Physio & Exercise Physiology Articles For Clients

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Do We Need to Rethink Osteoarthritis?

Clinical guidelines on the treatment of osteoarthritis are fairly uniform. The treatment patients receive is less so.

The Important Differences Between Physical Activity & Therapeutic Exercise

The difference between these three terms may sound like just an academic exercise. In truth, a better understanding of these terms can help many people achieve their goals.

Running Still Does Not Cause Arthritis

It is a popular belief that the wear and tear of running spurs osteoarthritis of the knees and other joints. In 2013, we reported how the National Runners Health Study followed nearly 90,000 runners and found that running did not increase the rates of osteoarthritis.(1) In fact, compared to walkers, runners had half the risk of osteoarthritis.

Shoulder Pain . . . It’s Back

Did you know that people who get over shoulder pain on their own or just with pain meds will have the same or worse problem again 52% to 73% of the time?

Exercise for Diabetes . . . But Wait

Some experts define physical activity as any movement that increases energy use while reserving the term exercise for planned, structured physical activity.(1) Regular exercise is thought to prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes.(2) In active Type 2 diabetes, exercise improves blood glucose control, reduces cardiovascular risk, contributes to weight loss, and improves well-being

How to Reverse the Progression of Osteoarthritis

As our population ages, the number of Australians with osteoarthritis is expected to rise from 2.2 million in 2015 to 3.1 million by 2030.(1) The condition ranks as the most common form of arthritis

How Effective is Pulmonary Rehabilitation for COPD?

With exercise physiologists on staff, Advanced Physiotherapy is specially prepared to help people with a broader range of health challenges including COPD.

Advanced Physiotherapy Launches Telehealth Rehab

Are you ready for telehealth physiotherapy? People have been researching telehealth for years, including using it to extend physiotherapy practices. In our case, telehealth will involve paid, professional, one-to-one consultation delivered over the phone or by videoconferencing.

One in Five People are Predisposed to Hip Impingement - How Serious is It?

Generally speaking, when there is abnormal contact between your thighbone and your hip, this is called hip impingement. More specifically, we are referring to femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).

Improvement in Gait Speed Predicts 35% Better Survival for Seniors

Fall injuries present a serious health risk for seniors who are losing strength, conditioning, and coordination due to age, but does improving gait result in improved health? The research of Susan Hardy, MD and colleagues says “yes

Most Arm Injuries Are FOOSH Injuries. How to Fall More Safely.

Most injuries to the arm are FOOSH injuries.(1) FOOSH stands for Fall On Outstretched Hand. As people fall, they tend to throw their hands out to catch themselves

The Long-Term Consequences of an ACL Injury

How serious is an ACL injury anyway? One good surgery, some rehab, and you’re back in action, right? Unfortunately, no. Prevention of ACL injuries is important because those injuries can have lifelong consequences.

Rest or Stay Active? Advice for Elbow, Wrist, and Hand Pain.

One recent study suggests the healthcare industry needs to change the advice being given about elbow, wrist, and hand pain. When we seek healthcare, the common advice is to rest to allow things to heal. As with other “injuries” such as low back pain this approach has been questioned.

Muscular strength as a strong predictor of mortality, not just in the elderly

There is a plethora of evidence regarding the need for muscular mass and strength in the elderly population, to combat sarcopenia and reduced functional capacity1. With this in mind researchers are looking into the effect of muscle mass and strength on other chronic disease conditions. They are also trying to elucidate the protective physiology muscular strength and mass.

Stand Up to Disability

Did you know that research shows standing for just one extra hour a day greatly reduces the risk of disability, especially for retirees?

Has the Cure for Diabetes Been Right In Front of Us All Along?

Last year saw an explosion of scientific articles about diabetes remission. These studies are describing medical results where people with adult-onset, type II diabetes go months and even years with normal A1C values, without needing glucose-lowering drugs.1-6

One in Three Paediatric Athletes Suffer Secondary ACL Injuries

Australia has the highest incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction procedures in the world.1 From 2000 to 2015 our annual rate grew 43%. Among patients under 25 years old, the rate skyrocketed 74% in that same timeframe

Does Knuckle Cracking Cause Arthritis?

What is knuckle cracking exactly, and is it bad for your hands?

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Many people know carpal tunnel syndrome has something to do with wrist dysfunction. But what is it, really, and what can be done about it?

