Physical Therapy for Calf-Strain

An injury to the muscle or tendon of muscle at the back of lower leg is referred to as Calf Strain. Nine separate muscles together makeup the calf muscle and any of these muscles can be injured individually or together. High-speed motions like running or jumping or any uncoordinated movement can cause calf-strain. This condition is common among runners, soccer and basketball players, gymnasts and dancers.

What do we mean by Calf-Strain?

Calf-Strain occurs due to over-stretching or tearing of any of the nine calf-muscles. It may occur suddenly or gradually overtime and makes the activities like walking, climbing stairs or running difficult or painful. The calf-strain can be graded according to damage caused to the muscles:

Grade1: It involves mild to partial stretch or few of the muscle fibers are torn out. Muscle becomes tender and painful to touch but person can walk properly and no impairment in the use of leg is caused.

Grade 2: It involves moderate stretch and a greater number of muscle fibers may be torn out. At the time or after the injury, you may experience a snapping or pulling sensation. There is a noticeable loss of strength and more pain and tenderness can be found out.

Grade 3: A severe tear of muscle fibers is involved and at times you may experience a complete tear. A popping sound can be heard at the time of injury. At times, you may also notice a dent where the muscle is ruptured or torn under the skin. It becomes extremely painful to use leg.

What are the potential symptoms of Calf-Strain?

The symptoms of Calf-strain vary depending upon the extent of injury and the individual. The common symptoms of Calf-Strain may involve:

• Sudden and sharp pain at the back of the lower leg
• Affected muscle may be tender to touch.
• Inflammation, swelling or bruising may appear at sight of injury.
• Feeling of tightness or weakness at the calf area
• Feeling of sharp pain while stretching or moving the ankle and toe
• Limping while walking
• Difficulty while standing or walking
• Unable to run or jump on the affected leg

What are the treatment options suggested to treat Calf-Strain?

The physical therapist will develop a specialized and individualized treatment program depending upon your needs. This customized regime will involve exercises and treatments focused on your recovery which will help you to return to your work as early as possible. During first 24 to 48 hour:

• Avoid any activity that exaggerates pain and rest the injured area.
• Apply ice-packs to the affected area.
• Affected area may be compressed with elastic bandage wrap.
• Heel lift pads may be inserted into both of your shoes.

Treatment Plan After 24-48 hours:

• Therapist may use different treatments and technologies including; exercises, taping, ultrasound, hand-on therapy etc. to control and reduce pain.
• To restore movement in your ankle and knee, therapist will use from passive to active exercises and stretches that will also increase your flexibility.
• Your physical therapy will choose appropriate exercises and equipments like cuff- weights, cardio-exercise equipments, stretching bands, weight-lifting equipments to restore your strength and agility.
• Your therapist will work with you and decide your recovery goals. He will apply hands- on therapy and make you practice exercises, sport specific drills and techniques & drills which in turn help you to achieve your goal in the safest and fastest way.
• To prevent future injury, your therapist may develop a home-exercise program after your recovery which will further strengthen the muscles around your ankle and knee.

Contact Accessible Physical Therapy for the proficient and state-of-art treatment of any of your musculoskeletal or neurological pain or discomfort. Our patient-proven and customized treatment procedures assist you to regain your functionality and get you back to your normal life as healthy as before.

Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome

Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome is one of the most common and least understood injuries among the runners. Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome causes pain on the outside of knee. This condition is also referred to as ITB Syndrome or STBFS and occurs due to the abnormal rubbing or fiction at the side of the knee, where the iliotibial band (IT) crosses.

What do we mean by Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome?

Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome is an overuse injury caused due to the repeated trauma. The condition occurs when Iliotibial band repeatedly slides backwards and forwards against the femoral epicondyle creating excess friction. This type of friction most commonly occurs when knee is bent at 30 degree as the foot of the runners strikes the ground during running. Pinching of irritated structures over the outside of the knee produces ITB (lliotibial Band) Friction Syndrome.

