ABS Physical Therapy Killarney

Ever suffer from low back pain?? Some good tips in here. ⬇️

Solutions to lower back pain, part deux So, in the last blog post we discussed reasons why we get lower back pain. With that in mind, let’s get down to the part that everyone really wants, how we go about helping our back pain!

Many of us have been subjected to some sort of injury at some point, and many can testify as to how painful it can be. It’s not unusual for us to try a number of different methods to try and get rid of the pain. Two of the most popular methods of alleviating pain is the applying of ice or heat. But there can be some confusion as to what kind of treatment should be used for certain injuries.
There are those who say neither treatment actually works, but for the most part, many people have spoken about how better they feel after a hot bath or applying a cold compress to their injury.
To get the benefit from either treatment, you should first understand what each treatment is used for.
Ice Is Commonly Used for Injuries
Receiving an injury when exercising is more commonplace than you think, and the swelling of muscles following an injury can be very painful afterwards. While ice doesn’t provide a miracle cure, it does help lower the inflammation of damaged tissue. It is an ideal treatment for those who would rather avoid using medicine for the pain.
There are a number of ways in which ice is applied to an injury, with most having the same overall effect. Some people may opt to use an ice pack, while others may just head to the freezer for a bag of frozen peas.
When using ice for pain relief, you should never apply it for longer than 20 minutes. It’s also important that you do not use ice for injuries if you have circulation problems, as this can cause you more problems moving forward. It is also worth noting that applying too much ice can cause tissue damage, so while it can be tempting to apply more ice in order to ease the pain, it could actually have the opposite effect.

Heat Is Commonly Used for Muscles and Stress
Heat is seen as the main treatment for those with a bad back, as it helps focus on certain trigger points. Many who suffer from a sore back will swear that a hot bath is the answer, and in most cases this can certainly be true. As well as calming the nervous system, heat will also help become calmer overall, as stress can do a lot to add to the pain being experienced.

People apply heat to injuries via a number of different ways. There is of course the aforementioned bath that helps relax those suffering from a bad back. But those with an injury can also apply heat via a hot water bottle or heating pads. It is vital that you take care when applying any kind of heat treatment. For example, try to wrap your heat sources with a towel so you don’t incur any further injuries.

What If I Use the Wrong Treatment?
While not life-threatening, there can be some ramifications if you use the wrong treatment for an injury. For example, if you were to use heat on a muscle that’s inflamed, you could find that the inflammation is made worse. Similarly, ice can make tensed up muscles feel stiffer than they need to be.
Of course not every injury is black-and-white, and there can be different circumstances as to why a certain treatment needs to be used. If you are in any doubt then it is always advisable to seek medical advice in the first instance.

Everybody has back pain at some point in their lives. Here is an article that has some very good points. Read and tag someone with back pain. 💪🏽

15 things you didn't know about back pain Managing back pain costs the State more than cancer and diabetes combined. Most of these costs are related to treating people with ongoing pain.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome - Functional TOS Responds Well To Trigger Point Treatment https://www.facebook.com/shoulderhealth/posts/1144614592228183

Trigger Points in Pec Minor Can Have a Significant Effect on the Function of the Shoulder Joint https://www.facebook.com/shoulderhealth/posts/1142106109145698

Some interesting stuff in here about sports injuries. Worth a read if you have a few minutes....

Handout on Health: Sports Injuries This publication is for adult athletes at all levels, for people who exercise, as well as for health care professionals, coaches, and others who want to find out more about musculoskeletal sports injuries. This publication describes the different types of musculoskeletal sports injuries and how they...

Do your knees make noise? There's probably no reason for concern. Popping and cracking sounds usually aren't signs that something's wrong.

A lot of joints crack and the knees are a really common joint to crack. Most people have knees that crack when they squat down or go through the full arc of motion. We generally don’t worry about cracking or popping when it isn’t associated with pain or swelling.

Curious why your healthy knees might be making noises? As we age, the tissue that covers the bones, called cartilage, can develop uneven areas. When we squat or stand, sounds come from these rougher surfaces gliding across each other. It could also be the tissue that connects bones to other bones, called ligaments, tightening as you move, or the joint lining moving over bones.

If you have cracking or popping that does cause pain or swelling it can be a sign of:

Meniscus tears.
The meniscus is a rubbery C-shaped disc that cushions your knee and acts as a shock-absorber. It also helps spread weight evenly so your bones don’t rub together. Tears to the meniscus are often caused by sudden twisting or other things you might do while playing sports like football. In young people, tears usually happen during a traumatic event, but as we age the meniscus can tear more easily. Sometimes in a bad knee injury in sport, it is common for people to injure 3 things: knee medial ligaments, anterior cruciate ligament and tear the medial meniscus.

Cartilage injury or wear caused by wear and tear.
Sometimes the cartilage covering of our bones can be injured, causing a piece to break off and catch in our joint. Typically the knee will respond to this injury by swelling or catching. Cartilage in your knee can also wear thin or break down, commonly known as arthritis. Some people say it feels like their knees are grinding when they move. Osteoarthritis is the most common kind of arthritis. It usually affects middle-aged and older people.

Everyone meet Annie. 💖 Annie Rexic.

If anyone is involved in coaching, or playing at a high level then this article has very good information on warm ups.

Don't forget warm ups are vital for injury prevention.

Warm-Ups Summary: Considering a well-planned warm-up has the potential to not only prepare athletes physically and mentally, but also possess the ability to reduce the likelihood of injury and improve perfo…