Posts Tagged physio

Endometriosis: Can Pelvic Physiotherapy Help?

Endometriosis is one of the most common causes of severe pelvic pain for women. It affects 1 in every 10 women during reproductive age.  Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue resembling the endometrium lining is found outside the uterus- usually around the reproductive organ or between the pelvic organs. It can be found higher in the abdomen but is less common.

What Are The Signs of Endometriosis?

For a definitive diagnosis to be made laparoscopic surgery must be completed to confirm the presence of this tissue.

Common symptoms associated with endometriosis are:

  • Unbearable abdominal cramps associated with menstruation.
  • Heavy periods that prolong for several days
  • Heavy menstrual flow
  • Bowel and urinary disorders
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Pain during and after sexual activities
  • Infertility
  • Chronic fatigue

Can Pelvic Physiotherapy Help Before A Diagnosis Is Made?

ABSOLUTELY! Pelvic physiotherapy can have a key role in helping to manage the symptoms of endometriosis. Here is what we can help you with:

  1. Pelvic floor dysfunction

An overactive pelvic floor is one of the most common complaints with pelvic floor dysfunction in women exhibiting symptoms of endometriosis. This abnormal muscle tension in the pelvic floor develops as a response to the pelvic pain caused by endometriosis. This progresses so that even when pelvic pain isn’t present the muscles are still contracting. This dysfunction often becomes a secondary source of pain and can also lead to painful intercourse, problems emptying bladder/bowel and incontinence. 

So how can we help?

  • Down training exercises for pelvic floor 
  • Pelvic floor muscle release
  • External and internal myofascial techniques
  • Dilator therapy
  • Bladder and bowel education and lifestyle advice

2. Neuromuscular re-education

It is not uncommon to find women adapting “pain postures” due to pelvic pain. Most of these postures involve being hunched forward or curled in a ball to reduce pain. This in turn leads to shortened and tight muscles and weak muscles. We have a variety of muscle release techniques and strengthening problems to help combat this.

Book In With A Physiotherapist

We can offer some relief to you if you have been experiencing any or all of the symptoms listed above. We do not need a diagnosis of Endometriosis to start helping you!

Contact Proactive Physiotherapy today and organise your confidential appointment with one of our Pelvic Physiotherapists.

References:

Endometriosis Australia | About Endo. (2020). Endo-Aust. https://www.endometriosisaustralia.org/about-endo

Evans, S. F., & Bush, D. (2016). Endometriosis and pelvic pain. Susan F Evans Pty Ltd.

Hirsch, M., Duffy, J. M. N., & Farquhar, C. M. (2021). Re: Assessment of levator hiatal area using 3D / 4D transperineal ultrasound in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis and superficial dyspareunia treated with pelvic floor muscle physiotherapy: randomized controlled trial. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 57(5), 849–849. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.23636

Orbuch, I. (2019). Beating endo: a patient’s treatment plan for endometriosis.

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Have I Torn My Hamstring?

Hamstring tears or strains are typically caused by stretching the soft tissues and muscles beyond their limits. Diagnosing a hamstring strain and what grade it is must be done by a qualified physiotherapist.

Types of a hamstring tear or strain

  • Grade 1 — a mild injury that heals within a couple of weeks.
  • Grade 2 — a moderate injury that is typically a partial tear in the muscle; patients are likely to limp when walking and will have occasional twinges of pain during activity.
  • Grade 3 — severe injury where the muscle is completely torn, or a lump of muscle tissue is torn and can take months to heal.

Symptoms of a hamstring strain

  • Grade 1 — tightness in the muscle while stretching, inability to fully move your leg from bent to straight, and inability to bear weight on the leg affected.
  • Grade 2 — reduced muscular strength, limping when walking, and pain when bending the knee.
  • Grade 3 — severe, sudden, sharp pain in the back of the thigh, inability to extend the knee more than 30 to 40 degrees, inability to walk without pain, and severe bruising around the impacted area.

