Striding Towards Recovery: Physiotherapy Assessment and Treatment for Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains, though common, can be a significant setback in our lives’. Whether caused by a misstep on uneven ground or during sport, these injuries can lead to pain, swelling, and a loss of function. If you need a swift and effective recovery, Albert Park Physiotherapy can help!

Physiotherapy assessment of ankle sprains is a meticulous process, aiming to identify the extent of the injury and its impact on the patient's overall function. Our skilled physiotherapists will conduct a thorough examination, assessing joint stability, muscle strength, flexibility, and proprioception. This comprehensive evaluation guides the development of a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs.

Treatment often begins with the R.I.C.E. protocol – Rest, Ice (ankle ice baths are very effective), Compression, and Elevation – to manage pain and reduce swelling. Once the acute phase subsides, the focus shifts to restoring normal joint function and strengthening the supporting muscles. Range of motion exercises, balance retraining, and proprioceptive drills become integral components of the rehabilitation process to meet your goals.

A key aspect of physiotherapy for ankle sprains is the gradual progression of exercises, ensuring that the injured ligaments and muscles are strengthened without risking re-injury. Therapeutic modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and manual therapy, taping or bracing may also be employed to enhance healing and alleviate pain.

Our holistic approach addresses not only the immediate symptoms, but also the underlying causes of the injury. Through our expert assessment and targeted treatment, Albert Park Physios empower our clients to regain control of their ankle health, helping them stride confidently towards a full recovery. So, if an ankle sprain has halted your momentum, come in and we can put you back on the path to pain-free mobility.

Cervicogenic Headaches

Headaches are a very common occurrence and there is an increasing body of evidence that supports the benefits of Physiotherapy in the treatment of them.

 Headaches can be broadly separated into 2 types- ‘musculoskeletal’ and ‘medical’.

The neck related headaches are called cervicogenic headaches and are usually felt on both sides of the head, but may be predominantly on one side and usually accompanied by neck pain.

Cervicogenic headaches can be caused by:

·         Poor posture

·         Trauma like that sustained in a motor vehicle accident

·         Osteoarthritic changes in the neck joints

·         Stress and tension

·         Jaw issues

Neck pain and headaches are often made worse by extended periods of sitting.  The neck is tender to the touch and head movements can be restricted.

 The precise reason for a headache occurring may be complicated and therefore, it is important that a Physiotherapist completes a thorough assessment to determine if the symptoms fit the cervicogenic pattern.

 At Albert Park Physiotherapy, we have a number of effective ways to treat cervicogenic headaches including:

·         Manual therapy such as massage and spinal mobilisation

·         Trigger point dry needling

·         Exercise therapy

·         The provision of education, advice and assurance to ensure a person understands the nature of their headache and has the knowledge to actively participate in the care of their neck.

 If you are experiencing headaches or require further information about the above blog, please do not hesitate to contact the clinic.

Ergonomics

Making things fit people

 

What is ergonomics?

In simple terms, ergonomics focuses on optimizing workspaces using specialised equipment and furniture which are unique to the needs of the worker, improving comfort and efficiency in the workplace. 

Why bother?

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) were the highest incidence of claims (58%) in 2015/16 of all injuries in the workforce. These injuries are the most prevalent in the office environment.

• Ergonomic intervention reduces rates of workplace injury, improves productivity (in some cases >10%), reduces lost/restricted workdays, reduces staff turnover, reduces staff absenteeism, can have a ROI of up to 84:1.

https://www.jespear.com/articles/12-03-Economics-Ergonomics.pdf

• Immediate median costs of a serious claim is around $10K, median time off work is 5.2 weeks.

https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/book/key-work-health-and-safety-statistics-australia-2017

• Total costs to the employer are significant - overtime to cover the injured worker, change to workers compensation insurance excess and premiums, staff turnover and recruitment costs and, staff training/retraining. 

https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/cost-of-work-related-injury-and-disease-2012-13.docx.pdf

What do we do?

At Albert Park Physiotherapy, we have physiotherapists that are experts in providing ergonomic assessments and make recommendations to meet your ergonomic needs. We help to reduce ergonomic risk factors for the workplace, reduce the rate for workplace injury and improve staff retention, comfort and happiness.

