Do you have a Patella Tendinopathy?….. Patella Tendinopathy (also known as Jumpers knee) is an overuse injury affecting the knee. This injury effects the patella tendon that attaches your patella [knee cap] to the tibial tuberosity of the tibia [shin bone]. The role of the Patella tendon is to transmit the force of the quadriceps muscles as the knee extends
Symptoms of patella Tendinopathy include pain & tenderness at the Patella tendon, pain that is made worse with jumping & running, stiffness of the tendon in the morning, and thickening of the tendon relative to the unaffected side
It is often caused by a sudden increase in physical activity, training on poor surfaces, decreased flexibility of quadriceps and hamstring musculature and poor biomechanics of the lower limb [hip, knee and foot control]
Early stage rehab will include isometric and eccentric loading of the tendon to improve its integrity whilst managing pain levels
Here are some simple exercises that can assist in your recovery during its early stage
Knee tears can be caused by multiple changes due to degeneration or impact due to its complex structure. The knee consists of ligaments, muscles, bones, cartilage and several different nerves which pass through it to create feeling, movement and sustain pressure through the joint.
The most common knee tears include but are not limited to:
Tear of Posterior Cruciate Ligament
Reasons for diagnosis: (Maffulli et al., 2014)
Knee region has constant pain and is not improving with a notable weakness in quadricep muscle
Aggravated by physical activity
Caused by sliding forward
Can cause redness and possible swelling in the area
Affected ADL’s and/or decrease concentration due to pain
PCL Tear of the Knee
Knee Meniscal Tear
Reasons for diagnosis: (Maffulli et al., 2014)
Knee region has constant pain and is not improving after rotational injury
Aggravated by physical activity
Can cause redness and possible swelling in the area with locking and a feeling of giving way
Affected ADL’s and/or decrease concentration due to pain
Tear of the Meniscus
Tear of Anterior Cruciate Ligament
Reasons for diagnosis: (Maffulli et al., 2014)
Knee region has constant pain and is not improving with notable weakness in hamstring muscle
Aggravated by physical activity
Caused by sliding backwards
Can cause redness and possible swelling in the area
Affected ADL’s and/or decrease concentration due to pain
ACL Ligament Tear
What Can The Melbourne Chiropractor Offer?
Depending on the severity of the tear our practitioners will treat accordingly to your complaint. Treatments that may be provided but are not limited to include:
PNF/PIR/prescribed stretching – Stretching has shown to reduce pain, improve functionality and overall wellbeing in patients in both long- and short-term outcomes. (Maffulli et al., 2019)
Prescribed exercises – produce more beneficial outcomes in terms of increased strength, improved function and reduced pain scores. (Fernandes, Pedrinelli & Hernandez, 2015)
Joint pain is a common complaint that refers to discomfort, aches or soreness in joints of the body. Joint pain most commonly is a cause of arthritis, which is inflammation or pain coming from within the joint. Joint pain varies in severity from mild pain (causing discomfort or soreness only after certain activities) or more severe which limits movement or causes weight bearing to become extremely painful.
Areas effected by joint inflammation
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and the main cause of joint pain. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage at the ends of bones wears down over time. This can happen in any joint but the most common areas include the fingers, thumbs, neck, elbow, lower back, hips, knees and big toes. Like joint pain, Osteoarthritis can range in severity from mild to severe. Common symptoms of Osteoarthritis includes inflammation of the joint, pain and stiffness in the joint. Activity usually increases the severity causing joint swelling, decreased range of movement and muscle weakness.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis is the second most common form of arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the lining of the joints causing inflammation and joint damage. Rheumatoid arthritis usually attacks smaller joints of the body, such as hands, feet and wrists. Larger joints including the knees and hips can also be affected depending on the severity. Common symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis include throbbing or aching pain that is worse in the morning or after sitting for a while, joint stiffness especially in the mornings, inflammation causing the joints to swell, become hot and tender to touch.
Injury/trauma
This is caused by the wearing out of a joint after any kind of physical injury. The injury could be from sport, a car accident, a fall or any other source of physical trauma. These injuries can cause damage to the cartilage and/or the bone, changing the mechanics of that joint and causing it to wear out quicker. The process of the joint wearing out can then be accelerated by further injury. Common symptoms include joint pain, swelling, joint stiffness and limited range of motion.
Chiropractic care is considered a safe practice that works to optimise the function of your joints, therefore making it possible to improve your motion with less pain. Chiropractic adjustments aim to realign the spine and improve the function of the nervous system in order to:
Reduce nerve impingement
If joints of the spine become misaligned they can apply unwanted pressure on the nerves causing pain, tingling, shooting pains and/or burning sensations. A Chiropractic adjustment aims to realign the spine in order to remove the pressure from the nerves so that they are no longer being irritated and therefore decreasing the pain felt by the patient.
Improve joint mobility
Mobility within the joints is essential when dealing with joint stiffness and pain. The adjustments performed by a Chiropractor may help to regain mobility of the joints and optimize function within the body. As you progress through your treatment, you may notice that you have more ease of mobility and flexibility. The Chiropractor may also teach you new posture exercises so that you are able to keep your spine in better alignment at home in between adjustments.
If you are having troubles with joint pain, consider seeing your local Chiropractor or and tell them about the issues you are experiencing so that they can create a tailored plan to reach your health goals. Explaining the problem to the best of your ability with adequate information of your problem to a health professional enables you to enhance your overall care as health care professionals are able to take a thorough history and complete a physical exam based on your ongoing complaint.
Do you have a Patella Tendinopathy?…..
Patella Tendinopathy (also known as Jumpers knee) is an overuse injury affecting the knee. This injury effects the patella tendon that attaches your patella [knee cap] to the tibial tuberosity of the tibia [shin bone]. The role of the Patella tendon is to transmit the force of the quadriceps muscles as the knee extends
Symptoms of patella Tendinopathy include pain & tenderness at the Patella tendon, pain that is made worse with jumping & running, stiffness of the tendon in the morning, and thickening of the tendon relative to the unaffected side
It is often caused by a sudden increase in physical activity, training on poor surfaces, decreased flexibility of quadriceps and hamstring musculature and poor biomechanics of the lower limb [hip, knee and foot control]
Early stage rehab will include isometric and eccentric loading of the tendon to improve its integrity whilst managing pain levels
Here are some simple exercises that can assist in your recovery during its early stage
Isometric knee extension (Swiss ball)
Isometric Spanish squat
Decline unilateral eccentric squat
Isometric wall squat
Remember to consult a health care professional before commencing these exercises