What are the potential causes of Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome?

Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome occurs due to the altered running biomechanics resulting from underlying muscular imbalances. The other common causes of ITB Friction Syndrome include:

• Weak hip or gluteal muscles
• Weak inner quadriceps and hip rotators
• Weak core muscles
• Sudden increase in training mileage
• Poor foot arch control
• Inflammation of underlying structures
• Poor training habits
• Poor muscular flexibility
• Mechanical imbalances in the body involving the low back, pelvis, hips and knees
• Differences in legs’ length
• Abnormal tilt to pelvis or bowed legs
• Excessive hill training
• Improper foot position like; over pronation

What are the signs and of ITB Friction Syndrome?

The severity of ITB Syndrome varies with varied patients. The most common symptoms may include:

• Burning or sharp pain in the outside part of knee or just above the outer of the knee
• Burning pain over the outer part of the thigh or hip
• Pain that intensifies with repetitive bending and straightening
• Swelling over the outside of the knee
• Pain that worsens with continued running or repetitive activities
• Snapping or popping sound at the knee

What are the Physical Therapy treatments suggested for Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome?

Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome generally lasts for six to eight weeks. And as it is an overuse injury causing inflammation; consulting and following a certified and experienced physical therapist will be very beneficial. A physical therapist may suggest any of the following treatments depending upon the severity and condition of the patient:

• To sub-side the inflammation, initially, a physical therapist may suggest rest, ice, compression and elevation
• Physical therapist may use ultrasound techniques including phonopheresis and iontophoresis
• Stretching exercises may be prescribed to restore proper range of motion in the hip flexors, hip extensors and most importantly the hip abductors
• Myofascial therapy may be prescribed to correct the excessive ITB tightness.
• Physical therapist may suggest manipulative therapy that helps in treating the areas of restriction and moreover repairs the biomechanical flaws leading to iliotibial band friction syndrome
• Stretching exercises, especially for the muscles on the outside of the hip, may be suggested
• Foam roller exercises may be suggested to remove any tight knots or lumps in the tendon
• Strengthening exercise may be prescribed to improve the strength of the muscles on the outside of the hip
• A physical therapist will also identify and correct the training errors. The training errors may include over training or increasing running mileage too quickly. He will further help you to correct your running and landing techniques & functions.

Contact Accessible Physical Therapy for the proficient and state-of-art treatment of any of your musculoskeletal or neurological pain or discomfort. Our patient-proven and customized treatment procedures assist you to regain your functionality and get you back to your normal life as healthy as before.

Obesity Related Knee Arthritis: How can Physical Therapy help?

Anyone can be affected with knee arthritis. The condition usually develops after the age of 40 but in case of obese people, it can develop earlier. Studies show that two out of every there obese adults are at the higher risk of developing this disabling and painful knee pathology. So it is clear that obesity can affect every system of human body.

How does being obese affect or hurt knees?

Knee arthritis is so much severe in obese patients that they cannot even climb a step. Obesity makes it difficult for the knee joint to heal and rest.  Apart from this, being overweight affects your knees in the following ways:

• The continuous stress of over-weight makes the joints to work harder thus leading to strain.
• Excess weight prevents the cell growth in the knee joint and as result of which knee joint cells do not get repaired
• Excess fats stored in body slows down the blood vessel growth which in turn deteriorates the knee joint thus leading to severe pain
• Fat wears away cartilage at the end of our knee bones; leaving the bones scrape against each other; thus leading to condition known as osteoarthritis.

How can a Physical Therapist help?

As it is difficult and painful for the obese patients to exercise; physical therapists help them to become physically active in a pain free way. Physical therapists develop a customized treatment program for you which will not only help you to preserve muscle tissue and protect your joints but will also help you to burn calories and get rid of excessive fats.

