Author: sam

Why Is The Knee So Vulnerable To Injury?

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Injuries to the knee are very common; the joint takes the full weight of the body which makes it particularly vulnerable to damage and pain, even more so for people involved in sporting activity which impacts on the knee, such as running and jumping or any sport which involves turning actions (football, skiing etc).

 

Common conditions which create pain in the knee include:

  • Anterior knee pain (runner’s / jumper’s knee)
  • Degenerative changes in conditions such as Osteoarthritis
  • Ligament and tendon damage
  • Sprains and strains

 

In assessing knee pain issues, we examine the overall biomechanics of the knee joint, looking beyond the immediate problem and working on resolving the ultimate cause of the knee pain through a closely tailored individual treatment plan.

Give us a call to discover how to relieve the knee pain and improve your mobility.

What Are The First Signs Of A Hip Problem?

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The hip joint is very much at the centre of the skeleton, linking upper body to lower body with a whole range of structures located around it.

Which means that hip pain, which can take many forms, can actually be misleading and may not indicate a problem with the hip joint itself. This in turn means that subjective diagnosis of the problem is very difficult.

But through a thorough physical examination, we can provide an accurate diagnosis of the cause of the hip pain and produce a treatment and management plan to help you get your pain sorted and move on with your life.

If you suffer from hip pain, speak to one of our team about how we can pin-point the cause of your problem and work with you to resolve your condition.

Have You Lost The Spring in Your Step?

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The foot contains 25% of the body’s bones and is an intricate part of the body with a close relationship between many of the bones, ligaments, tendons and soft tissues. Which means that a problem in one part of the foot can lead to problems not only elsewhere in the foot, but also in the rest of the lower limb and even into the back; making accurate diagnosis of foot problems essential.

 

Typical problems arising within the foot are:

  • Metatarsal fractures
  • Plantar fasciitis (pain in heel and arch with stiffness & discomfort after rest)
  • Metarsalgia (pain under the ball of the foot, especially after walking or running)
  • Flat feet
  • Mid foot and joint pain

 

Having identified the condition, we not only treat the symptoms, but address and correct the underlying cause of the problem, getting you back on your feet as quickly as possible.

Take the first steps to resolving your foot pain problems by giving us a call; we can tailor a treatment plan to your exact needs.

Are Your Hobbies Affecting Your Health?

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Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow are types of epicondylitis – painful conditions of the elbow usually caused by overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm, close to the elbow and not exclusive to tennis or golf activities.

 

Symptoms typically include:

  • Pain when flexing and extending the wrist and arm
  • Pain on gripping, twisting the wrist, lifting and carrying
  • Pain that can ease with activity but returns later with a vengeance
  • Pain and tingling sensation down the forearm

 

Treatment is normally based on physiotherapy, but the long term resolution of the problem depends on identifying the root causes and establishing a plan to manage and eliminate them – an area in which our practitioners can help and advise.

Find long term relief from a painful problem; contact the clinic and see just how we can help.

Can Diabetes Cause Weakness in the Legs?

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Diabetic complications have a great impact on the foot and lower limb and can develop very quickly, leading to rapid tissue breakdown which is often complicated by infection.

Our diabetes services are tailored to provide effective prevention or management of diabetic foot and leg problems through assessment, monitoring, effective therapeutic footwear solutions and high quality expert information.

We also provide a 24-hour, 365-day service to our urgent diabetic clients.

Speak to one of our team to discuss a tailored management programme for your diabetes condition.

Living With Constant Back Pain

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Statistically back pain affects everyone at some point in their life and can seriously impact on sporting activity, work and daily life. Effective treatment, addressing the underlying cause of the pain can improve the quality of life of many patients and with education on posture and core strength can reduce the long term effects of this problem.

 

You don’t need to suffer with symptoms such as:

  • Pain and stiffness when getting out of bed
  • Pain when sitting or driving for extended periods
  • Pain or difficulty when lifting
  • Nerve pain – i.e. sciatica
  • Difficulty walking
  • Restrictive lifestyle

 

Premier Clinic approach back pain in various ways/methods that incorporate aspects of the most effective treatment approaches – soft tissue massage and manipulation, chiropractic/osteopathic manipulation, exercises and strengthening & conditioning of the affected area. Bio-mechanic assessment of the lower limbs/feet is also carried out to ensure all possible causative aspects are addressed.

Dealing with Arthritis

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Arthritis is, in simple terms, inflammation of the joint; it has many causes and covers over 100 disorders. Characteristic symptoms of inflammation are heat, pain and swelling in the joint.

