Sports and similar physical activities are immensely tiring. Cramps and aches are a part and parcel of playing sports. They are common in a sports person’s life. Often such issues hamper other necessary physical activities like training sessions as they take a lot of time to heal. But, with regular sport massage, cramps and aches can be dealt with. If you are a sports freak, then regular sports massage can help you recover from any muscle cramps and aching limbs.But, before you go ahead, here are a few things you need to know before getting a sports massage.

Learn About the Different Types of Massage

If you are thinking of getting a sports massage, then you should be specific about which one will suit you the best. Different types of sports or physical activities involve different parts of the body. So, it is essential to figure out which type of massage will be beneficial for you. For instance, Swedish massage focuses on moisturizing the skin or a hot stone massage has a calming effect, but none of them have anything to do with releasing tight muscles. So, you must be very careful about the type of you sign up for. Consulting a massage therapist may help you choose the right one.

Schedule Your Massage Appointment Wisely

If you are new to massage, you must never book your first appointment a day before your sports event. For instance, if you are supposed to participate in a race tomorrow, then scheduling an appointment today may not be a good idea. As you are new to massage, you’ll need time to deal with its after effects. In certain types of massage you may need time to rest and relax to let the healing effects of the massage do the job.. You must always schedule a massage appointment a week before or after the sports event. Getting a massage therapy 48 hours priors to the big day will not allow your body to perform efficiently.

Treat Yourself With a Massage After Intense Physical Activity

Your body needs relaxation after intense workout sessions. A massage helps soothe the body muscles and helps your body to recover faster. If you are a veteran, you can schedule a massage appointment before or after 48 hours of the physical activity. But, if you are a newbie, you must wait for 3 to 4 days after your performance for a massage session. Sportsmen, who are new to massage may not be able to experience the benefit from massage if done immediately after the event, instead you will end up feeling uncomfortable.

Inquire About Your Therapist Before Booking an Appointment

Before scheduling a massage, you must always inquire appropriately about the massage therapist. You must ask them questions about their work experience, education, licenses, and frequency of working with sportspeople. Also, you must seek referrals. This helps you know about the experience of other people with the massage therapist. Gathering all this information will help you make an informed choice.

Sip Adequate Water Before Getting a Massage

You must be well hydrated before you hop on the massage table. Insufficient water content may make your body feel dehydrated and that may lead to the stiffening of your muscles. Undergoing a massage in such a condition may not help your muscles to relax, rather it will intensify muscle soreness. So, you need to make sure that you have enough water before a massage session to help your body enjoy the benefits of massage therapy.

Need a sports massage? Consult InHome Physical Therapy and Massage today.

Some of the best physical exercises for your body don’t require you to go to the gym. Simple physical activities that can be synced with your daily routine can do wonders to your body and health. They can help you to keep your weight under control, improve your muscle strength and flexibility, strengthen your bones, prevent bladder control issues, and even improve your mental strength. Your age and fitness level hardly matters when doing these physical activities to help you get in shape and lower your risk for problems. Let’s have a look at some common exercises you can try at home to improve physical strength.

1. Bench Step Up

Bench Step Up is one of the most widely used exercises to improve physical strength and endurance. You can perform this exercise easily at home. To do this exercise, you can use a bench, on which when you step a foot your knee bends to a 90 degree angle. Simply step onto the bench and step off. But, make sure that you can balance your body when stepping on and off the bench. Repeat the action at least 10 times with each foot.

2. Hops

Hopping helps release muscle tension and improves endurance. It also helps improve coordination between your foot, ankle, calf, and hip muscles. The movements between the muscles are very similar to that of running. Try to hop as fast as you can for 20 seconds. Swap your feet and repeat the exercise on the other leg. You can slightly adjust this by bouncing from one foot to the other.

3. Inchworm

Inchworm helps manage your body-weight. This exercise helps to improve body balance, muscle flexibility and strength. You can practice it at home without the help of machinery. Straighten your legs and stand up tall. Bend forward and touch the floor with your your fingertips. Next, keep your legs straight, parallel to the floor and put your hands forward. Take tiny steps so that your feet meet up your hands, and repeat this exercise.

