musculoskeletal physiotherapy

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy is mainly focused on your biomechanical and structural rehabilitation. With targeted goals to maximise your functional movement so you can return to normal daily activities. This type of therapy is most commonly used to address accidental injuries, sports injuries and resolving physical impairment due to lifestyle and ageing.

MUSCULOSKELETAL CONDITIONS

LOW BACK PAIN

Introduction

According to European guidelines, low back pain is defined as pain and discomfort localized below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds with or without leg pain.

Subdivision

Based on the duration of back pain there are three types; Acute, subacute and chronic. If the pain is persisting less than 6 weeks it is call it as acute case, between 6 and 12 weeks is called as subacute and after 12 weeks and more is Chronic.

Causes

Excess body weight, Weak core and back muscles might lead to back pain, some diseases, Improper lifting, smoking, psychological conditions.

Physiotherapy treatment

Exercises for strengthening core muscles, Rest, Posture corrections, manual therapies, friction massages, myofascial releases, traction, recommending proper back rest for fix back pain, stretching and flexibility exercises, posture retraining and aerobic exercises.

NECK PAIN

A brief description of the condition.

Neck pain is described as Pain at the backside of the head, is the most common one. May be due to poor posture, repeated faulty movement, strain to neck muscles, degenerative changes. It may be acute or chronic, and may leads to other neuromuscular conditions or as a symptom of other conditions.

Symptoms

 Pain
 Spasm
 Difficulty in neck movements
 Headache
 Muscle tightness
 Numbness or radiating pain up to arms or hands

Causes

 Poor posture
 Trauma
 Degenerative changes
 Sudden jerky movements of neck
 Faulty sleeping positions
 Stress

Physiotherapy Treatment.

 Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s)
 Rest
 Cryotherapy and hot packs
 Posture correction
 TENS
 Traction
 Exercise protocol
 Cervical collar

Bona fide by : Helesa Devi
Verified by : Ansha

FROZEN SHOULDER

Introduction

Frozen shoulder, is a condition that leads to shoulder pain and stiffness eventually making it difficult to move the upper arm and shoulder.

Symptoms

❖ pain
❖ Stiffness
❖ Decreased range of movement.

Stages

Frozen shoulder typically develops slowly in three stages.

● Freezing stage. - movement of the shoulder is severely painful, and the shoulder's ability to move becomes limited. This stage lasts from 2 to 9 months.
● Frozen stage- Pain might lessen during this stage. but, the shoulder becomes stiffer and therefore Using it becomes more difficult. This stage lasts from 4 to 12 months.
● Thawing stage- The shoulder's ability to move begins to improve. This stage lasts from 5 to 24 months.

Causes

Having to keep a shoulder immobile for a long period shows the risk of developing a frozen shoulder. This usually happens after having surgery or breaking an arm. Systemic diseases that increases the risk of this are Diabetes, Overactive or Under active thyroid ,Cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson's disease etc.

Conservative treatments

NSAID controls pain and swelling. steroids are sometimes injected directly into the joint. But difficulty in getting the right spot is faced, and even these will only provide temporary relief of symptoms.

Physiotherapy treatment

pain relief and improving range of motion (ROM) can be achieved by using a variety of techniques, along with shoulder exercises are implemented. Pain Relieving Modalities such as Ultrasound Therapy, Interferential Therapy, TENS, LASER is often used to improve pain and relieve muscle spasm and other related other symptoms.

OSTEOARTHRITIS OF KNEE

Knee osteoarthritis (OA), commonly known as degenerative joint disease, is frequently brought on by wear-and-tear and articular cartilage loss that occurs over time. It comes up most often in elderly people and comes in two varieties: primary and secondary.

Osteoarthritis is a debilitating, long-term joint condition that typically impacts the knees, hands, hips, and spine. Each person's symptom intensity varies, and they typically worsen gradually.

CAUSES

-Obesity
-Injury or surgery to the joint
-unusual joints from birth
-Your hobby and work
-Gouts
-Diabetes
-Body mechanics

SYMPTOMS

-Ache gradually getting worse
-swelling or sensitivity
-Buckling and locking
-Cracking or popping sounds
-Poor range of motion
-Loss of joint space
-Deformities of the knee

PHYSIOTHERAPY MANAGEMENT

-Education
-Exercise
-Hydrotherapy
-Taping
-Massage
-Electrotherapy modalities such as IFT and TENS.

CALF STRAIN

Introduction

Mild overstretching or total muscle tearing are situations where a resultant calf muscle strain
injuries. typically occurring in sports involving high-speed running and during strenuous
performance situations.

Symptoms

● Tenderness to touch at the point of injury
● Swelling
● Bruising may appear within hours or days
● Stretching of the muscle will reproduce pain
● Pain on resisted plantarflexion

Causes

The most common causes of muscle strains include exhaustion, incorrect or excessive use of a muscle. Your calf muscle may become strained, for instance, if you start a new exercise routine or improve leg-focused routines. Exercises like running, biking, and powerlifting may be included.

Conservative treatments

Steroid injection and when there is a presence of a hematoma its removal as quickly as possible is necessary, to prevent, complications .when the injury is more severe , a temporary heel pad leads to shorten the calf muscle and reduction in tension in the muscle as it heals . heel pads in both shoes is advised.

Physiotherapy treatment

Rest, ice and elevation with tape or a compressive wrap initially followed by Gentle passive stretching exercises, recommendation of Shoes with a low heel , plyometric exercises is incorporated in later stages of rehabilitation.