Our podiatry, physiotherapy, biomechanics and orthotics expertise gives us a unique knowledge of the intricacies of the multiple joint involving the foot and ankle, allowing us to provide a comprehensive and appropriate treatment programme tailored for the needs of individual patients.

Through a professional treatment plan, we can help you to walk and function with a greatly increased level of activity and comfort.

Whether your diagnosis is arthritis, synovitis, rheumatoid arthritis or any associated condition, we can help you deal with it. Contact us for more information.

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More Than Just a Twisted Ankle?

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The ankle is a common area of injury seen in both sporting and everyday activity; everyone has ‘twisted’ their ankle at some point! But while mild twists and sprains tend not to present too much of a problem, anything more can lead to significant pain and dysfunction.

 

The sort of ankle injuries we tend to see regularly are:

  • Achilles tendon irritations
  • Achilles tendon ruptures
  • Ankle ligament tears and sprains
  • Pain arising from tendons on either side of the ankle
  • Problems with the ankle joint

 

Our practitioners will provide an accurate detailed diagnosis of your ankle problem and produce a treatment plan tailored to getting you back to your normal activity as quickly as possible.

Can You Still Play Sports with Plantar Fasciitis?

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With spring now here and the increase in daylight hours sporting activities normally increase for the average individual.Sports mix well with many things: socializing, parties, being outdoors, having fun, and more. Unfortunately, sports don’t mix with everything—and some mixtures can be incredibly painful. That’s often the case when you try to play your favorite sport with plantar fasciitis. Sports and heel pain don’t mix well. However, with the right care, you can still enjoy your favorite activities.

Plantar fasciitis is a common overuse injury. Too much pressure and strain on the plantar fascia overstretches it. The tissue becomes irritated, swells, and thickens. Sometimes microtears develop in the ligament as well. The problem is the repetitive hard impacts and overwork that happen frequently in sports not only cause the initial damage, but compound the problem.

So the more you play on your hurting heels without treating them, the worse you make them. Playing sports will only become increasingly uncomfortable for you. Eventually, the pain may prevent you from being able to enjoy your favorite activities altogether. That said, while sports and plantar fasciitis don’t really mix, developing heel pain doesn’t mean you have to kiss your favorite activities goodbye forever. With the right heel pain care, you can get back out to the field or court, and play your best without worrying about your heels holding you back.

The important thing will be getting the plantar fasciitis diagnosed and treated. Some of this foot care may include:

• Resting – That’s right, scaling back your activities or taking a short time off can help you heal.
• Wearing better shoes – Supportive athletic footwear helps cushion hard impacts and improve biomechanics, reducing the stress on your heels.
• Getting orthotics for sports – If shoes are not enough, custom orthotics can add extra padding and better stability for your feet when you’re active.
• Additional therapies – Physical therapy exercises and additional therapies like EPAT may help improve painful heels faster so you can be active again.

While you may still be able to continue playing sports for a while with untreated plantar fasciitis, the two really don’t mix. The long-term consequences won’t be worth it. Instead, take a short break and get your heels the care they need. Our experts at Premier Clinic Ltd understand your love of sports and will help you get back in the game as quickly as possible. Contact our offices today by calling (01706 211419 – Rossendale) or (01254 677341-Blackburn) or through our website to get heel pain relief today.

Plantar Fasciitis

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One of the most common diagnoses of chronic heel pain is plantar fasciitis.

The plantar fascia runs across the bottom of the foot and connects the heel bone to the toes. This thick band of tissue can become inflamed causing a sharp pain; most commonly felt when the client stands first thing in the morning. In most cases, the pain subsides once the foot limbers up but then returns after long periods of standing or getting up after having been sitting with the weight off the feet for a prolonged period. Plantar fasciitis often affects people who regularly run, jog or walk (30 mins plus per day), especially on hard surfaces. Being overweight and badly fitting footwear, worn-out running shoes, or long periods spent standing whilst wearing high heels may also be a factor.

What’s causing the pain and inflammation?

Under normal circumstances, the plantar fascia acts like a shock-absorber to support the arch in your foot. When the tension on the shock-absorber becomes too great, it can create small tears in the fascia. Over time, the repetitive stretching and tearing can cause the fascia to become irritated and inflamed.

Don’t ignore it!

Many people tend to try to ignore the symptoms of plantar fasciitis, especially as the pain often subsides after a few minutes of walking around. What happens in these situations is that people sometimes train themselves to walk slightly differently in order to take the pressure off the heel and thereby minimize the pain until it subsides. This in turn may lead to the development of other foot, knee, hip or back problems. Remember, in most cases plantar fasciitis can be effectively treated with a combination of trigger point therapy, strengthening, stretching, and taping.