At Gym Physio we understand our clients’ desire to return to their training and exercise regime or sporting activity as soon as possible. We therefore provide one on one assessment and treatment consultations to fully understand our clients injury. With our extensive knowledge and experience, we will explain and implement an appropriate treatment plan and provide advice and guidance so that our client understands the root cause of their initial injury and the preventative methodologies that they can undertake to minimise the recurrence of their injury.
We pride ourselves as the gym specialists who offer a comprehensive level of knowledge and experience in this field of training and exercise. We provide specialist physiotherapy treatment to clients who take their training seriously, to athletes who need to return to their chosen sport and to the active client who trains recreationally.
Neck pain is a common problem that 1 in 5 people suffer from.
Mechanical neck pain is the most common type of neck pain. It occurs when movement or sustained postures strain the neck causing pain in the discs, tendons, muscles and/or joints of the spine.
Referred neck pain is pain originating from the neck that presents as headaches or pain in the arm, shoulder and mid back.
Radicular arm pain occurs when neck problems cause nerve compression or inflammation. Nerve injury presents as severe arm discomfort, numbness, tingling and weakness.
An injury to the neck that results from a sudden jerking backwards and forwards is often called whiplash. Typically, this occurs as a result of a rear-end motor vehicle accident. This type of injury can result in a strain or tear to the neck’s supporting ligaments, muscles and discs, even irritating the nerves.
Wry neck is the term used to describe a common condition where your neck temporarily becomes stiff and painful. Turning your head to the side (generally one side more than the other) and looking up can produce an acute pain.
One or both sides of the neck may also go into spasm, and pain may be felt from the top of the neck down to the shoulder blade and even out to the top of the shoulder.
Poor posture can cause neck pain by putting extra strain on ligaments and muscles. Standing with the shoulders slouched and chin poking forward, working with your head down for long periods of time, slumping while seated and sleeping face-down are common postural problems that affect the neck.
Back pain is classified as acute or chronic.
Acute back pain is usually the result of an injury or a sudden jolt and can last from a few days to a few weeks. It is generally resolved within 6 to 12 weeks.
Back pain becomes chronic when it persists for 3 to 6 months beyond the expected healing time. About 15% of low back pain cases progress from acute to chronic.
There are 3 main types of lower back pain:
One of the most common shoulder problems. When the arm is abducted (lifted to the side) past 90deg, the head of the humerus compresses the rotator cuff muscle (supraspinatus) and bursa (subacromial bursa) against the acromion (pointy part of shoulder) causing pain and decreased range of motion. Repetitive shoulder movement with this condition can lead to tendonitis (supraspinatus tendonitis) and bursitis (subacromial bursitis), further narrowing the space within the shoulder causing further impingement.
The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor. They all work together to support the movement of the shoulder joint and is subject to wear and tear. Tearing of these tendons can result from trauma or chronic impingement. Surgical repair may be necessary to restore function if a significant tear is diagnosed.
The shoulder joint is the most frequent dislocated joint in the body. It can become dislocated when a strong force pulls the shoulder outward (abduction) or when extreme rotation of the joint causes the head of the humerus to pop out of the shoulder socket.
Repetitive dislocation can cause a tear in the labrum (Bankart Lesion) and/or piece of the humerus to break off (Hill Sachs). Ensure thorough diagnostics (MRI and X-Ray) are taken place.
Inversion: an inward rotation of the ankle joint. Severe or sudden inversion can cause sprains of ligaments and fractures of the foot bones. For example Jones’ Fracture (base of the 5th metatarsal), and tears of the anterior fibular (ATFL) or calcaneofibuar ligament (CFL).
Eversion: An outward rotation of the ankle joint. Severe or sudden eversion can cause sprains of the deltoid ligament and/or Chopart Avulsion Fracture (navicular).
Dorsiflexion: Upward flexion of the ankle joint. Repeated impact between the anterior tibia and dorsal tarsal bone can cause the formation of osteophytes or bine spurs. This is a painful condition that causes joint stiffness and immobility. Soccer players may develop dorsal ankle impingement from repetitive kicking motions.
Plantar Flexion: Downward flexion of the ankle joint. Constant repetition of this movement can cause injury. Ballet dancers can acquire posterior ankle impingement syndrome from being “on point” too often.
