Have you ever woken up with an inexplicably stiff and painful neck that will only turn to one side? You might have been suffering from acute wry neck, a painful condition following a typical pattern of symptoms. In the clinic, wry neck is classified as one of two different types – Facet or Discogenic wry neck. Facet Wry Neck Facet joints are found on either side of the spine and allow controlled rotation and side bending of the neck. An...
Keeping active while at home for long periods can be challenging. For many people, going out for a run or taking time to perform a full workout can be daunting, especially if this is not a part of their usual routine. There are a few quick and easy ways to add some movement to your day, starting with something as simple as boiling the kettle. As the average kettle takes 2-3 minutes to boil, challenge yourself to see if you...
What Are Muscular Trigger Points? Muscular trigger points are better known to most of us as muscle knots and can feel like painful, hard lumps located inside muscles. These knots can both be painful to touch and refer pain in surrounding areas. It is thought that trigger points form when a portion of muscle contracts abnormally, compressing the blood supply to this area, which, in turn, causes this part of the muscle to become extra sensitive. Trigger points are a...
When you tear a muscle or wake up with a stiff neck, your physiotherapist is often the first person you think to call. While aches and pains are indeed the bread and butter of physiotherapists, there are many conditions that your physiotherapist can help with that you may not be aware of. Physiotherapists have a broad skill set that encompasses many areas of healthcare from childhood to old age. Here are a few surprising conditions physiotherapists can assess and treat....
Nothing can ruin your enthusiasm for a new workout program faster than the pain and stiffness that sneaks up on you the day after. This delayed reaction from your muscles, known as DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness, has affected almost all of us at one time or another. While there is no sure-fire cure or prevention for DOMS, here are a few tips to help reduce your symptoms next time you hit the gym Understand what it is. DOMS...