A Pain in the Achilles

Physiotherapy » Posts by Sun City Physiotherapy (Page 8)

A Pain in the Achilles

The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the body, connecting the calf muscles to their insertion on the heel bone, or calcaneus. Achilles tendinitis is a common overuse injury in sport. It can be a killjoy – it affects walking, hiking and many sporting activities.

Pain in the rearfoot can arise from several sources – the most common site is in the mid-portion of the tendon, or at its insertion point at the heel. Classically, the tendon becomes thickened, stiff and very tender to touch. Other conditions that can cause pain in this region are bursitis, and rarely – a neuroma in the nerve that runs along the inside of the tendon.
The term “Achilles tendinitis” is somewhat misleading, “itis” meaning inflammation. Often, the tendon’s cellular make-up is degraded, and the more accurate term would be “tendonosis”, or “tendinopathy”. This is why anti-inflammatory medications often don’t work – as the underlying problem may not be inflammation.

There are several factors that predispose to Achilles tendinopathy: years of running (runners have a 30 times greater risk of tendinopathy), a recent change or poor choice of footwear, excessive calf tightness or calf weakness, and most commonly – a sudden increase in activity, such as speed, distance or volume of uphill running. Non-runners can develop Achilles pain – some have feet that pronate excessively. In over-pronators, a whipping motion of the heel is created which produces strain in the mid-portion of the Achilles tendon.

Your physiotherapist can provide several different treatment options for Achilles tendinopathy. These vary according to the location of the lesion and whether the condition is acute or chronic. A physiotherapy assessment is helpful to identify whether there are biomechanical factors that have contributed to the problem. It is important to rule out a partial tear – which may require a diagnostic ultrasound to determine.

An eccentric heel drop program works very well with chronic tendinopathy in the mid-third of the Achilles tendon. This is a graded exercise protocol. The heel is lowered over the edge of a step repeatedly, one set with the knee flexed, another with the knee straight. The volume of repetitions and speed are increased over time, generally 6-8 weeks.

Therapeutic ultrasound, and friction massage, performed by your physiotherapist, can help. Both provide an increase in the volume of collagen, an important component of tendon tissue. If tight areas in the calf muscles are found, massage, acupuncture and soft tissue release can help. Other issues in the rearfoot, such as a stiff subtalar joint (just above the heel) can be mobilized to help improve shock absorption. In some cases, a temporary slight heel lift can provide short-term relief. Kinesiotape, a one-way stretch tape applied along the tendon and margins of the calf muscle often provides immediate reduction in pain as the tendon is repairing. Relative rest and a change in training patterns for runners is critical in many cases to allow the cells in the tendon to repair and regenerate.

In cases where the tendon problems don’t respond to conservative therapy, there are other medical options available.

← Previous Article Next Article →

Sun City Physiotherapy Locations

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Sports

IT Band Syndrome

Its the time of year when its great to get back outdoors, and when many of us become more physically active again. As our bodies adjust to the increased activity, sometimes there are aches and pains that come along with it. One such problem that commonly occurs in the hip or knee is Iliotibial (or IT) Band Syndrome.
The IT band is a connective tissue that runs from the muscles in the hip, down the outer thigh to connect into the outside of the knee. When you increase your activity levels, particularly running or hiking, then the hip and thigh muscles are required to work harder and as they recover they may have that tight post-exercise feeling. Because these muscles connect directly into the IT band, more tightness in them will increase the tension of the IT band itself. As the IT Band travels down the outer thigh, it runs over two bony prominences – one on the outside of the hip, and the other on the outside of the knee. An increase in tension of the IT band can therefore cause increased friction as it rubs over the bone, which leads to inflammation and pain in the outer hip and/or knee region.
There are some common features that may predispose someone to encountering this problem. These include muscle imbalance, sudden increase in training, running or hiking up and down hills, type of foot wear, and running/ walking gait pattern.
Once the causative factors have been identified with the help of your physiotherapist, IT band syndrome can usually be managed well. Physiotherapists have an effective way of releasing the tension in the IT Band by using acupuncture needles combined with some massage techniques. As well as reducing IT Band tension and reducing the inflammation in the irritated tissue, specific strengthening of the muscles around the hip and knee is required to take some of the stress off the IT band. This will ensure that as you continue to hike or run, there is less friction on the IT Band as it moves over the underlying bone, and less friction means less pain.
So if pain in your hip or knee is stopping you from getting out there this spring, it may be a fixable case of IT Band syndrome.