Achilles Tendon Rupture/Tendinopathy: If ruptured, a “pop” is often felt in the posterior ankle with oedema (swelling) and pain.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: The entrapment of the tibial nerve by the flexor retinaculum. Pain and stiffness occur on the inside of the ankle.
Plantar Fasciitis with Heel Spur: The most common cause of heel pain is inflammation of the connective tissue on the sole of the foot (plantar fascia). It is often associated with a bony protrusion known as a heel spur.
Calcaneal Fracture: A break in the heel bone commonly caused by a high fall or direct impact on the heel bone.
A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that helps cushion and lubricate the body’s joints (tendons, ligaments, muscles and bones). Bursitis is a painful swelling of the bursa. People who repeatedly overuse or stress the same areas around the joints, whether it is related to their jobs, sports or daily activities have a greater chance of developing bursitis.
There are two major bursae in the hip that typically become irritated and inflamed. One bursa covers the bony point of the hip bone called the greater trochanter. Inflammation of this bursa is called trochanteric bursitis.
Another bursa, the iliopsoas bursa, is located on the inside (groin side) of the hip. When this bursa becomes inflamed, the condition is also sometimes referred to as hip bursitis, but the pain is located in the groin area. This condition is not as common as trochanteric bursitis, but is treated in a similar manner.
Sudden posterior movement of the tibia while the knee is flexed 90deg may damage the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Most commonly occurs to falling skiers or who fall suddenly on their knee.
The most common mechanism of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is when the knee pivots and twists. For example, when the knee receives a direct impact from the front while the leg is in a stable position or when the knee is forced to make sharp changes in movement such as an abrupt stop from high speed.
Hyperextension of the knee join can damage the (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL).
A forceful blow to the inside or outside of the knee while the feet are firmly planted may cause damage to the collateral ligaments (LCL/MCL).
The meniscus is a crescent-shaped piece of cartilage that lies between the femur and tibia. Each knee has two menisci, one medial and one lateral. Together they cushion the joint by distributing downward forces outward and away from the central anchor points of the menisci.
Types of Meniscus Tears include Oblique, Longitudinal, Radial, Degenerative Fraying. Rotation of the femur can pinch and tear the meniscus. Extreme rotation of the femur on the tibia can distort the meniscus, pinching it between the femoral condyle and the outer edge of the tibia.
Symptoms of Damaged Menisci: With your hand on your knee, you may feel roughness while flexing and extending your knee. This commonly occurs when the femur is gliding across degenerative fraying of the menisci or patella.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CPS): Most common disorder causing pain, numbness (thumb, index, middle and half of ring finger) and weakness in the hand and is associated with compression of the median nerve against the inelastic transverse carpal ligament of the wrist. Most commonly caused by repetitive movements such as typing on a keyboard.
Snuffbox Tenderness/DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis: Inflammation of the tendon and synovium
Trigger Finger: A type of tenosynovitis characterised by the inability to extend a finger after it has been flexed.
Ganglion Cyst: Occurs most often on the back of the hand or wrist. It is a hernia of the joint’s capsule that causes the bulge.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis (inflammation of a joint). It can lead to degenerative joint disease and significant disability. OA is associated with breakdown of the hyaline cartilage, which protects the surface of the joint during movement. It occurs most commonly in the weight bearing joint of the hips and knees, but it is also a common cause of chronic lower back or spine pain. OA usually does not affect other joints, unless prior injury or excessive stress is involved. OA is essentially caused by a lifetime of wear and tear of the joints involved, but genetics may also play a role.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease of the joints that cause diffuse joint degeneration. RA causes inflammation of the synovium (tissue lining of the joints), which can eventually lead to the destruction of the hyaline cartilage of the joints. Joints of the hands, wrists, elbows, feet ankles, knees or neck are usually affected, However, in extreme cases, RA may also affect other parts of the body (heart, lungs, nerves, eyes or blood vessels). The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, but is an autoimmune disease.
Gout and pseudogout are other forms of joint inflammation. These are the body’s reaction to the presence of irritating crystal deposits, uric acid (gout) and calcium pyrophosphate (pseudogout), in the joints. The pain can be intense, but treatment is usually effective in alleviating this pain. Mild cases may be controlled by diet alone. However, recurring attacks of gout or pseudogout may require long-term medication to prevent damage to bones, cartilage and the kidneys.
