Lower Limb Conditions

Hip injuries

Hamstring strain:

There are four hamstrings – semimembranosus, semitendinosus and the short and long head of biceps femoris. A hamstring strain involves a tear of one or more of the hamstrings. This can range from a mild strain to a complete rupture. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, core stabilization exercises, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics. Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. To avoid burns protect your skin from the ice by wrapping icepack in a damp towel. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury. Painfree gentle stretches can start after first 72 hours.

Illiotibial band syndrome:

The ITB band is a long strip of fascia that runs from the tensor fascia latae to the outside of the knee. It commonly affects runners. There are a number of factors involved in the development including weak gluteals, hip rotators and inner quads, poor arch control, sudden increase in training, hill running and unsuitable runners. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics.

Piriformis syndrome:

The piriformis is a muscle deep to the buttock which can compress the sciatic nerve as it passes through it. This can produce symptoms similar to those of a lumbar spine disc. There can be several reasons for piriformis syndrome including overpronating feet, sacroiliac joint dysfunction and weak hip stabilisers. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, deep neck stabilization exercises, posture correction, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics.

Hip labral tear:

The labral is cartilage rim around the hip socket. A tear can cause pain in the groin, buttock or hip, snapping or clicking. It is usually caused by a fall or sporting injuries. An MRI can confirm the presence of this hip injury. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening and stretching. In some cases surgery may be required.

What you can do:

It is important to avoid aggravating activities, sitting cross legged, sitting with knees lower than hips, sitting on edge of chair, and extending hip excessively.

Knee injuries

Knee ligament injuries:

The knee has four ligaments – the Anterior Cruciate Ligament, Posterior Cruciate Ligament and medial and lateral collateral ligament and coronary ligament. The injury of a ligament is classified as grade 1 to grade 3 depending on severity.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries:

The ACL is a ligament of the knee crucial to knee stability. It is caused by pivoting or landing from a jump. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, and restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening and stretching.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. Protect your skin from the ice to avoid burns. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury.

Osgood schlatters:

Osgood schlatters is an inflammation of the bone at the top of the shin bone. This can happen in adolescence. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening and stretching.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. Protect your skin from the ice to avoid burns. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury.

Patellorfemoral pain:

Patellorfemoral pain describes pain behind your kneecap. This can be caused by poor kneecap alignment or excessive pressure on the kneecap. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal muscle balance, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, deep neck stabilization exercises, posture correction, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening and stretching and orthotics.

Knee replacement:

Surgical repair of the knee can be partial or total knee replacement. It usually consists of replacing damaged bone with plastic or metal components. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, soft tissue massage, strengthening and stretching.

What you can do:

It is vital to follow the home exercise programme you receive from the hospital to regain movement and strength.

Meniscal tears:

Meniscus is the cartilage which separates the femur (thigh bone) from the tibia (shin bone). Its function is to absorb forces on the knee and protect the knee surface. This can be damaged due to trauma or degeneration. Sometimes this will need to be repaired surgically. Small tears respond well to physiotherapy. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening and stretching.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Protect your skin from the ice by wrapping the icepack in a damp towel to avoid burns. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury. Strengthening your inner quadriceps (IMO) is particularly important for recovery.

Lower leg and ankle injuries

Plantar fasciitis:

The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band running the length of the base of your foot. Plantar fasciitis symptoms include pain on putting foot to floor in the morning or after resting. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, and restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. Protect your skin from the ice to avoid burns. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury. There are many products on the market such as heel cushions which may help.

Shin splints:

This is caused by overuse of the muscles running along the shin. Poor biomechanics or errors in training are the main cause shin splints. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. Protect your skin from the ice by wrapping a damp towel around the icepack to avoid burns. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury.

Calf strains:

Calf strains usually occur when changing direction or accelerating. Pain occurs in the lower posterior leg and a ‘pop’ can be felt or the sensation that someone has kicked you from behind. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening and stretching.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. Protect your skin from the ice by wrapping a damp cloth around the icepack to avoid burns. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury.

Achilles tendon injuries:

Similar to calf strains but closer to the ankle joint. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, , after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. Protect your skin from the ice to avoid burns. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury.

Ankle pain:

The most common ankle injury is the lateral ligament sprain which occurs when you ‘turn’ on your ankle. However, fractures, strained muscles or tendons can be a cause of ankle pain. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening and stretching.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is very important in the first 72 hours. Protect your skin from the ice to avoid burns. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury.

Foot pain:

Metatarsalgia: a common cause of pain on the ball of the foot due to various reasons. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, and restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics.

Bunion:

This is the deformity of the big toe which will have a characteristic bump on the inside of your foot with the 1st toe pointed towards the 2nd. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics. Surgery may be indicated in severe cases.

Morton’s neuroma:

Is an irritation and inflammation of the nerve sheath forming a thickened scar tissue between the 3rd and 4th toe. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics. Occasionally surgery may be indicated.

Severs disease:

This is a growth plate of the heel usually caused by excessive exercise in an adolescent. Your physiotherapist will aim to reduce your pain, encourage tissue repair, restore joint movement and muscle strength, restore normal function. Common physiotherapy treatments for this are manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue massage, kinesiology taping, electrotherapy, strengthening, stretching and orthotics.

What you can do:

Early injury management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation. In the early stages rest from any aggravating movement is very important. However, after the first 72 hours you need to get moving again to avoid further problems such as muscle weakness or tightness. Ice is also very important in the first 72 hours. To avoid burns protect your skin from the ice by wrapping icepack in a damp towel. Ice will help with pain and inflammation. Compression if possible will help reduce swelling in the early stages. Elevation is also very helpful in the first few days of injury. Avoiding excessive training is key to dealing with Sever’s disease.

To find out more about our services or to book an appointment please call 053 9480 861 or email us at rachelrichardsonmiscp@yahoo.ie