Does Sleep Loss Cause Weight Gain?

Psychologist Michael Breus, PhD, makes this case in his book “The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep.” There is a well established correlation between reduced sleep hours and higher body mass index

Fall-Injury Deaths Up 72% in NSW

In New South Wales, fall-injury deaths appear to be on the rise. Compared to 2001, fall-related mortality among people age 65+ is up 72%.

Improving Life for People with COPD

COPD affects the lives of roughly 5% of the population.1 It stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD is more of a catchall term encompassing chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and/or asthma. In medical writings, sometimes the terms CAO (chronic airflow obstruction) or CAL (chronic airflow limitation) are preferred. Whatever you call it, the condition can severely limit a person’s life.

How People in Their 60s Enjoy the Same Exercise Class as People in Their 20s!

The answer is Pilates classes at Advanced Physiotherapy. Consistent with our philosophy of giving every client elite-athlete-level attention, Pilates is an exercise method first developed as training and rehabilitation for dancers in the performing arts

Low Back Pain – The Problem with Self-Management 14 October

Low back pain (LBP) is common and costly. It occasionally causes missed work days or lower work performance, which, when combined with its commonality, makes it one of the world’s most disabling conditions

The Dementia – Fall Injury Connection 7 October

Fall injuries stand out as a major health risk for people age 65+. Among this age group, nearly one out of three people fall each year.1 The problem is even worse for seniors with dementia.

A Silent Disease is on the Rise - 23 SEPT

Osteoporosis is often called a silent disease because there are no symptoms until a bone is broken. Osteoporosis means “porous bone”. The disease is on the rise, so let’s take a moment to talk about risks, prevention, and recognition.

It Doesn’t Matter Where You Get Your Rehab for Total Knee Replacements - 16 Sept

In less than two decades, the number of knee replacements in Australia has more than doubled – more than 50,000 surgeries per year. This can put a major strain on national healthcare spending.

Heel Pain: Know How It Works So You Can Get Rid of It - 9 Sept

Heel pain is usually just over-stressed tissue at the heel. Specifically, we are referring to the plantar fascia, the taut band of tissue that connects the heel to the forefoot and causes the arch of the foot to form.

Ankle - Lateral Ligament Sprain 2 Sept

A sprain means that some ligament fibres are torn. Sprains occur through trauma. Lateral ligament sprains occur when the foot is forced strongly into inversion (turned in).

How to manage a lumbar herniated disc - 26 August

It is common in clinical practice to be faced with patients who have indications that they have a lumbar herniated disc. This is often accompanied by nerve root compression and significant pain particularly pain, pins and needles and numbness.

The Compex

The Complex is a portable muscle stimulation device. It is often used for pain relief, to prevent muscle loss after injury or surgery, and to improve muscle strength.

When to Start Mobilisation after Muscle Injury

Therapists and surgeons alike have been exploring this question for decades andcontinue to investigate it today.1 It’s a seemingly simple question with an important answer

Physical activity and pregnancy

Physical activity is important during all stages of our lives. Exercise during pregnancy and in the postpartum period has been shown to have numerous health benefits for the mother and her baby

Load Management

It is thought that both overtraining and undertraining will result in increased injury risk, reduced fitness and poor team performance (Gabbett, 2016). The ability to effectively plan and manage training quantities, frequencies and intensities will have a large effect on the factors above (Brukner et al., 2017).

Rotator Cuff Tears

Which Patients Are More Likely to Succeed with Conservative Treatment? Rotator cuff tears are a common cause of shoulder pain and may occur without traumatic injury

Physiotherapy and the treatment of Headaches

Headaches are a common cause of pain and discomfort. They can affect how well you are able to function. There are two main classes of headaches – primary and secondary

Earlier Physiotherapy Improves Outcomes in Nontraumatic Knee Pain

Abstract: A recent study finds that physiotherapy within two weeks of a medical consult for nontraumatic knee pain correlates with reduced healthcare utilisation compared to no physiotherapy. Early physiotherapy reduces the chance of narcotic-taking by 33% and reduces the chance of surgery by 42%. Earlier referrals reduced the risks better than later referrals. The current study adds to a body of evidence demonstrating that earlier referrals to physiotherapy achieve better outcomes.