4. Walking

Walking is the simplest exercise that you can do to improve physical strength. It improves cholesterol levels, strengthens your bones, and lowers the risk of a number of diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Walking improves memory as it helps resist age-related memory loss. Walk for about 10-15 minutes at a time. All you require is a well fitting pair of walking shoes. Try to walk for 30-60 minutes on most days of a week.

While these were some, indulging in activities like jogging, dancing, and playing with your kids can also improve your physical stamina. If you suffer from any muscle, joint, and other body problems, you may contact us at InHome Physical Therapy and Massage. We offer physical and exercise therapy in the comfort of your home.

Are you facing mild and constant joint pain in areas such as your hips, fingers, neck, knee, or spine? This could be a sign of Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition where the cartilage in the joint is broken down. Cartilage is a rubbery material that covers the end of the bones in the joints. It reduces friction by serving as a shock absorber. When faced with osteoarthritis, the cartilage loses its flexibility, becomes stiff, and reduces its ability to absorb shock. Thus, causing pain. If the pain is constant, then you should take measures before the condition of your joints becomes severe.

Physical therapy can be one of the measures that you might want to consider. A physiotherapist can help you with certain exercises to deal with the condition. Here are some exercises that physiotherapists use to treat osteoarthritis.

Flexibility Exercises

Flexibility exercises help stretch your muscles to release the stiffness causing you joint pain. These exercises include gentle stretching of of legs, hand, or back, depending on the area that is being treated. For instance, for knee osteoarthritis, calf stretching and leg raises may be recommended to relieve the stiffness and improve flexibility. Make sure you do this under the supervision of a physical or exercise therapy professional.

Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening exercises work on the muscle strength by contracting them. While this might seem painful when you have osteoarthritis, it can actually be beneficial. This is because joints need movement as that is when the blood flow is improved and the area gets nourished. Quad sets, calf strengthening through balancing on your toes, and more are used to strengthen the joints and surrounding muscles and relieve you of the pain resulting from osteoarthritis.

Aerobic Exercises

Weight loss and building endurance are important aspects of treating osteoarthritis. At times, the condition can worsen because of the amount of body weight that it takes. This is especially true for knees and hips. Extra pounds can add weight on your knee and hip joint and cause osteoarthritis. Walking, swimming, biking, rowing, etc., are recommended to burn the extra weight and improve your lung and heart strength. Go gentle on yourself if you are new to exercising. Start with a few minutes or a minimum number of rounds and gradually increase.

If you are suffering from osteoarthritis, then delay not and get it treated the natural way now. Connect with our physiotherapy professionals. We value your comfort and offer our services in the comfort of your home.

What are Throwing Injuries?

Throwing injuries are injuries caused to the shoulder, arm, wrist, or elbow due to overhand sports like softball, baseball, and basketball or due to activities that cause stress in any of the parts of the hand. Constant pressure, over time, can lead to serious conditions like tendonitis, ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries, and Superior Labral tear from Anterior to Posterior (SLAP). Common types of these throwing injuries are rotator cuff injuries, labral tears, and shoulder impingement and instability.

Physical therapy is one of the oldest methods to heal and repair the damage caused due to such injuries. It uses a routine of exercises, manual pressure techniques, and physical agents, like electrical impulses and superficial temperature applications, for recovery from such wounds. Here, we explain how physical therapy helps with different types of throwing injuries.

Exercise Therapy

Damages to the rotator cuff (four muscles that stabilize and allow the shoulder to move), like tears and impingement, are the most common shoulder injuries that can be fixed with exercise therapy. Other disorders that can be treated with exercise therapy include shoulder, back, and neck aches, dislocation of the muscles, frozen joints, and strain and pulling of the tendons. Some of the exercises used for such injuries are:

Doorway Stretches

These drills work on the shoulder, back, and the chest muscles. They loosen the muscles in these parts by facilitating improved blood flow and supplying nutrients to the areas.

Side-lying External Rotation

This exercise is specially used for rotator cuff injuries. It strengthens the rotator cuff, offering better balance and stability to the upper arm muscles.

