Introduction Sports physiotherapists regularly assess and treat shoulder pathologies. In my clinical practice, shoulders would place in the top 3 most common conditions (along with back and knee presentations). Given the frequency with which we see these problems, there is much interest in the best assessment and rehabilitation techniques for shoulder problems. This article will […]
Does A Forefoot Strike Pattern Reduce Injury?
Aerobic exercise, particularly in the form of running, has become more popular with the general population over the last few decades. Unfortunately, this increase in healthy exercise may come at a cost with up to 80% of runners reporting a lower limb injury. These trends mean that preventing running injuries is gaining significant importance in the world of sports medicine. One touted intervention that is currently in vogue is adapting the runner’s biomechanics to a forefoot strike pattern or barefoot running technique…
Nordic Hamstring Exercises
Introduction Hamstring strains are commonly assessed and treated in the world of sports physiotherapy. They represent the most common injury in a number of sports, including AFL and soccer, accounting for up to 12-16% of injuries (Hawkins et al., 2001; Warren et al., 2010). Dvorak and Astrid (2000) suggested that hamstring injuries occur at an […]
Sideline Management of Abdominal Injuries
Many of the world’s sports physical therapists and physiotherapists spend their weekends at sporting events around the world. Unfortunately, many of us do not have the support of a huge medical team around us, such as that available to James Sutherland at Wallabies games. Therefore, we are often the most highly trained “medical” staff at any given event, and when it comes to injured athletes the buck stops with us. This means we require knowledge on a variety of conditions that may not be “sports” injuries and many abdominal injuries may fall outside the expertise of a physio.
Eccentric Training for Flexibility
How regularly do you treat injured athletes with reduced lower limb flexibility? The answer from many of you would likely be all day long! It has been well established that athletes with reduced lower limb flexibility are at greater risk of injury (Murphy et al., 2003). Thus, it would be logical that a program of regular stretching, which has been shown to improve lower limb flexibility (Harvey et al., 2002), would reduce this injury risk… wouldn’t it? Well, not conclusively…
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Assessment and Management
Introduction The condition discussed in this article, you will come to find, is quite complex and can be a battle for the physiotherapist and physical therapist. Thoracic outlet syndrome is considered to be a collection of quite diverse syndromes rather than a single entity (Yanaka et al., 2004), and therefore, accurate diagnosis and enlightened treatment […]
Lateral Epicondylalgia (Tennis Elbow): Evidence Based Assessment and Management
Lateral epicondylalgia (tennis elbow) is a condition that I, and am sure many other physiotherapists out there, treat very commonly. Interestingly, despite the frequency with which healthcare is sought for this condition; only recently has our understanding of the pathophysiology of lateral elbow overuse injury improved. Consequently, the treatment approaches for lateral epicondylalgia vary widely and lack definitive evidence. Therefore, this article will discuss the evidence based assessment and management of lateral epicondylalgia (tennis elbow)…
Facilitating VMO Activation with Isometric Hip Adduction
It is no secret that sports physiotherapists and physical therapists across the world commonly assess and treat knee injuries. Of these injuries, patellofemoral pain is exceptionally common, accounting for 25% of all sports related knee injuries (Fredericson & Yoon, 2006). In fact, patellofemoral pain syndrome is the most commonly reported injury sustained by runners (Taunton et al., 2002). As many of the aetiological factors that contribute to patellofemoral pain syndrome have not been clearly identified, decision making regarding appropriate rehabilitation and treatment can often be challenging. This article will discuss the use of isometric adduction during closed kinetic chain lower limb exercises to facilitate vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) activation.
Functional Strength and Training
You know what I’ve learned after talking to incredible sports physiotherapists and sports medicine professionals, attending numerous professional development courses, conferences and seminars and reading many books: there is so much that I don’t know. And I say that without reservation, as I know that it is impossible to stay at the forefront of current practice and research in all fields of sports medicine. There is just not enough hours in the day. Fortunately, I also know not to pass up opportunities to learn from experts in a given field. Thus, I would like to introduce you to Michael Boyle.
Sports Injury Videos – Feedback?
Something A Little Different: So, I have decided to do something a little bit different. I have invested some time into creating some videos for YouTube based on various diagnoses and pathologies that have been previously discussed on this site. I have done this for a few reasons, including to allow the blog/site to reach a greater audience, to assist or cater for those who prefer to watch or listen to information rather than read lengthy articles and also to allow physiotherapists and physical therapists to refer patients/athletes to the videos as a source of information, which can be consumed in their own time….
