Whenever you break a bone, there’s a good chance you’ll need to have the affected body part put into a cast. The cast is designed to protect the broken bone and keep it in alignment while it heals. Occasionally you’ll need surgery for very bad breaks, and this will...
What is pain? Pain in its purest form is a collection of signals that is taken up to the brain to be processed. It’s an important mechanism in the body to determine whether your body is in danger and is likened to an alarm system which goes off to warn you and prevent...
What are the symptoms of TMJ dysfunction? A patient with dysfunction of the TMJ can have one or many of the following symptoms: • Pain in the jaw or side of the head. • Difficulty opening the mouth fully for eating or yawning. • Difficulty biting down or chewing. •...
How can physiotherapy help my headaches? There are many different types of headaches and many different triggers. Physiotherapy is known to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with cervicogenic headache (headache arising from disorders of the neck) and is...
Injuries to the hand, wrist and fingers can be divided into two main categories. They are either acute injuries, which occur suddenly as a result of direct impact or a fall onto an outstretched hand, or chronic overuse injuries, which develop due to repetitive stress....
The section of your spine located below the neck and above your lower-back is known as the thoracic spine. This is also commonly referred to as the mid- or upper-back. It contains 12 vertebrae (spinal bones) stacked on top of one another and forms an attachment site...
The hamstrings are the muscle group located on the back of the thigh and are composed of 3 different muscles that start and finish in different points in the leg and pelvis. The 3 muscles are biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus. The hamstrings are an...
The front of the thigh is the location of the muscle group known as the quadriceps or ‘quads’. This muscle group contains 4 muscles including the vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis and rectus femoris. Most injuries to the front of the thigh will...
What are Shin Splints? People who do a lot of running will often complain of ‘shin splints’ which is a general term for any pain experienced in the shin. There are several different conditions which can cause shin pain and it’s important to get a correct diagnosis, as...
The calf muscle is comprised of 3 different muscles: the gastrocnemius (gastroc), the soleus and the lesser-known plantaris. These muscles join together towards the ankle and have a common tendon known as the Achilles tendon, which attaches onto the heel bone. It’s...