High-to-low Rows

This exercise can be performed either while standing or sitting. It helps in stretching the muscles of the arm, increasing their flexibility, and restoring the range of motion. It also helps in improving the coordination of the muscles in the shoulder and the back.

Manual Therapy

It is the manual application of pressure by the therapist to manipulate the tissues and muscles for healing. The various techniques used in manual therapy and the injuries they heal are as follows:

Massage

Massages improve lymphatic drainage, blood circulation in the joints and tendons, increases muscle flexibility and connectivity of the tissues, and relieves you of spasms and cramps.

Myofascial Release

It helps in the decrease of gamma gain, resolving the hypersensitivity to stretching and muscle flexing. It also loosens the tight fascia, restoring mobility in the limbs.

Joint Mobilization

This technique helps in restoring and replacing the joints to their original positions. It brings about the stimulation of the joint receptors, boosting their connectivity with the surrounding joints and muscles.

Physical Agents

This form of therapy is used when inner tissues are damaged or for conditions where the techniques mentioned above do not work. Temperature, electrical stimulations, and ultrasound are the commonly used agents that aid in pain relief, regulation of blood flow, clearing the restriction of muscles, and unlocking muscle spasms.

Throwing injuries are very common with athletes. Read here to know more about how useful physical therapy is for athletes. Physical therapy offers healing benefits to treat a lot of disorders like strokes, blood pressure, and arthritis. We, at InHome Physical Therapy and Massage, offer experienced therapists to help with such problems that can be dealt with physical therapy.

Physical therapy is a healing practice that employs exercises, muscular force, and physical agents to fix and recover from injury or chronic pain. It is recommended by doctors in the following cases:

- To relieve pain or alleviate its severity

- To restore or improve muscle control, increase muscle agility, decrease stiffness, and enhance muscle flexibility

- To recover from an injury, an accident, or a surgery

- To control conditions like diabetes, arthritis, stroke, vertigo and heart diseases.

A physical therapist studies your medical history before deciding on a routine for your recovery, and an appropriate form of treatment is chosen for you. Physical therapy is a broad term and it employs various ways to treat conditions. It includes:

1) Exercise Therapy

The focus of exercise therapy is to strengthen the muscles and joints. By prescribing various drills, the flexibility and the range of motion of your muscles are enhanced. The tasks suggested also aid in reducing pain, facilitating blood flow to the muscles, improving bone density, and maintaining an ideal posture. A few exercises that are used in this method are cross body stretches, spine windmills, side body extensions, and knee stretches and presses.

2) Manual Therapy

Manual therapy requires the therapist to apply muscular pressure on the patient’s sore areas to soothe and ease the pain. This technique is mostly used for swellings and muscle knots in the body, especially in the back and the neck area. It helps loosen up stiffened joints, allows easy blood circulation, and reduces swelling, inflammation or tension in the muscle tissues. Soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release, strain and counterstrain, joint mobilization, muscle energy techniques are some of the practices used in manual therapy.

3) Physical Agents

This form of treatment uses physical entities like thermal, electrical, light, sound, and mechanical stimulations to help with pain reduction. These techniques are employed in cases where exercise or manual therapy cannot help. Various forms of superficial heat and cold applications are used for deep tissue healing. Mechanical energy of the ultrasound and varying degree of electrical pulses are used for nerve simulations in the body. The most common form of physical agent used is the electrophysical.

4) Wound Care

Wound care is generally used in a hospital setting to help patients cope up after surgeries. Necrotic, diabetic, chronic, arterial, and non-healing surgical wounds are treated by this form of therapy. Therapists closely analyze your medical condition and work with your physician to help in the quick recovery of the injuries.

Physical therapy can be applied in a lot of disciplines like orthopedics, neurological, cardiopulmonary, and geriatric therapy. Your therapist may opt for a single healing practice or a mix of them depending on the problem to be fixed. Read here to know more about other healing benefits of physical therapy. You can also book a consultation at InHome Physical Therapy and Massage for therapy sessions that we offer.