Causes of hamstring tears

In many cases, the patient will suffer from a hamstring tear or strain when running. Other causes of hamstring tears or strains:

  • Limited or lack of warm-up before exercising
  • Poor muscle strength or muscle fatigue
  • Tight hip flexors or weak glutes
  • Differences in leg length
  • Poor flexibility

Book in with a physio ASAP

Ensuring you see a physiotherapist gives you the most effective way of achieving optimal recovery. The correct rehabilitation must be done to meet your needs and goals.

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Injury Before Your Sports Finals?

Unfortunately, sometimes luck is not on our side, and we injure ourselves at the worst possible times. In this case, right before your sports finals.

Although sports injuries sometimes put us on the sideline, it is also possible to make a quicker recovery with the correct advice and treatment given to you by a qualified physiotherapist. This may be the difference between you playing in the final or watching from the sideline.

Crucial Physiotherapy Assessment

Seeing a physiotherapist at your earliest convenience will give you a higher chance of returning to play.

A physiotherapist will be able to:

  • Assess the problem/injury
  • Diagnose and provide the best advice for recovery
  • Provide the best treatment and exercises for you in an attempt to get you back to playing in time for finals.

This may include balance/control, strengthening and stretching exercises. The use of strapping tape may also allow you to move better and provide you with the support you need to play.

Don’t let an injury stop you from enjoying the sports you love! Get in touch with our team of sports and exercise physiotherapists today.

injury to physiotherapy to return to play flow chart

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6 Back Pain Questions To Ask Your Physiotherapist

An estimated 3.7 million Australians or 1 in 6 people have been reported to have had back pain so severe long-term sick leave was required.

Published data shows that in Australia, back pain is the leading cause of work loss days with 25 per cent of sufferers in the 18-44 age group taking ten or more days off per year, costing Australia around $4.8 billion each year for health care.

The statistics are so alarming that one-quarter of the population is suffering from some back pain at any given time, and nearly 80 per cent of adult Australians will experience back pain in their life at some point.

While poor workstation set-up is a significant factor in most cases, it is a combination of factors that can lead to pain, and symptoms can be hugely improved through the right exercise, physiotherapy and some simple lifestyle changes.

Not only can early intervention help you to get back to full health as quickly as possible, but it can also reduce the number of time employees are being forced to take off work. Back pain also triggers stress and anxiety that can be caused as a result of the problem, not being correctly diagnosed.

If you are experiencing back pain, here are some of the most common questions to ask your Physio at your appointment.

What caused my pain/injury?

At your first session, your Physio will take a detailed history of your injury and assess the injured area to get the best diagnosis. Once this has been established, your Physio will develop a plan not just to ease the pain but to address the underlying issue of what caused the pain or injury to begin with. The plan will also address strategies to decrease the chance of the injury happening again.

How long will it take to reduce the pain and get rid of it permanently?

There is no magic answer to this question. It will depend on the type of injury, how long you’ve had it and the damage done. Your recovery plan will have a lot to do with the consistency of staying on the plan with the right exercises at home. Your Physio will give you an estimate of the time of recovery, mostly as your strength and control are regained.

What should I avoid?

Depending on the severity of the injury, your Physio probably won’t prescribe bed rest for long periods. It’s often much better to do light exercise, and they will work with you and your back for the best cause of action for your problem. You’ll be advised what things to modify and what to incorporate into your daily life.

Do I have to stop going to the gym?

Again, it depends on your injury, but that doesn’t mean avoiding the gym or training sessions altogether. Sometimes you’ll be able to incorporate a moderated program that you can tailor at your gym.

Should I call if the conditions start to get worse?

Yes! You should always call your health practitioner if your symptoms or injury becomes worse so they can modify your treatment. If you are concerned that your injury or back pain or neck pain is increasing or you have concerns regarding the exercises you’re shown, your Physio will be happy to address those issues and modify your program. 

Will the exercises mean I have to take off time from work?

The exercises that are given for you to do at home won’t change your regular daily patterns. They can be incorporated into your normal daily activities, and your Physio will even give you some exercises which you can do at your work. The whole idea is to provide long-term outcomes by providing movements and exercise that will leave your back pain-free and stronger, so you’ll be able to get your routine and quality of life back to normal as quickly as possible.

