For keen athletes, in an ideal world, every time you train you would do as the professionals do and see a physiotherapist to untangle any kinks. However in the real world we rarely have the time and resources to follow every ideal. So here are my 4 top tips and tricks for keeping you going even when you haven’t got a physio at home. 1. A tennis ball – A…
A hip replacement is a fairly common procedure if you have arthritis in your hips. But what if it’s not that simple? The incorrect procedure can lead to long term issues and pain. Taking the time to get the right diagnosis is a critical part of choosing the correct procedure for you. Hip dysplasia is the most common cause of hip arthritis in young women but it is easy to…
Gout – first diagnosed in Ancient Egypt in 2600 BC, isn’t new. But more and more patients are receiving this diagnosis. What is Gout? Gout is a metabolic disorder which causes arthritis (arth = joint and itis = inflammation), usually of the big toe but other joints can be affected. The body stops processing uric acid properly causing it to build up in the body. These sharp uric acid crystal…
School starts again here and packing that backpack with all the stuff they “just can’t live without” plus what their teachers’ need them to have . . . . it can suddenly be heavy bag. Style is everything A back pack is always the best style as they distribute the load across the strong back and shoulder muscles. If you can convince them to use a hip strap as well,…
It’s always interesting what prompts people to take action. What one movement that hurt which made them make an appointment. Interestingly many people are unbothered that their knees hurt when walking long distances but, when they start to have pain going up and down stairs – this is a big problem. So why are stairs a problem? When we are walking on a flat surface our knees don’t have to…
When my daughter was little there was a ritual at this time of year – the annual trip to Clarks Shoe Shop to buy sensible shoes for school. As she grew older this inevitably turned into something of a battle but, unsurprisingly given my feelings about feet, I won for a long time! The time the assistants spent, making sure that the fit was right for the shoe, the arch…
Frozen shoulder, rotator cuff, bursitis, impingement . . . shoulder pain can come with a lot of different names and root causes. But there are some common themes – difficulty raising your arm overhead, difficulty working or doing your sport, problems sleeping and, of course, pain! But what happens when you’re not making progress? When the pain and difficulty moving continues? Pain Perception I’ve spoken before about chronic pain and…
Few things are more frustrating for a runner than shin splints. They’re painful, restrict your movement and training and seem difficult to treat. What are Shin Splints? This is a useful “catch all” term for pain in the leg below the knee. But true shin splints are painful on the inner part of the shin. Although the pain starts intermittently, running and walking may quickly become extremely painful. If you…
With the Olympics just finished we have had plenty of chances to see “perfect” bodies. But did you know how many Olympic athletes past and present had scoliosis? Usain Bolt – Jamaican runner (you may have heard of him?!) Alexandra Marinescu – Romanian gymnast Jon Olsen – swimmer for the USA Jennifer Thompson – swimmer for the USA, one of the most decorated Olympians in history What is Scoliosis? Scoliosis is a term used…
I love this old fashioned name for Plantar Fasciitis and heel pain. It goes well with the “flat foot” description of a policeman, as it is often associated with . . . flat feet! What is plantar fasciitis? Plantar – relating to the sole of your foot Fascia – A sheet of connective tissue around muscles and organs in the body ‘itis – inflammation So we have inflammation of the…