A stroke is a "brain attack". It is a physical condition where the blood supply to the brain is cut off. This causes the brain cells to die, affecting the functions controlled by those cells. A stroke can cause memory loss, paralysis, and loss of muscle control throughout the body. It is necessary to know the signs and symptoms of a stroke to prevent or mitigate any severe damage to the body. Following are some signs of a stroke that you need to look for to provide immediate medical help.

Warning Signs of a Stroke

An easy mnemonic to remember the symptoms of a stroke, just before it occurs, is FAST. It stands for

F – Face Drooping

Ask the person showing subtle signs of a stroke to smile. Due to paralysis , the muscles in one side of the body become numb, and the face looks as if it is drooping on that side, making the smile uneven.

A – Arm Weakness

A person suffering a stroke loses muscle control and struggles for a simple motion of the limbs. So, ask them to lift their arms up. If they can’t, it’s a sign of a stroke.

S – Speech Difficulty

A stroke also affects the facial muscles and leads to an impaired speech. Thus, a person suffering from a stroke will experience difficulty in talking.

T – Time to Call 911

If the person shows any of the symptoms mentioned above, then there are higher chances of an inevitable stroke and it is time to call 911 immediately.

Some other symptoms of a stroke are:

1) Weakness in the body, ‘pins and needles’ sensations, numbness in the limbs, and muscle stiffness

2) Loss of memory, lack of concentration and attention, and confusion

3) Trouble with balance and coordination, dizziness, and behavioral changes

4) Impaired or blurry vision, and severe headache

Physical Therapy and how it Helps

Physical therapy is a healing technique which employs movements, exercises, and manual force to fix muscle disorders or regain muscle control in the case of paralysis and stroke. Various forms of physical therapy are used in stroke rehabilitation.

Exercise therapy includes different exercises to restore the functioning of the affected muscles. Routines based on stretching, bending, rotation, muscle lifts and pulls, and endurance building workouts are scheduled for stroke patients. These exercises help in regaining muscle control, build stamina, and boost the form and functionality of the muscles to the original form.

Manual therapy for stroke patients focuses on loosening up tension in any muscles or joints in the body by the application of massage and other pressure by the therapist. Techniques like strain, counterstrain, myofascial release, joint mobilization, and soft tissue mobilization help in releasing the tight knots, muscle spasms and cramps in the limbs, or any other muscle tension due to the paralytic symptoms during a stroke.

Finally, physical therapy employs agents like electrical pulses, temperature, thermal and mechanical applications of ultrasound, light, and sound signals to fix any ligament damage in the body. Electrical signals are mostly used to treat the speech impairment.

Physical therapy can be used for many other healing benefits. If you wish to consult a physician or a therapist to help you with your condition, you can contact us at InHome Physical Therapy and Massage.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease which involves the gradual and sustained degeneration of the central nervous system. Since our nervous system is the primary medium through which the brain sends sensory information to our body parts, when the nervous system gets affected, it impacts our mobility. This happens when our nerve cells lose the ability to produce dopamine like it used to earlier; and as a result, the internal communication within our bodies is affected thereby, causing great difficulty keeping up with routine functions such as walking across the hallway.

No cure for Parkinson’s disease exists as of yet, but there are certain procedures which ease the pain and make the condition more tolerable. Apart from the surgical procedure, it has been established that physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease yields great results.

Halts The Symptoms

If appropriate action is not taken in a timely manner, there is a great possibility that the symptoms escalate further because Parkinson’s disease has a tendency to progressively worsen. These symptoms include regular tremors, stiff muscles, and problems with coordination and balancing which progressively worsens to complete disability in certain cases. These symptoms on its own make life difficult and physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease goes a long way in making life easier for the patient suffering.

Improves Mobility

Parkinson’s disease causes tremors in the body which alongside deterioration of basic motor functions results in declining mobility. Physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease includes specially designed exercises which improve the cardiovascular system. These exercises include stretching and warming the muscles to prolong their life. The exercises improve balance and coordination functions, improve stamina, and helps overcome the sense of fatigue. In certain cases, the physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease also helps the patient rediscover their sitting posture which is closely linked to the central nervous system.