Hamstring Strains: Risk Factors and the Rehab Program with Zero Reinjuries

Hamstring strains rank among the most com- mon injuries in high speed running sports. With recurrence rates ranging between 20% and 33%, even with rehabilitation, interest in improving outcomes continues.

Medial tibial stress syndrome: causes, treatment and prevention

Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) (‘shin splints’) is a generalised term for a condition which causes localised pain on the lower inner aspect of the shins. The condition can be seen to be on a continuum of pathology causing shin pain.

Hamstring Strains: Risk Factors and the Rehab Program with Zero Reinjuries

Hamstring strains rank among the most common injuries in high-speed running sports. With recurrence rates ranging between 20% and 33%,1-3 even with rehabilitation, interest in improving outcomes continues. Doctors frequently prescribe physiotherapy but with little official guidance on whom to refer, when to refer, or what to look for in rehabilitation programs.

The Most Effective Rehabilitation for Cervical Radiculopathy

October 2017 Abstract: Participants in a recent study of rehabilitation for cervical radiculopathy (CR) realised a 60% improvement in pain at four weeks and an 88% improvement in pain at eight weeks. While previous studies show rehabilitation helping patients with CR, the combined manual therapy and exercise therapy approach used in the current study may have resulted in outcomes improved over what is often seen.

Earlier Physiotherapy Equals Faster Recovery In Acute Muscle Strain

Occasionally, patients with acute conditions may consider delaying physiotherapy. They commonly consider two rationales. One, there is concern that rehab during an acute injury phase may interfere with the initial healing response. Two, economic considerations tempt patients to see if their injuries can heal sufficiently without rehab, before electing physiotherapy. In truth, for many diagnoses, both of these rationales prove counterproductive.

Which is better for Neck Pain Manual Therapy or Exercise Therapy?

When considering the number of years lived with disability, spine/neck/back pain stand apart as the most important disabling condition worldwide

The Clinical Course of Neck Pain

A recent study correlates muscle-fat infiltration of multifidi with decreased physical ability among seniors with low back pain (LBP). This adds to previous studies finding that asymmetrical multifidus atrophy predicts low back pain recurrence and that lower muscle quality predicts decreased physical function among people without LBP. The persistence of multifidus atrophy and fat infiltration, even among so-called spontaneous resolvers, and its causal role in chronicity underscore the importance of active approaches toward LBP treatment.

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome The Evidence in Sum

Current evidence reveals that patellofemoral pain syndrome is common and exhibits a strong tendency toward chronicity. Targeted quadricep strengthening appears to be the most validated intervention at present, but evidence is building in support of other strengthening and stretching. Referrals for organised exercise intervention appear to add to the results of usual care plus patient education.

Achilles Tendinopathy Improved by Foot Orthotics: Proving the Concept

Custom-made, semi-rigid foot orthotics have been shown to relieve Achilles tendinosis symptoms up to 92% within one month. The exact mechanism by which this relief is achieved has been largely theoretical. The first-ever investigation of foot orthotics and Achilles tendon loading finds that orthotics significantly reduce the load on the tendon, the duration of maximum load, and the rate at which that load is applied.

Physiotherapy/Advanced Imaging as First Management Strategy for Acute Low Back

Patients who receive a physiotherapy referral for uncomplicated low back pain cost $6,273 less than patients receiving an advanced imaging referral, even when the cases are propensity matched. Physiotherapy provides an active solution to LBP that gives patient’s confidence to stay active and reduce recurrence.

Physiotherapy Helps Fall Risk Even with Osteoarthritis of the Knee

The extent to which painful osteoarthritis of the knee can prevent physiotherapy from reducing fall risk has been a subject of ongoing research. A recent review and meta-analysis concludes that certain physiotherapy approaches can reduce fall risk 55% - even in the presence of painful osteoarthritis of the knee.

First-Line Treatment for Tennis Elbow- Physiotherapy Preferred

Tennis elbow recurrence rates have been measured as high as 72% at one year - especially if patients were treated with corticosteroids. A study out of the University of Queensland earlier this year shows that physiotherapy proves the most cost-effective means for improving quality of life, compared to placebo or corticosteroid as first-line interventions. Combining corticosteroid with physiotherapy may negate the positive effects of physiotherapy. One-year recurrence rates with physiotherapy alone have been measured between 5% and 8%.

Does Running Cause Arthritis?

It is a popular belief that the wear and tear of running spurs osteoarthritis of the knees and other joints. But, is this notion true?

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