Physiotherapy Blog

Anatomy of the “back” In order to understand a lower back strain/sprain, a small anatomy lesson must be done. The back is a complex structure of bones and muscles, supported by cartilage, tendons and ligaments. “Back” is a common term which can include portions of the neck, thoracic spine and lumber spine. The back—especially the lumbar, or lower portion of the back—bears much of the body’s weight during walking, running, lifting and other activities. Defining a strain vs. sprain A strain is a general term for an injury that affects a muscle or tendon. Then, the location of the injury…

What is the rotator cuff? The rotator cuff is made up of a group of 4 muscles which control shoulder movements in all directions. Each rotator cuff muscle takes part in a slightly different anatomical shoulder movement like flexion, abduction, or rotation. In addition, they are all used in combination for movements like sport=specific movements. For example, in overhead, throwing, and racket sports such as badminton, tennis, volleyball and basketball. The 4 muscles involved in the rotator cuff are as follows: 1) Supraspinatus 2) Infraspinatus 3) Teres major, teres minor 4) Subscapularis What is rotator cuff tendinitis? Rotator cuff tendinitis…

Shockwave therapy has been gaining popularity in the field of physiotherapy as an effective treatment modality for various sports injuries. Athletes and sports enthusiasts alike are turning to shockwave therapy to help alleviate pain and promote healing. Why choose shockwave therapy for athletes? One of the key benefits of shockwave therapy is its ability to target specific areas of injury with high-energy acoustic waves, stimulating the body’s natural healing process. This non-invasive treatment option can be particularly beneficial for conditions such as tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and other soft tissue injuries commonly seen in sports. By incorporating shockwave therapy into their…

  What is the ACL? The ACL stands for the anterior cruciate ligament, which is one of the stabilizing ligaments in the knee joint. It is located behind the kneecap and connects the femur to the shin bone (tibia). Importantly, this ligament prevents excess forward and backwards movements of the femur and tibia overtop each other. When people say their ACL is injured, this refers to either a sprain or tear of the ACL ligament. How is the ACL injured? Ligaments work as a connective, stabilizing band for two bones. The ACL, one of two ligaments that cross in the…

What is urinary incontinence? Urinary incontinence is when person leaks urine by accident due to loss of control of the bladder muscles. The severity of incontinence may vary from occasional incidents, like leaking while coughing or laughing, to more severe like having sudden strong urges where you are unable to make it to the toilet in time. How does the bladder function normally? These organs make up our body’s urinary system, which is how our body creates and removes urine from the body Normally, the brain and the bladder work in close partnership to control urination.…

What is shockwave therapy? Shockwave therapy is also known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy. It is a treatment which uses low energy acoustic wave pulsations. The modalities can be directly applied to the area of injury using a gel as a medium. Lately, it is becoming one of the common treatment modalities seen in physiotherapy clinics. Why is shockwave therapy used? Importantly, shockwave can be beneficial in treating many musculoskeletal conditions, especially chronic ones. Firstly, it is used to stimulate the body’s natural healing process. Additionally, it can help you to decrease your pain levels by stimulating the nerves around an…

Sports injuries can vary widely depending on the type of sport, the level of competition, and the mechanisms of injury. Some of these injuries you may have experienced yourself while others you may have heard of or even seen them happen on television. Our team at PhysioNow has treated many athletics and sports injuries over the years and would love to share our experiences with them! 1. Ankle sprains/tears Rolled ankles are very frequently seen sports injuries Often, injuries to the ankle ligaments are seen as a result of a running or jumping sport. In most…

What is a shin splint? Shin splints are a common complaint in runners or athletes with sports that involve a lot of high impact movements like dancers, volleyball, basketball players, etc. Usually, it presents as pain in the front of the lower leg, or the shin area. Sometimes, it may be called medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). Oftentimes, it’s caused by irritation of the tissues between the tibial bone and the muscles, and/or overuse of a lower leg muscle called the tibialis anterior. It can happen to just a single leg, or both simultaneously. The muscle,…

A pinched nerve, also known as a radiculopathy, is caused by pressure on a nerve as it exits the spinal cord, potentially causing pain, discomfort, weakness, and/or changes in sensation.  Unfortunately, it can have quite detrimental effects on your daily life, hobbies, and ability to work. In this blog, we will discuss the causes, symptoms, and most importantly, how physiotherapy can help you recover from this condition. Why does it happen? Model of the spine showing how the nerves (yellow) exit through spaces around the spinal column. The nerves may get pinched in these spaces. A…

What is the Achilles tendon? The Achilles tendon is one of the strongest tendons in the human body. Anatomically, it connects our calf muscles to the back of the heel bone. Its main action is to point the toes and ankle downwards when our foot is off the ground or raise the heel off the ground when our foot is on the ground. Functionally, it is used whenever we are engaged in walking, running, or hopping-like activities and helps us with force production and shock absorption. The tendon is extremely strong and can withstand high amounts of stress Unfortunately, this can also predispose it to injury and cause ankle pain. Stages of Achilles tendon injuries Diagram showing the different stages of Achilles tendon problems 1) Achilles tendinitis: Inflammation has developed or is developing in the tendon. 2) Achilles tendinosis: There is now degeneration along with or…