Improves Joint Flexibility And Muscle Strength

Physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease emphasizes on the improvement of the flexibility of the joints which are primarily responsible for certain mobility functions. For example, the simple act of getting up from your chair involves the use of multiple joints. Muscle strength is imperative for recovering lost mobility and without strong muscles, it would be difficult to support your own weight. Even getting up from a chair employs significant muscle strength. Physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease focuses on improving muscle strength with the help of a gradual increase in the intensity and the regularity of complementary exercises.

If you are searching for physical therapy for someone who is suffering from Parkinson disease, then you can avail professional physiotherapy services extended by InHome Physical Therapy & Massage. The advantage of hiring the physical therapy services provided by InHome Physical Therapy & Massage is that they offer their services in the comfort of your home, which is certainly a safe and comfortable environment the patient needs especially in their battle against Parkinson’s disease.

Whether you are experiencing the after-effects of a traumatic event, a repetitive stress injury or a brain injury, there is always a way to create an interactive treatment program that is focused on your specific rehabilitative needs and goals. Injury-specific rehabilitation is a personalized approach to treating an individual who has a specific injury or ailment. Your physiotherapist will work with you to develop a plan for your best recovery and prevention of recurrence. Let’s take a look at how injury-specific rehabilitation works and who can benefit from it?

How does injury-specific rehabilitation help?

Helps You Return To Pre-injury Functionality

You must know how capable your body was before the injury occurred. Injury-specific rehabilitation ensures that you get back to that level of performance and capability by incorporating exercises that target the affected area. These exercises help restore the strength and flexibility that may have been lost due to injury.

You Receive A Personalized Exercise Program

The difference between standard physiotherapy and injury-specific rehabilitation is that normal physiotherapy involves general exercises that improve overall body functions. However, injury-specific rehabilitation mainly targets the injured or affected area. These exercises are prescribed for the sole purpose of reducing the severity of the injury, restoring strength and range-of-motion, and ensuring that the chances of re-injury are minimal.

Regain Peak Athletic Performance

The main reason why most people take up injury-specific rehabilitation is because of sports or other athletic activity related injury. Which means most of these individuals are professionals or non-competing athletes. For these individuals, performing at their best for each and every event is very important. An injury can temporarily disable an athlete, which will affect his or her overall morale. This can make it difficult for the athlete to get back to the activity in full form.

This is why an injury-specific rehabilitation program is beneficial. It aims to help you recover as quickly as possible, along with educating you about the biomechanics of the part that has been injured, so the chances of the same injury occurring again will reduce. Not only that, susceptibility to other sports-related injuries will reduce as well.

Who Can Benefit From Injury-Specific Rehabilitation?

Professional and non-professional athletes: This rehabilitation program is for active individuals, especially those who take part in high-intensity sporting activities. They are most prone to injuries.

Individuals involved in traumatic accidents: Accidents are a part of life and some cannot be avoided. However, some can be dangerous and life changing. Getting back to normal daily life post a traumatic accident can be tough.

Individuals who’ve experienced brain injury: This injury-specific rehabilitation program involves two essential processes, which are restoration of the normal brain functions and learning how to do things differently when functions cannot be restored to pre-injury level.

Have you encountered any kind of injury, and want to get back to your normal daily life as quickly as possible? Consult with our expert therapists at HCR Edmonton to develop a personalized treatment for you.

This may come as a surprise to you, but even activities like gardening or sewing can make you develop some kind of pain, if the activity is not carried out properly. Sure the severity of the pain cannot be compared to that of an injury incurred due to sports of athletics, but still, nobody would want to live with it. Activity specific training programs are customized treatment plans developed specifically for you. After studying your physical condition, your expert therapist will help you by creating an activity specific program to assist you in participating and more importantly enjoying your activities once again, without any pain or discomfort involved. Let’s take a look how an activity specific program can help.

Improves performance

No matter what activity you are into, this personalized training program will help you perform your activity much better. By studying the movements involved in the activity, and also analyzing your range-of-motion, your therapist will develop a training program that will not only improve your performance, but it will ensure that you do not injure yourself. Which brings us to our next point.

