretching is important to increase the blood flow and oxygen to your muscles and get them ready for physical activity. It also helps you get in the mental headspace ready to be active. Cooling down optimises recovery and it also a good time to be mindful and reflect on your good work.

Recover well: Eating well and hydrating are critical to optimise performance but are also important for building strength and endurance when recovering. They also help to decrease the chance of injury. Sleep is the most important form of recovery for the human body. It allows the body to heal and recover, build physical strength and improves our mental wellbeing. Other beneficial habits for recovering may include reducing stress, undertaking mindfulness and being kind to yourself.

Technique cannot be forgotten: Individuals often think just undertaking physical activity is enough. However, it is important to be mindful of the way we perform movements. Injuries are commonly sustained by incorrect technique or rushing through a program without concentrating on what we are doing. Squatting with too much weight, deadlifting with poor technique and over striding when running can all increase the chance of injury. It is important to slow down, breathe and focus on the quality of what we are undertaking.

Get in contact with us if you need any advice with your exercise program.

The benefits of exercise in lockdown

Posted on August 12, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Everyone has dealt with lockdown differently. It has created significant changes to a lot of our lives and impacted us in many ways. Whether you’re working from home, trying to home school kids, or struggling financially with business, everyone has their own unique experience. On top of all of this, gyms have been shut, and community sport halted. It makes exercise and physical activity a challenge. Some people have joined online exercise programs, whereas others, like me, have turned to baking sourdough.

The World Health Organisation recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, for adults between 18-64 years. Reducing physical activity and exercise can have detrimental effects on the human body; physically, socially and mentally. We all know the strong association between inactivity and an increased risk of heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke and a number of cancers. However, inactivity also increases our chance of suffering from mental health issues. Physical activity is a great strategy to feel more energised, motivated and to increase endorphins during these unprecedented times. Physical activity and exercise have shown to improve mood, reduce anxiety, reduce depression, and improve sleep. Furthermore, in isolating times like these, it is a great way to get out and get some form of social interaction, alleviating feelings of isolation people may be experiencing. I personally think I have visited every park within 5km of me in every direction. Some of the other benefits of physical activity include:

Decreased risk of osteoporosis: physical inactivity decreases the load placed on the body and consequently bone density decreases. This puts individuals at risk of developing osteoporosis and therefore at a risk of fracture.
Weight management: Those extra COVID kilos will put increased stress and strain through the joints putting individuals at risk of developing pain and osteoarthritis. Physical activity helps to burn more calories and supports a healthy metabolism.
Increased strength: Physical activity supports the development of muscle strength and endurance. It also helps reduce muscle loss as we age. This helps put all those flat packs together we’ve been doing while in lockdown.
Optimise brain health: Physical activity improves brain function and protects against memory loss. It enhances blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain optimising brain structure and function and preventing the development of conditions such as dementia.
Decrease falls risk: Physical activity has been shown to decrease falls risk. Falls place a huge burden on the healthcare system and have a high mortality rate in the elderly. They also place a significant risk of hip fracture.

Lastly, recent research has shown regular physical activity reduces the risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes among infected adults in addition to other communicable diseases. This highlights the importance of physical activity on the immune system. So, if for no other reason to exercise at the moment, this is the one! Walk instead of driving to the supermarket, take the stairs, use your lunch break to be active instead of watching Netflix and use the time you normally take the train into the city to start your morning with a walk instead. Catch up with friends (inside your 5km radius of course) over a walk instead and lastly, be kind to yourself. Any physical activity is better than none. Start small and build up.

Physio Sarah, and receptionist Krissy, going for a run in lockdown 5.0

If you have any questions regarding an appropriate home exercise program, strengthening exercises to do during lockdown, posture advice for working at home or any physical activity advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the Physiotherapists at GSSC.

ACL Mini Series Part 3: What to expect after ACL surgery?

Posted on June 30, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Setting SMART ( Specific- Measurable- Attainable- Relevant- Time-based) goals is the hallmark of a good rehabilitation program, and recovery after ACL Reconstruction should be no different. In preparation for your surgery it is important to arm yourself with realistic expectations about the journey ahead and understand that the rehabilitation process is never a straight line, but a convoluted adventure.

So what does the road to recovery look like?

Initially, the surgery itself will likely leave you in hospital overnight with the aim to go home the following morning. You will be allowed to walk on your operated leg immediately after surgery, however will require a short stint on crutches in order to protect the knee and help build up to walking normally again.

You can start rehab as early as Day 1, completing some basic exercises to restore normal knee movement and waking up those sluggish quads. These will gradually progress into more challenging drills, always respecting the natural timeframes the body requires for healing.

As physiotherapists, we have certain boxes we must tick in order to progress our patients safely from one stage of rehab to the next. These revolve around ensuring you have adequate strength, range of motion, and control of your knee, and should always align with your individual goals.

In most case, we can rest assured that the ACL graft is strong and can withstand a bit more load around the 3-month mark. This is when we can begin to do some preparation for returning to running.

Nonetheless, it is still important to take our time! Remember, this is something your body hasn’t done for a while and will need to adapt to all over again!

Returning to sport is not recommended until a minimum of 9 – months after surgery (however, the longer you can hold off the better!). There are a variety of important factors that contribute to a player’s readiness to return to their sport- one of which is confidence. So if you have any fears or reservations, make sure you discuss these with your physiotherapist.

Always remember that everyone’s rehab journey is different, and depends on a number of different things; some of which include your baseline level of fitness, your goals, and your commitment to Physiotherapy. So resist the temptation to compare yourself to others!