BODY ROLLING: A new way to enhance flexibility and well being.

Physio Articles

Physiotherapy » Posts by Sun City Physiotherapy (Page 8)

BODY ROLLING: A new way to enhance flexibility and well being.

How often do you get a tight area in your back that you’d love to get rid of? Or a tense band in your buttock or hamstring that has plagued you for weeks?
Have you noticed that your shoulders round forward, and you’re tight across the back of your shoulders?
The nagging tight spots we feel can be the result of restricted mobility or adhesions in fascia, the elastic web of connective tissue that surrounds and connects muscles.

There is a technique to improve flexibility that is easy, inexpensive and works extremely well in conjunction with stretching to improve myofascial mobility. It’s called Body Rolling, and it’s a powerful self-treatment tool using a firm 5” diameter ball. It is similar to using foam rollers, which are popular in gyms. Because of its size and compressibility, it is useful in areas other tools can’t reach.

Body Rolling techniques combine the relaxing effects of massage with the toning effects of exercise. Working with your own body weight, the exercises ease movement by loosening the muscles and their surrounding fascia, with the benefits of a deep self-massage. It can take as little as 10 minutes to work a specific area, and you can do it at your convenience. Working an entire region or chain of muscles gives the best results, since fascia is connected in long tracts that can span more than one joint.

The techniques of Body Rolling can: free adhesions in the connective tissue sheath that wraps around muscles and lies between muscle fibres; help muscles lengthen; improve muscle flexibility and tone thereby improving range of motion and shock absorption in the joints; improve circulation; and assist in correction of faulty posture

People with an active lifestyle often come in to see a physiotherapist with unexplained pain in a muscle, tendon or joint. Physiotherapists look at posture, movement and perform selective tissue tension testing to determine the problem. As a physiotherapist, I use many tools, such as manual therapy, exercise and soft tissue releases to improve freedom of movement.

With exercise that is highly repetitive in nature such as running, cycling, rowing, racquet sports, fascia surrounding the working muscles tends to be loaded in one direction and can subsequently shorten. Movement patterns and normal posture can be altered, which can lead to injury and pain. Learning to use Body Rolling, and stretching along planes of movement, rather than spot-treating tight areas can free things up most effectively.

People working at a desk job every day tend to develop shortening in certain muscle groups– typically the pectoral muscles, the hip flexors, and the hamstring muscles. Over time, this can result in adaptive shortening. The price tag of a desk job can be poor posture, aches and pains at the end of the workday. Activity breaks and Body Rolling can help.

← Previous Article Next Article →

Sun City Physiotherapy Locations

Treatment Options for Hip Osteoarthritis

Hips and Knees, Physio Articles

Hip osteoarthritis is a common condition that involves the degeneration of the articular cartilage of the hip joint. If you have this condition and are noticing an increase in pain and a decrease in physical function you may be wondering what treatment options are available to you.

With osteoarthritis of the hip you may feel a constant ache localized to the groin and side of your hip and sometimes extending into the front of your thigh and knee. The hip often feels stiff, especially first thing in the morning when you get out of bed and it can make activities of daily living much more painful including standing, walking and stairs. It can also make it difficult to put your socks on, get into and out of your car and even get on and off of the toilet.

Stiffness, pain and having difficulty with many previously easy daily activities may lead you to want to do less physical activity. The trouble is, not moving will often lead to weakness, further stiffness and general deconditioning.