Prevents Injury

The reason injuries occur in most cases is when the movement or action that needs to be carried out is not executed properly, causing tremendous strain on the body. However, if proper techniques are employed, then there are no chances of incurring an injury. This personalized training program includes educating the patient about specific movements that require utmost precision and which body parts experience the most pressure.

Maximizes Training Benefits

In the case of intense sports, a lot of time is spent prior to the main sports event in training. However, even loads of training will not be able to produce much result if the training is not conducted properly or guided well. When you make the most of your training by incorporating proper techniques, you will be able to perform at your optimal level in the main event.

Ensures Training Program Is Not Hampering Movement

The benefit of a personalized training program is the fact that it is related specifically to the type of activity that you want to master. Which is why during training, there are exercises that work around the muscle that you may use most during the main activity. These exercises do not interfere with the movement that will be required during the main activity. The training simply prepares the muscle or joints to be in optimal condition.

Maximizes Your Potential

The activity specific training will help you get ready for the main activity. You will find yourself performing much more efficiently than you did previously. All you have to do is devote some of your time prior to your main event, or before you carry out the specific activity.

No matter what activity you are pursuing, there is a way to do it more efficiently. Consult our team of expert therapists at HCR Edmonton, to have an activity specific training program worked out for you.

Gout occurs as a result of excessive uric acid in the body. It’s a disease and its overload in the body leads to formation of tiny crystals of urate that deposit in various tissues of the body, especially the joints. When crystals form in the joints, it causes recurring attacks of joint inflammation (arthritis).

Gout is a chronic and progressive disease. Chronic gout can lead to deposits of hard lumps of uric acid in the tissues, particularly in and around the joints and may cause joint destruction, decreased kidney function, and kidney stones.

Gout arthritis is typically an extremely painful attack with a rapid onset of joint inflammation. Intense joint inflammation can occur when the immune system reacts, causing white blood cells to engulf the uric acid crystals and chemical messengers of inflammation to be released, leading to pain, heat, and redness of the joint tissues. As gout progresses, the attacks of gouty arthritis typically occur more frequently and often in additional joints. Mostly, gout arthritis frequently involves the joint of the big toe. However, it can also affect small joints in the fingers, as well as large joints, such as the knee and hip.

What are the Other Causes of Gout Arthritis?

Other risk factors for developing gout include obesity, moderate to heavy alcohol intake, high blood pressure, and abnormal kidney functioning, in addition to an inherited abnormality in handling uric acid. Moreover, certain diseases lead to excessive production of uric acid in the body. Leukemia, lymphomas, hemoglobin disorders are some examples of these diseases.

What are the Signs and Symptoms?

The most common site of an acute gout attack of arthritis, is the small joint at the base of the big toe. Other joints that are commonly affected include the knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows. A rapid onset of pain in the affected joint followed by warmth, swelling, reddish discoloration, and marked tenderness are all symptoms of acute gout attacks. Tenderness can be so intense that even a blanket touching the skin over the affected joint can be unbearable.

With acute gout attacks, patients can develop fever. These painful attacks usually subside in hours or days, with or without medication. Most patients with gout will experience repeated attacks of arthritis over the years.

Nodular masses of uric acid crystals deposit in different soft-tissue areas of the body, in chronic gout. They are most commonly found as hard nodules around the fingers, at the tips of the elbows, in the ears, and around the big toe. These nodules can appear anywhere in the body.

How can Physiotherapy Help?

Physiotherapy helps the patient to keep the joints working, as it is important to exercise sufficiently. First, physiotherapy focuses on stopping the acute inflammation of joints affected by gout arthritis, which is critical. Second, it addresses the long-term management of the disease in order to prevent future gouty arthritis and shrink gouty uric acid crystal deposits in the tissues.

But a word of caution: In the case of gouty arthritis, physical activity is not only extremely painful, but may also help to rapidly erode joint surfaces by the action of uric acid crystals gouging into the surfaces. One of the best ways to prevent kidney stones and the recurrence of of gout is to exercise. A professional physiotherapist will outline a plan personally for you, assessing your medical history and physical body. You will be given various stretching and strengthening exercises to perform, which will strengthen your joints and muscles.