Our services

 Office Sweep

1.       This is a proactive way to prevent workplace MSDs, and improve productivity and comfort by quickly evaluating a person’s fit to a workstation

Individual Ergonomic Assessments

An individual ergonomic assessment is required when:

1.       A staff member has an existing injury and/or;

2.       A staff member is consistently reporting pain when working (at the workplace or at home working) and/or;

3.       A staff member has a referral for a health professional requesting assessment or workstation modification.

See below table to help determine what service/s you may require:

KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Diagnosis

It is now accepted that the best way to diagnosis osteoarthritis in your knee (and many other joints for that matter) is your health practitioner interviewing you thoroughly about your problem and closely examining your knee – especially how it looks, feels, moves and most importantly, determining what you can and can’t do easily.

In most cases X-rays and/or scans are not necessary for diagnosis, and are not helpful for determining the severity of your problem or what treatment is best for you.

Management

The most important person involved in managing your knee arthritis is you!

A Physiotherapist’s role is to educate and advise you on the nature of your problem and how best to manage it so you can minimize its effect on your daily life. So, in a way, your physiotherapist acts like your personal “body” coach!

In the case of knee osteoarthritis, there are three main areas of management that are the key to a good outcome:

1.      Keeping your joint healthy – Learning how to protect your knee from exacerbations, what best to do if such a flare up occurs and maintaining your knee joint in as good a condition as possible. Your physiotherapist can advise you on all of these important strategies.

2.      Exercise – this includes strengthening and stretching exercises and increasing your general fitness – your physiotherapist will design a program especially for you and your lifestyle. Research has shown that exercise is as effective as drug treatment for management of knee osteoarthritis and, of course, has less side-effects and great side benefits!

3.      Weight loss and load management – knees are very sensitive to weight gain, so even a small loss of weight can reap great benefits for your knee. Your physiotherapist can give you advice on modifying your activity, exercise and/or sport routines so you are not overloading the knee.

Good management of knee osteoarthritis means less pain and disability and hopefully puts off or negates the need for surgery in the future.

Treatment for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

Temporomandibular joint disorder… What is it?

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a condition that effects the joint/s of your jaw. It can be painful, cause a loss of function and emotional distress.

How common is TMJ Disorder?

Up to 25% of males and 30% of females will, at any given time, suffer from it. TMJ disorder is considered to be under-reported which means that there are likely to be more, rather than less people who suffer this condition.

Symptoms of TMJ Disorder:

• Pain in the jaw
• Earache – normally felt just in front of the ear
• Headache – mainly temple area, also in the eyes and/or back of head
• Clicking/clunking of jaw
• Reduced movement (locking) of jaw
• Bruxism (grinding of teeth at night)
• Morning pain in jaw area
• Avoidance of foods (e.g. apples, bread rolls, meats)

Possible causes of TMJ Disorder:

• Accidents/Injuries • Orthodontics • Surgery to the jaw/teeth
• Removal of wisdom teeth

Which part of the TMJ can be injured?

• Temporo-mandibular disc • Articular capsule • Ligaments • Muscles

What can be done about TMJ Disorder?

• Specific physiotherapy assessment and treatment (that could include massage, mobilisation of the TMJ (both intra and extra-oral techniques), exercises, dry needling, electrotherapy).
• Occlusion splints (see your dentist)
• Using heat/cold packs for pain relief
• Medications to reduce inflammation/muscle spasm/pain (your GP may be involved)
• Modification of postures or habits
• Diet modification
• Surgical intervention (by an oral-maxillofacial surgeon)

How long does it take to recover from TMJ Disorder?

Recovery time depends on:
• How long you have had the condition
• Whether you do the exercises prescribed
• Whether you adhere to the advice given
• Your response to the physiotherapy intervention

Who can help with TMJ Disorder?

Our principal David Bajayo, is an experienced physiotherapist with specific post-graduate training in assessing and treating clients with TMJ/TMD.

Massage gift vouchers now available

The holiday season is just around the corner, and there has never been a better time to treat your friends and family with a gift voucher for a 40, 60, or 80 minute massage.

Our in-house massage therapist Bernadetta is a friendly and knowledgeable professional with over twenty years of experience.

A remedial massage involves an assessment, and then depending on your presentation, will involve one or more of the following therapies:

• Remedial Massage Therapy

• Sports Massage

• Trigger point therapy

• Cupping

• Myofascial Dry Needling

Gift vouchers can be purchased directly from our location at 326 Montague Street, Albert Park. Please drop in and speak with our friendly staff, or call us on 9690 5858 for more information. 

Warning: Sitting may kill you!

In recent years, Australians have become increasingly accustomed to sitting down—at work, on the couch, in the car—and it’s taking a major toll on the health of individuals and our economy.