A personalized treatment program will be designed according to your needs which will include aerobic and strength training exercises. The efficient physical therapists will help you to:

• Eliminate pain by creating an exercise program including activities which can be performed with least amount of pain
• Improvise your cardiovascular fitness by developing a heart-healthy aerobic exercise program which will boost up your body’s metabolism and burn more calories.
• Enhance muscle strength by creating an exercise program to address any muscle weakness. Enhancing muscle strength will help you to perform your routine activities faster and also relieve joint pain. Low-impact forms of weight training will help you to alleviate joint stress.
• Restore movement by developing specific treatment modules which help to improve movement of the stiff joints. The physical therapist might progress from the passive motions to active exercising module.
• Improve muscle flexibility after determining major tight muscles and will demonstrate how to stretch those muscles
• Improve posture after assessing your postural deformity and will also teach you exercises to maintain a proper posture
• Boost up your activity levels by creating a customized treatment program that will address your specific needs and goal. And after discussing your activity goals, makes you reach those in the fastest, safest and most effective way

So for the obese patients with knee arthritis, consulting a physical therapist is very beneficial as it would:

• Help them to maintain joints’ full range of motion
• Strengthen the muscles supporting knee joint
• Help the knee joint to absorb shock
• Minimize stress on knee joint while enhancing strength and flexibility

We, at Accessible Physical Therapy know that each patient is different, so our certified Physical Therapists always go for through evaluation before designing any customized treatment program for you. We use patient-proven methods & techniques and help you to regain mobility as early as possible.

Physical Therapy Guidelines to Relieve Back Pain

According to the studies, almost 50 million of Americans suffer from chronic back pain and it is the most common reason for the doctor visits’ as well. Various factors can cause back pain to an individual including; lack of exercise, poor work ergonomics, poor posture, excessive weight and limited flexibility. Back pain limits a person’s working efficiency and can make even the simplest movements difficult.

In order to reduce and eliminate the episodes of back pain, you need to understand and recognize the factors that cause back pain. Your Physical Therapists do all this for you; i.e. they formulate a proper regime for you after identifying the major factors causing back pain.

What are different exercises physical therapist suggest to reduce back pain?

Back exercises suggested by the physical therapists aim at the rehabilitation of spine and as well as alleviating pain. Moreover, if practised in a controlled and progressive manner, these exercises also provide nutrients to the disc space and soft tissues in the back. Taking into account, the patients’ specific diagnosis and extent of pain, rehabilitation programs are designed by physical therapists. The rehabilitation program co-ordinated by a physical therapist may include the following exercises:

• McKenzie and dynamic lumbar stabilization may be advised in order strengthen the weakened back muscles.
• Stretching exercises, like; hamstring stretch may be administered to lessen the back pain.
• Low impact aerobics may be advised in order to alleviate the long term pain.
• Manual manipulation may be suggested to treat and improvise joints’ and soft tissues’ mobilization.
• Physical Therapist provides you proper training for lifting, bending and sitting; both at work and at home as well.
• Exercises to strengthen your core or abdominals may be prescribed; as it lessens the strain on the lower back.
• Exercises to improve the flexibility in order to reduce tension and tightness may be prescribed.
• Physical therapist may also train you about proper sleeping postures because sleeping in a defective posture or on a defective mattress can cause back pain.
• You may be trained in relaxation techniques; as studies show and support the view that mind at rest can heal the back pain speedily.
• Heat and Cold therapy may be used to alleviate acute low back pain
• TENS or Ultrasound therapy may be used in order to enhance the tissues healing.

How according to Physical Therapist can you prevent the episodes of back pain?

According to physical therapists, in order to lessen or eliminate the episodes of back pain, patients must understand what is causing unnecessary stress on their backs. Once you understand, you can modify your lifestyle accordingly. Following tips can help you prevent back pain:

• Do not push your body through while exercising or performing daily tasks.
• Do not sit in one position for too long. Get up and move for a minute after every hour of sitting.
• Make use of good body mechanics while lifting, or moving objects at home or work.
• Take frequent short breaks, if you perform heavy manual work.
• Stretch everyday for some time, if you play weekend sports.
• Do not forget to stretch your neck and tight hamstring muscles, as it can put undue pressure on the back.
• Strengthen you core muscles; practice simple balancing exercises to make you abdominals strong.
• Re-start an exercise regime low and slow. Do not increase your time or intensity instantly.