Attacks of gouty arthritis generally resolve within a week with the use of aggressive medications to reduce inflammation. Recurrent gouty arthritis is not only painful and frustrating, but it can lead to permanent damage to cartilage and bone. In case you’re already suffering from gouty arthritis or if you feel that you may develop gouty arthritis in the near future, contact our professional physiotherapists in Edmonton, today!

While watching your favorite sports game, you surely may have seen some of the athletes wearing colorful web-like tapings on their shoulders, knees or legs. These flashy new tapes are called Kinesio Tapes and are generally referred to as "elastic therapeutic tape" or "kinesiology tape". While these tapes are not available at your local drug store, you can order these online after being advised to do so by your therapist. Most runners require these tapes post minor injuries. Let’s take a look at the different ways in which Kinesio taping can be of help.

For Pain

It is common for athletes to develop a lower back pain, but they can also develop pain in other areas of the body that may be bothersome. When kinesio tape is placed on the affected area, it helps decrease the pain and discomfort you are experiencing. Depending on the area that is injured, different methods or styles of taping are used. Kinesio taping is usually used after manual manipulation, which is done by an expert physical therapist. There is a taping method that is used for bruises and swelling, which helps by draining fluids into the lymphatic ducts.

For Rehabilitation

All athletes know that after a sports event or due to overtraining, the body can feel exhausted. In these cases, rehabilitation of the affected areas is important so that the athlete can get back to training for the next events. Manual manipulation is important for rehabilitation. Using Kinesio tape after a manual manipulation session can increase efficacy of your treatment. The tape can help open up fascial tissue to make manual manipulation easier. It gives a continuous stabilization to the affected area and also gives muscles and ligaments a chance to rebuild and restore by taking the pressure off from those areas that have been worked on manually.

For Alignment

The Kinesio taping method also helps with alignment. If you have a tendency to slouch, or have an area of the body that is not properly aligned, Kinesio tape can bring the body back into alignment and help you sense how this feels in the body. Having proper alignment of your body can decrease pain and help the joints recover from activities.

For Competitions

One more area that may interest athletes is that Kinesio tape can be used during a sporting event. Most athletes tend to know if they have rolling ankles or patellar tracking issues. Regardless of the injury or affected area, Kinesio tape can be put on the affected area to help give it support and prevent it from injuries if the athlete plans to do a sporting event.

Kinesio taping can be used to support a muscle, relax a muscle, assist in the drainage of fluids and can help with pain relief. If as an athlete you would like to know more about this therapeutic tape, consult our expert therapists at HCR Edmonton today.

A sharp pain in the back which occurs while lifting a heavy object or over stretching is a clear symptom of a strained back muscle. A muscle strain is an injury caused due to partial or complete tear of a muscle or its tendon by over exertion or stretching beyond its normal range. The muscle pull leads to soreness and swelling in the region in and around the torn muscle, impairing mobility. A back muscle pull generally is observed in the lower back called as lumbar strain.

Physical Therapy Exercises

Physical therapy along with exercise therapy for back pain is very important for strengthening of back muscles as well as recovery from the muscle strain. The lower back muscles which become stiff because of low physical activity or over exertion are prone to muscle strain when suddenly attempting a heavy task or quick movement. These exercises will not only help you accelerate the recovery process, they will also strengthen your back muscles to prevent repeated damage.

Before initiating any of these exercises consult your physical therapist or exercise therapist. Depending on your degree of strain and muscles that are strained, the exercises may be different.

Exercise #1 - Rotation Stretch

The aim of this exercise is to work on the lower back muscles which are responsible for the turning and twisting actions. Take a comfortable seating position (an exercise ball would be a perfect option). Once seated, turn your shoulders to one direction, while keeping the body in the same position. Hold for 3 seconds and move your shoulders in the other direction.

Exercise #2 - Back Flexion

Lie on an exercise mat in the face up position. Now, pull both the knees together towards your chest. While doing so, slightly raise your neck towards the raised knees to achieve a full flexing of the back muscles. Stretch yourself till a comfortable stretch is observed while still in a balled up position. Repeat 8-10 times per set.