At Proactive Physiotherapy, we have a comprehensive treatment plan called The PUSH spinal treatment pathway. It’s designed for all levels of spinal strength and stability and will get your back and neck functioning correctly to give you long-term relief from pain.

We will help you retrain your mind and body to move more effectively and safely to give you the type of spinal care that will remove your back pain and neck pain forever.

If you are experiencing any pain or have any injury you are concerned about, contact us at Proactive Physiotherapy so we can start your treatment plan today and remove your back pain as soon as possible.

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What Are The Benefits of Pilates and Physio Combined?

Physiotherapy can be an excellent way of maintaining optimal physical strength, but often pilates is only known as a fitness regime and not often understood how beneficial it can be as a combined physiotherapy treatment.

History of Pilates

Physical trainer Joseph Pilates created Pilates in the 1920s for rehabilitation. Some of the first people treated by the concept of Pilates were dancers and soldiers who had returned from war. The objective of Pilates is a coordination of mind, body and spirit through building strength and control with precise exercises which concentrate on strengthening the body with an emphasis on core strength.

Clinical Vs Fitness Pilates

For most people, there is some confusion about the difference between clinical and fitness pilates. When a patient receives a clinical pilates program, they are receiving a specifically tailored program based on their specific injury, disease or body issue. Fitness pilates classes, on the other hand, are run in a class environment, and everyone does the same movements, so the focus is on the exercise rather than a specific purpose.

Clinical pilates is a patient-specific treatment and the exercises are designed to help manage pain and heal injuries, not just strengthen the body. A fitness pilates instructor is not qualified to prescribe clinical pilates as a physiotherapy treatment.

When you are prescribed a tailored treatment plan, your physiotherapist will work on specific movements to help ease your pain and not exercises that could make your pain worse. Examples can be when a patient has an injury on one side of the body only. Weakness and tightness can occur, causing pressure on the spine and core. A physiotherapist will work on balancing out this in the body, so strength returns evenly throughout the body.

Pilates for Rehabilitation

While pilates is effective for general health and wellbeing, it’s also excellent for rehabilitation.

Some common conditions where physiotherapists will use Pilates as a form of rehabilitation are:

  • Lower Back Pain:  including sprains, strains, arthritis/degenerative changes, and disc or nerve involvement.
  • Posture Impairments:  including kyphosis, scoliosis and workplace/ergonomic-related pain.
  • Neck Pain:  including whiplash, strain, arthritis/degenerative changes, and disc or nerve involvement.
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
  • Women’s Health and Postpartum:  including diastasis recti, abdominal and pelvic floor weakness.
  • Most orthopaedic injuries: include injuries to the shoulder, hip, knee, foot and ankle.

6 health benefits of Pilates

There are many general health benefits of Pilates due to its focus on core strength, posture and flexibility. Some of the main improvements it can make for you are:

Posture: The exercises in pilates are designed to always have your body in alignment, which helps your overall posture and is especially beneficial if you suffer from lower back pain.

Muscle tone: Pilates is very effective at using muscles you wouldn’t usually use in your daily life, in a way that tones and lengthens the muscles. It’s especially useful for older people or people who have been inactive due to surgery or weight gain and who have already lost some muscle tone.

Flexibility: With age, we tend to lose flexibility, and pilates allows you to regain flexibility in a way that is gradual, and not harmful. Flexibility is essential for avoiding injuries as we age and helps with recovery when injured.

Core strength: Pilates works the core muscles in many exercises, and one of the benefits of a strong core is flat abdominal muscles when used regularly.

Balance: Balance is more than physical, it’s a mind-body connection, and pilates exercises can help you improve your overall flexibility and restore mind-body balance.

Reduces stress: Like yoga, pilates needs concentration and a focus on breathing techniques which calms the mind becoming an excellent way to reduce stress.

Contact the Proactive Physiotherapy clinic today and talk to a physiotherapist who will listen to you and design a rapid physiotherapy treatment plan to suit your specific needs.

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