SLIPPED DISC

A slipped disc occurs when the soft tissue between your spine bones slides out of place. If it puts pressure on nerves, it hurts. With rest, mild exercise, and painkillers, it typically improves gradually.

A prolapsed or herniated disc, commonly known as a slipped disc, can lead to:

Neck discomfort, back pain, difficulty bending or straightening your back, muscle weakness, and pain in the buttocks, hips, or legs if the disc is pushing on the sciatic nerve, Lower back pain, Numbness or tingling in your shoulders, back, arms, hands, legs, or feet.

Causes

Vibration from operating machinery or driving a vehicle; getting older; exercising too hard; improperly lifting large objects; being inactive or overweight;

Physiotherapy treatment

Exercises to treat nerve root irritation and pain include:  soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation,  extension exercises, lower back exercises, and methods to assist pain levels return to normal.

Freedom of movement and stability of spine acupuncture; pain-relieving electrical stimulation such as TENS; posture guidance; and strengthening activities to lessen the likelihood of another disc prolapse occurring the spine.

KNEE CARTILAGE INJURY

It is an injury to one or more of the important cartilages or C-shaped menisci inside the knee joint (shock absorbers).

Causes

Excessive knee joint twisting
Sports injuries

Symptoms

Difficulty walking -lower extremity weakness -decreased balance Pain

Physiotherapy Management :

Pain alleviated by technology (Ultrasound, TENS).
Exercises to improve the range of motion in the knee joint Increasing the strength of the muscles linked to the knee.
Balancing activities to enhance coordination and balance.
Hydrotherapy, manual therapy, and taping

Physiotherapy aids in:

- Reducing discomfort
-Increasing range of motion
- Increasing muscular strength
- Reducing injury
- Restoring or approaching normal function for the patient

TENNIS ELBOW

 An irritation of the tissue connecting the forearm muscle to the elbow.
 Tennis elbow can be caused by repetitive wrist and arm motions.
 It’s clinically known as lateral epicondylitis.

Clinical Features

 Pain
 Tenderness on the outside of your elbow.
 Pain when twisting or bending your arm
 Weakened grip

Causes

Tennis elbow is mostly caused by overusing your forearm due to a repetitive or strenuous activity.
 Sometimes occur after banging or knocking your elbow.
 Inflammation
 Microscopic tearing
 Degenerative process

Physiotherapy Management

 Massaging using essential oils or ice to reduce inflammation.
 Stimulating the muscles to improve blood flow
 Strengthening Exercises.
 Stretching exercises of muscles of forearm.

WHAT CAUSES MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN ?

Musculoskeletal system includes bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissues. They work together to support your body's weight and help you move.

Injuries, disease and aging can cause pain, stiffness and other problems with movement and function. Musculoskeletal conditions include conditions that affect bones, joints, ligaments, tendons or muscles.

Joints, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, spondylo-arthritis;

Bones, such as osteoporosis, osteopenia and associated fragility fractures, traumatic fractures;

Muscles, such as sarcopenia-multiple body areas or systems, such as regional (e.g. back and neck pain) and widespread (e.g. fibromyalgia) pain conditions, inflammatory diseases such as connective tissue diseases and vasculitis that have musculoskeletal manifestations, for example systemic lupus erythematosus, or amputation as a result of disease or trauma.

Muscle tissue can be damaged with the wear and tear of daily activities.

Trauma to an area (jerking movements, auto accidents, falls, fractures, sprains, dislocations, and direct blows to the muscle) also can cause musculoskeletal pain.

Other causes of pain include postural strain, repetitive movements, overuse, and prolonged immobilization.

Changes in posture or poor body mechanics may bring about spinal alignment problems and muscle shortening, therefore causing other muscles to be misused and become painful.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN ?

Abnormal Reflexes, Balance Problems, Biomechanical Problems, Coordination Problems, Cramps, Deformity, Falls, Fatigue, Gait problems, Headaches, Hypermobility, Immobility, Joint Clicking, Joint Instability, Joint Locking, Mobility Problems, Movement Disorders, Numbness, Pain, Reduced Range of Movement, Sensory Problems, Shortness of Breath, Spasm, Stiffness, Swelling / Inflammation, Tingling / Pins & Needles, Weakness.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PHYSIOTHERAPY IN PAIN MANAGEMENT ?

Physiotherapists diagnose and manage a broad range of conditions with the bones, muscles, cardiovascular system, nerves and other parts and systems of the body. They can help people to manage chronic diseases, give lifestyle advice, prescribe exercises and aids to help people manage better, and give advice.

Possible physical therapy programs include: Manual Therapy- Hands-on manual therapies such as soft tissue and joint mobilization help to combat inflammation by gaining movement while reducing pain and encouraging blood flow.

Weight-bearing and resistance exercises are the best for your bones. Weight-bearing exercises force you to work against gravity. They include walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, playing tennis, and dancing. Resistance exercises – such as lifting weights – can also strengthen bones.

A significant part of physiotherapy involves exercises, movement modification and modification of your valued activities. We believe that education around your condition and how to manage it is essential for a good outcome as well as providing you with strategies to self-manage in the future.

Reduce or Eliminate Pain. ...

Be an alternative to surgery. ...

Improve mobility. ...

Help patients recover from a stroke. ...

Aid in recovery from sports related injuries. ...

Improve balance and prevent falls. ...

Aid in managing diabetes and vascular conditions.

Manage heart and lung disease

Manage women's health and other conditions.

Bethany Navajeevan Physiotherapy Clinic
& Rehabilitation Centre

'Learn to Heal' with Care & Compassion