If you need further guidance following your ACL Reconstruction, be sure to give Glenferrie Sports and Spinal Clinic a call or email us to book in and we can outline your roadmap to recovery together!

Fingers versus Footballs

Posted on June 22, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Ouch!

It seems to me that this season has resulted in a greater number of finger injuries related to football. This is happening at all levels with one VFLW team having 15 of the players on their list with injured hands at one stage! Whilst it is fantastic that footy is back, it’s not so brilliant to miss a few games because of a jarred, dislocated or broken finger.

The key rule here is to respect a finger injury. If you do jar your hand and it is still swollen or sore the next day, get it checked out. Whilst the finger is designed to work as a co-ordinated and strong unit, its individual structures are relatively small and can be easily damaged if forced in the wrong direction. Dislocations in particular must be cared for immediately after they happen. If a joint dislocates once it is much more likely to pop out again and needs appropriate protection to allow it to heal strongly.

Common Finger Injuries

The most common injury I see is a volar plate avulsion which is a small fracture to the underside of the middle joint of the finger. This happens when the finger is bent too far backwards. It is normal to expect swelling to persist for a couple of months after the injury, and it is important to protect the finger over this period. Happily, this can often be done without the need to miss too many weeks as long as you know what not to do. Simply buddy taping the finger to the one beside it is rarely enough, and actually can be next to useless.

Hand therapy can help with accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of all finger injuries. This may mean splinting, help with swelling and strength, or restoring safe movement and function. Importantly, your hand therapist will also help you understand the injury and how best to prevent it from happening again. If you are looking to playing without pain in your hands, or without having the fear of another injury to your hand, then your hand therapist is the best person to get you back on the field.

Do you have a finger injury?

If you have any concerns about an injury to your hand or wrist then make an appointment to see me. I am an Accredited Hand Therapist with almost 25 years of treating hand injuries large and small. I have worked with amateur and professional athletes in all sports including the Hawthorn and Carlton AFL/W teams, and my own South Yarra Lions over 50’s AFL Masters! Feel free to email me with questions at hamish@andersonhandtherapy.com.au or make a booking on 9815 2555.

ACL Mini Series: Part 2 – To surgery or not to surgery?

Posted on June 9, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

So I’ve gone and done my ACL- what now?!

You may be thinking that surgical ACL reconstruction is your only option, however did you know that:

Both operative and non-operative strategies are considered appropriate treatment options by healthcare experts.

In fact, we know that about 5 out of 10 individuals will return to a high level of sport without an ACL reconstruction- the trouble is, we cannot predict which ones.

For this reason, individual goals and needs, as well as input from important stakeholders should be considered when choosing your optimal treatment strategy.

Coaches, physiotherapists, and orthopaedic surgeons can all help you understand some important factors surrounding your injury and how that will affect management.

These factors include:

Associated damage to other structure in the knee
Episodes of the knee “giving way”
Individual anatomical differences
Preferred sport/physical activity
Desire to return to a high level of play

Despite the complexity of the decision at hand- an overarching consensus is that Physiotherapy is recommended regardless of treatment choice!

Whether it is an intensive bout of “pre-hab” to set you up for surgery, or a well-rounded rehabilitation program to help you avoid surgery- Physiotherapists can help you after your ACL injury to rebuild strength and return to participating in the activities you love.

And a final tip- be sure to engage in further discussion with your physiotherapist around graft choices, timeframes for recovery, and the type of rehabilitation that will be involved following.

Have any other questions? Send us an email, or post a comment below!

ACL Mini Series – Part 1: Who is at risk of ACL tears and why?

Posted on May 19, 2021April 4, 2024 by admin

Is it just us or does it seem like after a year off from organised sport, injuries are hitting us harder than ever?

At Glenferrie Sports and Spinal, we are seeing a number of sore knees come through our doors- everything from a grumbly meniscus to the overworked patellar tendon. However, arguably one of the most disheartening injuries for an athlete of any level is an ACL tear, which can result in significant time out of play, and carries serious physical and psychological implications.

We believe that the best way to manage an ACL injury is to prevent it from happening in the first place. For this reason, we will shed some light on individual factors that we can address in order to mitigate this risk.

In very broad terms, we will discuss 3 main risk factors that may predispose someone to an ACL injury:

The sport they play
Their gender ( I know girls, we’ve got the short end of the stick on this one)
Their movement patterns (aka biomechanics)

Sport:

Sports are inherently risky, however ones such as soccer, football, basketball, and skiing (among others) that involve lots of cutting, pivoting, or landing on one leg expose us to more opportunities for ACL injury.

Gender:

The rate of ACL injury is about 4-6 times greater in female athletes when compared with males who participate in the same sport. This is in part due to the normal biological changes that happen during puberty, but also due to the fact that gals move differently to guys.

Biomechanics

There are optimal and suboptimal ways to jump, land, and change directions. The way in which we recruit our muscles during fast, powerful movements, and the amount of control we have in our movement patterns can determine how much stress we put on our ligaments- namely the ACL!

So where do we go from here?

Given that we can’t change our gender and we don’t want to stop playing the sports we love, the best area to focus on for injury prevention is our biomechanics.

Pre-screening athletes to identify faulty movement patterns can give us a leg up in preventing an ACL injury even before stepping onto the pitch. Supplemented by consistent adherence to a structured, individualised strength and conditioning program, our injury risk goes down by anywhere from 30-80%!

Who better to help with this than your Physiotherapist!

In the next part of this series – “To surgery or not to surgery?”, we will be discussing operative versus non-operative management of ACL tears. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with any questions!

Read Part 2 of the ACL Mini Series – to surgery or not to surgery?

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