What is Plantar fasciitis? 🤔

Recently we were talking about Achilles Tendinopathy in a different post and discussed the difference between ‘itis’ and ‘pathy’, remember? If not and/or you want to read about Achilles Tendinopathy take a look back on our page. 😊

So, the plantar fascia is the large band of muscle which runs along the bottom of your foot, connecting your heel bone to your toes.

You can develop pain in this region.

The technical term that science likes to use now is Plantar heel pain, so we’ll keep this name for the rest of the post.

The classic symptom of plantar heel pain is a sharp stabbing pain close to the heel.

You’ll usually feel this upon your first steps after waking or any other time where you have walked after prolonged sitting, lying or standing. The pain will also usually be worse after exercising rather than during it.

Why does it happen?

Your plantar fascia is a shock absorber for the arch of your foot so if the stress on it becomes too great, tiny strains can occur which causes pain in the region.

Sometimes the cause of plantar heel pain is unknown and there are also certain risk factors which could make you more prone to developing it such as: Being between 40 and 60, being obese or long periods of standing.

What can we do about it?

The great news is Plantar heel pain responds really well to conservative management (the medical way to say you don’t need surgery or procedures).

So, what does that consist of?

Well, a physiotherapist can create a specific stretching and strengthening programme targeting your plantar fascia and Achilles tendon.

A Physiotherapist can also advise you on taping which supports the bottom of your foot. Orthotics could also be right for you, these are adjustments to your footwear, like insoles, which can support the arch of the foot.

So, with all that being said, Physiotherapy really is the way forward in treating plantar heel pain so get in touch and we’ll see you right.

If this is YOU or you no someone struggling with this, we’d love to help you.

What is Achilles Tendinopathy? 🤔

Your Achilles tendon (cord like structure) attaches your calf muscles to the heel of your foot. Achilles Tendinopathy is a condition that causes pain, sometimes swelling and a loss of function of the tendon. 😫

It used to be called Achilles Tendonitis, (itis – meaning inflammation) so you might know it as that, but then scientists thought there was little or no inflammation and we started calling it tendinopathy (pathy – meaning suffering) instead…. but very recent studies now suggest we cannot rule out inflammation! but they’re sticking with the name as I’m sure they don’t want to confuse us all again 😊

Like with other tendinopathies, overuse or incorrect use to the tendon causes little tears to appear which causes pain and discomfort. You might find that the pain starts at the beginning of use or exercise, slowly eases off whilst you are moving it, then may come back again when you are at rest. Achilles pain can be quite debilitating, and you might find that it starts to interfere with everyday life like walking to and from work or even moving around the house.

So, what can you do about it?

To manage things at the beginning, over the counter pain medication can help but be careful with longer use of Ibuprofen / Nurofen (NSAIDs) because they can sometimes hinder the tendons ability to heal.

Ice can also help with pain but make sure you wrap the ice so it doesn’t hurt your skin suggested use is for 10 mins.

Want to know what REALLY fixes Achilles tendinopathy if it’s hanging around?

Exercises that are specific to the tendon are the best and most evidence-based form of treatment for these problems, but they may often be hard to implement on your own.

Physio will help! Get in touch with us today if this is YOU or you no someone struggling with this, we’d love to help you.

What is  Golfer’s elbow? 🤔

So you may have seen our recent blog about Tennis Elbow where Golfer’s elbow was mentioned?

If you didn’t, scroll back on our page and you can read all about Tennis Elbow, if you would like. We briefly mentioned how Golfer’s Elbow is similar but is not to be confused with Tennis Elbow.

So, what is the difference?

Well, Golfer’s Elbow affects the inside of the elbow, the Medial epicondyle, rather than the outside, the lateral epicondyle.

Golfer’s elbow occurs when damage has affected the muscles and tendons that control the wrists and fingers. This is usually due to repeated stress, not warming up before your activities and improper technique and you don’t have to be a golfer for these things to happen, it could even be an occupational hazard.

So, what can you do?

The best thing you can do is to fix your form and ensure that you are warming up properly before repetitive activities.

Specific exercises can stretch and strengthen the affected area and progressive loading (slowly adding more resistance or weight) has been shown to be especially effective. It’s also a really good idea to find a professional who can help put together this programme properly.

Physiotherapists can create a specific exercise and progressive loading programmes just for you.

If you think you are suffering from Golfer’s Elbow why not get in touch and see how we can help you

You know, you don’t have to play tennis to have tennis elbow. So, what is tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis as it is technically called.

Really it just means pain or inflammation over the outside of your elbow, over the bony lump (the lateral epicondyle). This is not to be confused with pain on the inside which is called ‘Golfer’s elbow’ which you don’t have to be a golfer to get either but that’s another topic for another post.

Tennis elbow usually happens because you have overused the muscles attached to your elbow/s which also help to straighten your wrist, this can cause tiny tears in the muscle which then causes pain and inflammation.

This can happen due to overuse or repetitive movements like, well, playing tennis or even cleaning the windows or decorating. It’s usually best to avoid the activity which is causing you the issue in cases of tennis elbow and there are also things you can try like applying something cold (like a bag of frozen peas) a few times a day or taking over the counter pain relief in the first instance.

The key to resolving these, and preventing them happening again, is a specific strength (loading) programme. This can be tricky to structure on your own, and that’s where we come in with the know how to progress you slowly with the right exercises!

If you want a little help on relieving the symptoms or you’re just having no luck and they aren’t going, then Physiotherapy is great for sorting it out and getting the movement back in your arm and relieving the stiffness.