 Contact Accessible Physical Therapy for the proficient and expert diagnosis and treatment of any of your spinal conditions. Our dedicated physical therapists use patient proven methods and techniques and help you to back to your routine activities as healthy as before.

Lower Crossed Syndrome

When some people find it difficult to stand upright for a long time or have low back pain with the symptoms going down the back of leg or front of the thigh, they considered it to be ‘sciatica’ but there is every possibility that they may be suffering from Lower Crossed Syndrome (LCS) or Pelvic Crossed Syndrome (PCS). Passive lifestyle, excessive working hours at a desk or computer, improper posture or even improper weight lifting can lead to LCS.

What is the Lower Crossed Syndrome?

Lower Crossed Syndrome is typically a muscular imbalance syndrome, which occurs when muscles are shortened or lengthened in relation to each other. This deformity is characterized by the tightness of the thoraco-lumbar extensors in the lower back, rectus femoris in the back of the thigh and iliopas that passes from the low back to the front of the hip. Joint dysfunction at some particular points is created due to this imbalance. Lower Crossed Syndrome is also defined as an abnormal adapted posture of lower back. This imbalance is also characterized by the anterior tilt of the pelvis, increased curve in the lumbar spine and tight hamstrings. It also impairs the sporting efficiency of sportspersons as their core stability and stride length decreases due to the deformity.

What are the potential causes of Lower Crossed Syndrome?

LCS or lower crossed syndrome is a ‘silent’ disorder as it takes years to develop and displays no symptoms initially. Several factors contribute towards developing this deformity including:

• Previous injury to joints, ligaments or muscles in the lower back
• Shortening or tightening of muscles from repetitive activities
• Prolonged sitting
• Lack of the core stability of the spine
• Poor posture
• Weak and inhibited gluteals and abdominal muscles
• Muscular imbalance in the low-back, legs, buttocks and abdominal region

What are the signs and symptoms of Lower Crossed Syndrome?

Lower Crossed Syndrome results into specific postural changes including:

• Facet joint strains
• Pelvic and hip dysfunction
• Forward tilted pelvis
• Knee hyperextension
• Lateral leg rotation (outward rotation)
• Lateral lumbar shift
• Protruding abdomen
• Flexed hips and lack of buttock musculature

What are the physical therapy treatments suggested to treat Lower Crossed Syndrome (LCS)?

Physical therapy treatment for LCS or Lower Crossed Syndrome is focused on the muscles which are weak like; gluteals and abdominal muscle and the ones’ which are tight like; hip flexors and lumbar erector spinal. The main goal of the physical therapists is to achieve the muscular balance which is the key to overcome Lower Crossed Syndrome. Physical therapists adopt the following exercises to achieve the muscular balance:

• Specific mobility stretches are administered to stretch the tight lower back and thigh muscles
• Corrective strengthening exercises are followed for weak gluteals and abdominal muscles
• Pilates are practised to strengthen the core stability and to improvise the posture as well
• Plank exercises are followed to develop stability and to reduce pain of the inactive and weak gluteals and abdominal muscles
• Myofascial release and trigger point massage to gluteals muscles may be performed to eliminate muscular adhesions
• Core stabilization exercises are advised to strengthen the weak abdominal muscles
• Re-education about the proper posture and body usage is provided.
• Rehabilitative program including manipulation and stretching exercises is adopted to restore movement and muscle strength
• Relaxation techniques are applied to relax tight pelvis, hip joint and lumbar spine movement and muscle strength
• Physical therapy adjustments are made to eliminate joint tension, enhance the range of motion and restore proper functioning.

Contact Accessible Physical Therapy for the effective and proficient treatment of any of your painful spinal conditions. Our certified and dedicated physical therapists employ specialized skills to help you to regain your health and mobility.