This sedentary lifestyle is part of the widespread problem of obesity and other related health diseases that lead to more than 7,200 deaths each year. This is why Albert Park Physiotherapy supports the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s ‘Australia’s Biggest Killers’ campaign; aiming to encourage Australians to get off the couch, get moving, and embrace healthy and active lifestyles.  

Obesity in Australia—what’s the impact?
In the past twenty years, obesity has become the leading cause of premature death and illness in Australia, with 14 million Australians now considered overweight or obese.

In their latest study, the Monash Obesity and Diabetes Institute found that if weight gain continues at current levels, close to eighty per cent of adults and thirty-three per cent of children will be overweight or obese by 2025.

Being overweight or obese puts you at high risk of:

•   Heart disease
•   Stroke
•   Type 2 diabetes
•   High blood pressure (hypertension)
•   Kidney disease
•   Osteoarthritis
•   Endometrial, breast, and colon cancers
•   Mental health and eating disorders

How can you tell if you are at risk of being overweight or obese?
By using two well recognised methods of determining if you are overweight or obese, such as the Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference.

BMI
BMI= weight(kg)/height (m)2

•   25 to 29.9 (Overweight)
•   30 to 39.9 (Obese)
•   40+ (Severely obese)

Waist Circumference
You are more likely to develop obesity-related health problems if you are: 

•    Male with > 95cm waist circumference
•    Female with > 80cm waist circumference

Combatting the issue—it all starts with getting active
Research shows that more than 6.4 million Australians are currently doing less than an hour and a half of physical activity per week. Sitting is associated with weight gain and obesity, unhealthy blood-glucose and blood-lipid profiles, and premature death from heart disease. To combat these outcomes we need to be moving more—not just exercising for thirty minutes, but regularly moving throughout the day; even something as simple as standing up while you’re at work.

Inactivity is not the only cause of weight gain. There may be other determinants at play such as social, environmental, behavioural, genetic, physiological, or psychological factors. Thus, we need a range of resources, education, and support services that can help us to make long-term changes to our quality of life.

How a Physio can help
At Albert Park Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists can: design exercise programs for individuals who are obese or overweight; identify and prescribe programs most suited to your medical condition; develop a program of exercise to increase your physical activity safely and effectively; and help identify necessary and achievable changes in your lifestyle.

An initial referral to a physio can be a good way to get started with short-term goals that will assist you to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Resources:
100 ways to move
ABC Health and Wellbeing
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
Better Health Channel
Heart Foundation
Monash Obesity and Diabetes Institute
Obesity Australia

Australia's Biggest Killer. Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA). (2016, June). Retrieved from http://www.physiotherapy.asn.au/APAWCM/Advocacy/Campaigns/APAWCM/
Advocacy/Campaigns/Australia_s_Biggest_Killer.aspx 

‘Is screen time affecting more than kids’ minds?’

This year, a research team at Curtin University in Perth are leading a world first study into the impact of touchscreen devices on children’s physical development. The study, currently in the planning phase, will take place over a five-year period and involve looking for evidence that supports the theory that the use of screen time in very young children:

·       Increases risk of obesity;

·       Results in poorer motor skills from prolonged sitting; and

·       May lead to poor neck posture and consequent neck pain later in life.

Researchers are hoping to use the results of the study to develop guidelines that will help health practitioners to make recommendations. 

So far, the research team have completed a small motion analysis study of three ten-year-olds, comparing effects of playing on a tablet, watching television, and playing with physical toys. The results of the study found that the children were more sedentary when using the tablet and watching TV than playing with toys, where they were found to have more varied muscle activity. Those who played with the tablet also had more neck flexion than the other two.

The new study will build on this research, along with a previous study by the same research group on children’s TV watching habits between ages five to seventeen. Researchers anticipate an even greater impact from touch screen devices due to their portability; their use is not limited to the household as with a TV.

Whilst the Australian Department of Health suggests that children under two years should not have any ‘screen time’, a national survey of 150 parents found that two-thirds of children aged between zero to five, are already using tablets, and more than a third use them for more than thirty minutes each day.

It’s not all bad news - technology does have some positive effects, as researchers have found games such as Pokemon Go and Kinect useful in engaging children in physical activity if used the right way.

General Message: If your child learns good habits early regarding screen time,  it should set them up well for a healthy childhood and well into onto adulthood as well. 

Reference: Australian Physiotherapy Association. (2016). ‘Is screen time affecting more than kids’ minds?’ InMotion October 2016. 24-25.