Exercise #3 - Knee to Chest Stretch

Lie on an exercise mat in the face up position. Place your knees in the bent position with just the feet toughing the mat. Now, place both your hands behind one knee and bring it closer to the chest area, stretching till your injury permits. Hold this position for 3 seconds before going back to neutral.

Exercise #4 - Bicycle Stretch

A bicycle stretch is to be started slowly by lying on your back, hands firmly supporting the head, knees bent and feet touching the floor. Now, bring one of your knees towards your opposite elbow. Repeat the same with the other opposing knee and elbow.

Exercise #5 - Sideways Bending

The sideways bending exercise is a part of regular physical routine and hence, everyone is aware of it. Hold your hand together and move them over your head to achieve a flex in your back muscles. Now, move your upper body sideways, while still holding the stretched arms together. Hold this position for 3 seconds and then move to your neutral position. Perform this exercise for both sides. It can also be performed in a seated position.

Exercise #6 - Hamstring Stretch

Hamstring stretch exercises are performed in different ways. The most common way is to sit with one leg stretched and one leg folded inward. Now, stretch towards the extended leg to touch its toes. With limited mobility, try and stretch till your injury permits and then switch legs after completing a set of 10 repetitions.

If the pain persists for more than two weeks or if the pain increases, visit a physiotherapist for further consultation and a specialised treatment program.

Knee stiffness is one of the most undesirable after effects of knee surgery or a related procedure. While the occurrence of stiff knee is not just related to Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgery, it is commonly observed as the after effect of this procedure. Stiff knee affects a considerable number of patients who undergo TKR, but not all need a revision surgery. Physical therapy can help in resolving stiff knees with a positive effect in most cases.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement surgery is a treatment procedure which involves replacement of the damaged knee joint surfaces with metal or plastic components. There are two type knee replacement surgeries, partial and total. Partial Knee Replacement (PKR) involves replacing only one side of the knee joint with metal or plastic components. Total knee replacement procedure involves cutting distal end of the femur bone and the proximal end of the tibia. Metal components are then fixed on the bone using polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement. Though post-operative rehabilitation in PKR is simpler than TKR, the TKR implants last longer and so are more recommended. Research also points that women tend to recover faster than men from TKR surgery.

What is Post-operative Stiff Knee?

Post-operative stiff knee is an after effect of knee surgery which affects a patient's mobility. In normal circumstances, patients require a knee flexion of 65° for walking, 70° for lifting from the floor, 85° for stair climbing, 95° for sitting and standing motion, 105° for tying shoelaces and 115° for squat and pickup activity. There is some debate on the exact range of motion to be defined as stiff knee, but there are two most commonly accepted definitions, the first being flexion contracture of 25° and arc of motion less than 45°.

How Physiotherapy Can Help?

Amongst all the patients that undergo replacement surgeries, around 5-7% develop stiffness in the knee. Patients who are diagnosed with stiff knee are recommended to undergo physical therapy and exercise therapy to achieve desired range of motion. Manipulation through physical therapy is effective in treating most of the cases with only 1% patients required to undergo revision surgery out of the 5-7%. Physiotherapy and exercise therapy is most effective against knee stiffness that is detected in less than three months after the surgery.

Treatment Program

Manipulation technique has been successfully used to increase range of motion and control pain in most of the stiff knee cases. Closed manipulation is administered to patients who are not able to achieve 90° of flexion. Manipulation is performed under local anaesthesia to provide relaxation in case of complication. Though manipulation is highly effective a delay of at least 3 weeks is expected to decrease the risk of soft tissue damage after surgery. Along with the manipulation, patients are expected to continue their pain medication as specified by their physician. Swelling in the knee is treated with elevation technique which requires resting your operated leg by elevating it above your hip level in a straight position. Ice packs can also be used to get the swelling and pain under control. Your therapist might recommend self-supervised exercises like static quads, hamstring curls, leg raise, calf stretch, walking and lunges depending on your physical condition.

If you have a stiff knee condition, visit your physiotherapist soon to achieve best results.