Intoeing is a common finding in babies and toddlers. In newborns, turning in of the front of the foot can be due to the way the baby was lying in the mother's womb. It resolves spontaneously in the majority of children but stretches to the forefoot are often helpful. In more severe cases a light plaster cast can be applied for a few weeks, to keep the foot in a neutral position. In toddlers, intoeing is often associated with internal rotation of the tibia (or shin bone). This presents as bow … [Read more...] about Intoeing in Toddlers
Archives for February 2019
Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis affects more than 1.3 million Australians. The main underlying feature is the loss of or damage to cartilage tissue, needed for easy joint movement. Cartilage loss can be affected by mechanical, biochemical and genetic factors. In advanced stages, the space between the joint decreases, accelerating joint damage and pain. Structural damages of the joint can be observed on x-ray but symptoms can be present without radiological changes, just as changes that appear on x-ray may not … [Read more...] about Knee Osteoarthritis
Child Back Pain
Three habits that are causing your school child's back pain Mihiri Udabage. Feb 25 2016 at 11:54 AM Just two weeks into the new school term and Sarah*, 13, has an appointment with the physiotherapist. Her lower back has been aching on and off for the past couple of weeks and it's not getting better. "It mostly hurts when I'm sitting down," reports Sarah. The Year 8 student can't recall any particular incident when she might have incurred an injury. "It just … [Read more...] about Child Back Pain
Hip pain – It’s not always bursitis
The most common cause of pain in the hip and lateral thigh area, is due to degenerative tears of the deep muscles of the hip (the rotator cuff muscles of the hip). This is commonly known as Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome. Bursitis is frequently implicated but is usually not the primary cause of pain. It is usually secondary to degenerative changes in muscles and tendons, namely gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Pathology in these muscles is usually associated with some other … [Read more...] about Hip pain – It’s not always bursitis
Chronic Ankle Instability
Sprains to the lateral ligaments of the ankle are responsible for more time lost from sports participation than any other injury, and the rate of the recurrence has been reported to be as high as 80%. Functional ankle instability is said to occur when the individual repeatedly feels their ankle ‘giving way’ without a specific mechanical cause. It can result from : Loss of proprioception. Errors in detecting ankle positions prior to ground contact, technically termed proprioceptive deficit, … [Read more...] about Chronic Ankle Instability
Taking a Stand on Sitting
"Sitting is the new smoking" is a phrase that has taken the internet by storm for some time now. Indeed, most people know that sitting for lengthy periods each day is not ideal - its effect likened to that of smoking in terms of how it can negatively impact our health overtime. Safe Work Australia (SWA) reminds us that sitting is a sedentary behaviour which slows metabolism and results in the pooling of blood, thereby implicating blood pressure, blood glucose levels and overall cardiovascular … [Read more...] about Taking a Stand on Sitting