Monday, 6 June 2011
This month I am talking about cryotherapy on acute injuries. Cryotherapy is perhaps the simplest and oldest therapeutic modality in the treatment of acute injuries. It is the therapeutic application of any substance to the body that causes a decrease in body heat, resulting tissue temperature reduction.
An acute injury is an injury of rapid onset and is usually the result of a specific movement/impact or traumatic event. Acute injuries are either the result of extrinsic (outside your control) or intrinsic (within your own body/control) risk factors. These injuries can occur to muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, bones, plus many more structures with the human body. Examples of acute injuries are fractures, dislocations, muscle/ligament/tendon strains etc.
The Effects of Cryotherapy:
Whenever an injury occurs, there will always be some form of both inflammation and pain. It has long been believed that the use of cryotherapy as a treatment modality can aid in the reduction of both swelling and pain, both immediately and during the rehabilitation process. Edema (swelling) occurs due to an increase in local blood flow, meaning that more blood is sent to the injured site. This is the body’s own self defense mechanism to prevent further damage to the area. However, too much swelling can result in an increase time to recovery, as this needs to be removed before sufficient treatment and rehabilitation can occur. This is where cryotherapy comes into play.
The application of cryotherapy causes a reduction in tissue temperature around the injured site resulting in constriction of the local blood vessels, therefore reducing blood flow and edema in the injured area. Also by minimising the amount of edema early on, this can help to reduce athlete pain as the nerve endings (which send signals to the brain indicating pain) at the injury site will not be as compressed and as a result the athlete will experience a smaller amount of pain. Therefore, following an injury, the sooner cryotherapy is started; the greater the benefit for the athlete during their recovery.
What can be used for cryotherapy?
There are many different items that can be used for cryotherapy. These can be extremely simple and cheap or complex and expensive. Below are just a few examples of each:· Reusable frozen gel packs (Cheap)
· Instant ice packs (Cheap)
· Ice cubes in a plastic bag (Cheap)
· Game Ready Machine (Expensive)
· Cryo Cuff Machine (Expensive)
When applying cryotherapy, for best results in edema and pain reduction, apply with compression and elevation.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Kinesio taping is a technique I use in my clinic that has been given a lot of attention in the press throughout 2010.
Kinesiology taping was first made popular at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The technique has been developed by Dr Kenzo Kase over the past 25 year, and can now be seen in most sports including football and rugby to name but a few.
Kinesio tape is applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation, relax over used muscles, and to support muscles in movement on a 24hr/day basis. It is a non-restrictive type of taping that allows for full range of motion. It is not a fixation tape like most traditional tapes, nor does it obstruct the flow of fluid.
Monday, 21 March 2011
This month I am concentrating on over-pronation of the foot, also known as ‘flat feet’. Normal gait cycle of the foot would see pronation of the foot. This is when the foot rolls inwards and the arch flattens. As well as the opposite of pronation, which is supination.
Problems with pronation of the foot occur when it is excessive.
This is quite a common problem and can lead to a number of
injuries such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis and shin
splints. The picture below shows someone who overpronates.
The right foot rolls inwards, which causes the lower leg to turn inwards. This puts the knee and hip out of alignment. The left foot has been corrected with an orthotic device.
Does this cause injury?
Excessive pronation usually causes over-use type injuries, most frequently seen in runners.
How can I tell if I overpronate?
1. Look at your feet in standing; have you got a clear arch on the inside of
1. Look at your feet in standing; have you got a clear arch on the inside of
the foot? If not, you maybe an overpronator.
2. Look at your foot wear. If they are excessively worn on the inside of the sole, pronation maybe a problem for you.
3. The wet foot test, with wet feet (be careful you don’t slip over) walk along a section of paving or carpet and look at your footprints. If you overpronate your footprint will be wider. See images below.
2. Look at your foot wear. If they are excessively worn on the inside of the sole, pronation maybe a problem for you.
3. The wet foot test, with wet feet (be careful you don’t slip over) walk along a section of paving or carpet and look at your footprints. If you overpronate your footprint will be wider. See images below.
What can I do?
Speak to a professional, who can analysis your gait pattern and tell you about your gait.
For more information go to www.revolution-ukhealth.co.uk
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