Back to Back Blog
Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Hypermobility is often a general term given to those whose bodies are able to move and stretch more than is considered for the normal range of motion. In this blog I will mainly talk about the musculoskeletal (MsK) presentations of this disorder. You can get this at a local joint level or more generalised global joint level. Further reading can be from the EDS society.
The importance of sleep and a good mattress
Those that know me, know that I think the top 3 things (other than the building you live in) that you should spend money on is a great bed, amazing shoes and eyewear - gotta look after those eyes!. All are important things for our comfort and health. Have you ever acknowledged how you feel if your feet are uncomfortable or you sleep quality is poor? Your stress levels go up! A wonderful bed ideally should come high on your list.
Bone Stress Injury
A bone stress injury (BSI) is due to a bone’s inability to cope with repetitive mechanical loading.
This results in structural fatigue with localised bone pain and tenderness.
Essentially, BSI is an overuse injury and is normally multifactorial with a combination of biological, biomechanics and anatomical risk factors.
Chronic Heel Pain; Is it Baxter’s Nerve Entrapment?
Sufferers of chronic heel pain often are often diagnosed with Plantar fasciitis, however not all cases of heel pain are due to this. Other causes include nerve trapping, joint inflammation, stress fracture and Baxter’s nerve entrapment. In fact, Baxter’s nerve entrapment can cause up to 20% of cases of chronic heel pain.
CANCANEAL APOPHYSITIS (SEVER’S DISEASE)
This is painful inflammation of a child’s growth plate at the heel. Normally, this affects children between 8 – 14 years old as their calcaneus (heel bone) is still developing.
Strength is often forgotten and sarcopenia
Strength is SO often forgotten in place of the need to stretch!
RED-S or RELATIVE ENERGY DEFICIENCY IN SPORT
You need to have sufficient calories or energy to meet the demand of high level activities or sports. If you do not get enough, any number of problems can start.
Low carb vs low fat for Type II diabetes
Diabetes can be utterly destructive and many just think taking pills that a doctor gives you will sort the problem. It does not!! It only treats the symptoms and does nothing to sort out the disease.
Sleep – are you getting enough or enough ‘good’ sleep?
SLEEP is much more important than most of us think. It is actually a massively crucial time for our bodies to rest and heal and for us to lay down new tissue. It is also an important time for our brains to process what has happened that day and ‘back up’ its new memories.
Syndesmosis injuries are often missed and why…
Syndesmosis injuries do happen and they probably happen more than we think. They are often missed and are treated as a ‘normal’ lateral ankle sprain.
Achilles Tendon Pain
Achilles tendon pain - examination, tests and rehabilitation thoughts.
Sever’s Disease. Heel pain in children.
Essentially, it is an overuse injury at the time of growth.
Sports that ‘load’ the Achilles tendon and heel, such as running and jumping, are normally the culprits. Often a bout of Sever’s can become aggravated at the start of a season after a ‘rest’ period, or exercising on harder ground as it gets colder.
Do you get pain when playing golf?
At Back to Back we treat more than a few golfers and their injuries. An injury common to the golfer may be one of many…. But often a golfer presents with pain in their elbow, shoulder, their back, hip or knee. Pain is all too common in golfers!
Could your groin injury be coming from your hip?
Groin pain can be a difficult problem for patients as well as their clinicians. Part of the problem is that the location of the pain is often a poor indicator of the where the pathology actually lies. Additionally, when the pain becomes chronic, multiple pathologies can be generated, adding a further layer of complexity.
1080 Map Functional Assessment
Developed in Norway and Sweden, 1080 Map Functional Assessment is a specialist assessment tool with software that is designed specifically for those committed to becoming more successful in their training and to improve their movement patterns.
Loosing the boozing-reduce your Alcohol for a healthier you
Although you may first visit your osteopath to treat an injury or condition, a priority of the osteopath is to help you improve your overall health and wellbeing.
The endangered glutes!
There’s a fairly obvious giveaway about the importance of our gluteal muscles; they are rather big! Having a big, powerful set of muscles such as the glutes should indicate to us that, through our evolution, the body has developed a demand for strength and power in that area.
Standing desks…… a small note
I have just seen an article written in The Times yesterday by Carol Midgley on the subject of standing desks.
She talks briefly and mentions that ‘sitting is the new smoking’ and so she tries a basic device. This new device, you sit onto your existing desk to enable you to stand and work. I am not sure which one she tried, but here is a great example.
3 tips for Knee Rehabilitation and the need to be patient!
My Knee Rehabilitation! Nothing much to write today, other than I have been gradually increasing the amount of walking I have been doing and very clearly, it was too much! My knee was feeling unstable and it was ‘talking’ to me more. It was not unstable in any way. But it was just telling me to back off and I needed to listen. Knee rehabilitation after surgery takes time!