Bursitis. Learn more about it with #Physio4Fight

Picture from the Bone & Joint website.

Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa, a closed, fluid-filled sac that works as a cushion and gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body (normally bone corners in close contact with the skin and other soft tissues). The most common causes of bursitis are injury (direct trauma), overuse, biomechanical unbalances that lead to overuse, but it can also be caused by infection.

There are many bursas in the human body, from the feet joints to the shoulders, hips and hands. Pain, swelling, and tenderness near a joint are the most common signs of bursitis. Bursitis can be treated with rest and medicines to help with the inflammation. Antibiotics are used if infection is found.

To help bring down swelling and pain you can:

• rest – try not to move the joint too much and avoid activities that put pressure on it
• use ice – gently hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a tea towel on the area for around 10 minutes at a time and repeat every few hours during the day
• take painkillers, to ease any pain
• Physiotherapy- helps to improve unbalances

It may also help to put extra cushions around the affected joint while you sleep, to help protect and support it. See your doctor if you have a high temperature, or you feel hot and shivery

Most common injuries in running

Ever wonder why runners say running is the best thing? These are just a collection of reason what you will gain from running. Many of us know that running is good for us, it helps build up your stamina, builds a stronger heart and helps to burn calories. Many of us also know, it’s not easy. 

In an perfect runner’s world, every step of every mile would be 100 percent pain-free. No aches, no twinges, no lingering soreness from yesterday’s workout. The reality is that many runners constantly deal with a slight  disturbance and injuries.

The most common injuries you can read below:

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), or “runner’s knee,” is the irritation of the cartilage on the underside of the patella (kneecap). About 40 percent of running injuries are knee injuries. And 13 percent of runners suffered knee pain in the past year, according to 4,500 respondents to a runnersworld.com poll. PFPS typically flares up during or after long runs, after extended periods of sitting, or while descending hills and stairs.

Treatment: Use the PRICE principals as initial treatment for the pain and inflammation (Initial phase)

Improve quads strength and tendon strenght (yes, eccentric exercises) during the middle phase + stretching.

Achilles Tendonitis

The Achilles tendon connects the two major calf muscles to the back of the heel. Under too much stress, the tendon tightens and becomes irritated (tendinitis). It makes up 11 percent of all running injuries; eight percent of runnersworld.com poll respondents dealt with it this past year.

Treatment: Use the PRICE principals as initial treatment for the pain and inflammation (Initial phase)

Stretching the calves + improve calves strength and tendon strenght (yes, eccentric exercises) during the middle phase.

Hamstring injuries

The muscles that run down the back of our thighs bend our knees, extend our legs, drive us up hills, and power finish-line kicks. So when our hamstrings are too tight or weak to perform well, we notice it. Seven percent of poll respondents say their hamstrings have bugged them this past year.

Treatment: Use the PRICE principals as initial treatment for the pain and inflammation (Initial phase)

Stretching the hamstring + improve hamstring strength (concentric and eccentric exercises) during the middle phase.

Plantar Fasciitis

It’s not shocking that about 15 percent of all running injuries strike the foot—with each step, our feet absorb a force several times our body weight. Plantar fasciitis, small tears or inflammation of the tendons and ligaments that run from your heel to your toes, is usually the top foot complaint among runners—10 percent of runnersworld.com poll respondents struggled with it this past year. The pain, which typically feels like a dull ache or bruise along your arch or on the bottom of your heel, is usually worse first thing in the morning.

Treatment: Use the PRICE principals as initial treatment for the pain and inflammation (Initial phase).

Foot wear assessment and  foot assessment are advised.

Physiotherapy will be advised and different techniques can be used to reduce and prevent pain.

Medial tibial stress syndrome (Shinsplints)

“Shinsplints” refers to medial tibial stress syndrome, an achy pain that results when small tears occur in the muscles around your tibia (shin bone). This makes up about 15 percent of running injuries; 10 percent of runnersworld.com respondents poll had shinsplints in the past year.

Treatment: Use the PRICE principals as initial treatment for the pain and inflammation (Initial phase).

Massage and STR can help.

Foot wear assessment and  foot assessment are advised.

Increase distances gradually.

Improving your running technique.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)

The iliotibial (IT) band lies along the outside of the thigh from the hip to the knee. When you run, your knee flexes and extends, which causes the IT band to rub on the side of the femur. This can cause irritation if you take up your mileage too quickly, especially if you’re doing a lot of track work or downhill running. ITBS makes up 12 percent of all running injuries; 14 percent of poll respondents experienced this in the past year.

Treatment: Use the PRICE principals as initial treatment for the pain and inflammation (Initial phase).

Massage, STR , stretching and acupuncture will help to improve this problem.

Stress Fracture

Unlike an acute fracture that happens as the result of a slip or fall, stress fractures develop as a result of cumulative strain on the bone. Runners most often have stress fractures in their tibias (shin), metatarsals (feet), or calcaneus (heels). They are one of the most serious of all running injuries; almost six percent of poll respondents had one in the past year.

Treatment:

Intial phase: STOP. Pain builds up as you run. But it doesn’t just hurt when you run; just being on your feet is uncomfortable. With this injury, you are either in the red or in the green zone.

Next phase: Pain-free throughout a run and no lingering pain afterward, even when you’ve been on your feet all day.

Knee injuries in martial arts.

The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the femur and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus (a pivotal hinge joint) which permits flexion and extension as well as a slight internal and external rotation. It is the largest joint in the human body.

The knee is one of the most important joints of our body. It plays an essential role in movement related to carrying the body weight in horizontal (running and walking) and vertical (jumps) directions.

Muscles, joint capsule, bursae and ligaments complete the knee joint.

The knee permits flexion and extension about a virtual transverse axis, as well as a slight medial and lateral rotation about the axis of the lower leg in the flexed position. The knee joint is called “mobile” because the femur and lateral meniscus move over the tibia during rotation, while the femur rolls and glides over both menisci during extension-flexion.

The knee injuries that most martial artists come across are not necessarily unique to martial arts. They range from the same types of tendinitis’, ‘pulled groins’ and ‘tweaking knees” that physios often hear about from  people playing a game of tennis, football or rugby.

However, with BJJ, Judo, Sambo, MMA and wrestling the things are different. The joint of knee often works under at end of ROM and stressed by multidirectional forces. These factors can increase the risk of knee injuries.

Physical activity is also related integrally to the development of knee problems. The same activity such as climbing stairs may cause pain from patellofemoral compression for someone who is physically unfit, but not for someone else (or even for that person at a different time).

What is about martial arts? The repetition of kicks, punchs, throws and sweeps from different positions follow the same rule above and are also related to the development of knee problems.

Obesity is another major contributor to knee pain. For instance, a 30-year-old woman who weighed 120 lb at age 18 years, before her three pregnancies, and now weighs 285 lb, had added 660 lb of force across her patellofemoral joint with each step.

How can I keep my knees healthy?

Good nutrition, avoiding obesity and doing regular exercise. Done right, exercise is great for your knees because it helps manage weight (decreasing the pressure put on your knees), improves flexibility and helps strengthen the knee and its surrounding muscles.

If you already have pain, swelling and inflammation, physiotherapy can help manage those symptoms and contribute to a new, healthier base.