A physiotherapist can help design a treatment program with a focus on decreasing pain, increasing range of motion and flexibility, improving core stability, gaining muscle strength and endurance and improving general conditioning. Other functional goals often include improving walking pattern, speed and distance, ability to go up and down stairs without pain and better control going from sit to stand.

This is often accomplished through a combination of education, manual therapy and exercise. An exercise program is often extremely beneficial to help improve physical function and decrease pain. A physiotherapist is an excellent resource to put together a safe and effective home exercise program for you to perform daily at home or at your local gym. Also, if you enjoy swimming, bring this up with your physiotherapist as aquatic exercise is a great form of treatment for hip osteoarthritis.

Other possible physiotherapy treatments that may be effective for some individuals with arthritis of the hip include: acupuncture, massage, heat on the muscles around the hip, ice, TENS, supportive footwear and/or a gait aid such as a cane or walking poles. It is important to talk with your doctor about your arthritis to discuss other treatments that may be beneficial to help manage your symptoms. Certain medications may be helpful, but it is important to bring this up with your doctor to be sure they are appropriate for you. Also, if you are overweight, a weight management program can be extremely beneficial to decrease the stress on your joints. Since nutrition plays a crucial role in weight management, it is important to have this discussion with your doctor.

A small portion of individuals with hip osteoarthritis will eventually opt to have a total hip replacement. This is often the case when symptoms are progressively getting worse and significantly limiting activities of daily living. If you have had a total hip replacement a physiotherapist guided post-operative hip strengthening program is ideal in order to decrease pain, improve your hip function and return to your active lifestyle.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome and Running

Sports

Running is a popular activity that can help maintain or improve your cardiovascular fitness and in some cases help you lose weight. There are many different reasons to run but often there is a goal set that may include 5Km, 10Km, half marathon, or full marathon.
When training for longer runs including 10km, half and full marathons it is important to remember that the training schedule should take place over long periods of time to allow your muscles and joints to accommodate for the increased strain that will be placed on them during the long run. As a physiotherapist, I treat many runners with all sorts of injuries. Some of the most common injuries include plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, muscle strains, and Iliotibial band friction syndrome (IT band syndrome).
IT band syndrome is a repetitive stress injury that occurs when the iliotibial band glides over the lateral femoral condyle on the outside part of the knee. The iliotibial band is the thick band that runs from the outside of the hip down to the outside of the knee. It is a common injury for long distance runners (20-40 miles/week) but is not limited to only long distance runners. Running on various terrains can increase the risk of developing this condition. Up and down hills, graded slopes, and cambered roads have all been shown to increase the risk. This syndrome may also be found in other athletes or weekend warriors such as cyclists, weight lifters, and participants in jumping sports.
With IT band syndrome there is rarely a history of trauma. Patients will often complain of knee pain that may be difficult to localize and usually increases with repetitive motions like running. The symptoms usually get worse with changes in training surfaces, increasing mileage, or training on crowned roads.
Studies have found that long distance runners with IT band syndrome have weaker hip abductor and glut muscles on the involved leg compared to the uninvolved leg. The hip abductor muscles are located on the outside part of the hip and help prevent the leg from moving towards the centre of the body. It is also noted that fatigued runners are more prone to having their hip adduct (move towards the centre) and internally rotate (leg turns inwards) which causes more friction on the iliotibial band and therefore the symptoms get worse.
The management of IT band syndrome usually includes: 1) activity modification (usually decreasing mileage). 2) New running shoes. Shoes should be replaced about every 500km. 3) Heat or ice. 4) Stretching the IT band. 5) Strengthening the hip abductors and glut muscles.
If you are interested in pursuing long distance running you should: 1) follow a certified training schedule. 2) Make sure the shoes you are wearing are the right shoes for you. 3) Increase your mileage slowly to allow your body to accommodate for the increased strain. 4) Hit the gym – muscle weakness can cause problems down the road. 5) Go in for an assessment with a health care professional if you start to experience aches and pains that aren’t going away.