Win Yourself a Share of $30000

How Much Do You Love Your Physio, Massage Therapist, Acupuncturist or Dietitian?

If you love your health care professional and think they need some recognition, why not nominate them for a HESTA Primary Health Care Professional Award?

Plus, just by voting you'll put yourself in the the running for $30000 worth of cash from ME Bank.

Good Luck!

Here's how you can quickly do it right now... http://www.phcawards.com.au/nominate.html

When a Sprained Ankle ISN'T a Common Ankle Sprain!

Emily is a keen soccer player, who had been hard at pre-season training three nights per week. Unfortunately, the field's grass was little damp and soft underfoot. All was good until Emily pivoted to challenge for a ball and she went down in a heap. The tears quickly followed. One of her friends reported hearing a crack, so we suspected a potential fracture and carried Emily from the field. Emily was examined on the sideline and it appeared that she had a "high ankle sprain" rather than the more common low ankle sprain. But, we couldn't exclude a fracture until she was X-rayed in the morning. X-rays the next day, cleared Emily of a fracture but did confirm a high ankle sprain or syndesmosis injury. Now I know that you thinking "what's that?" so here we go at explaining why high ankle sprains are much more severe than a common ankle sprain and its treatment should never be neglected. What is a High Ankle Sprain? A high ankle sprain is injury to the higher ankle ligaments, which are located above the ankle joint (closer to the knee with respect to the ankle). These high ankle ligaments connect your tibia (shin bone) to the fibula (outside leg bone). The injury involves the syndesmosis between the lower tibia and fibula just above the ankle joint. Your syndesmosis is a fibrous joint where the two leg bones are connected together by ligaments or connective tissue and usually have very little mobility. High ankle sprains are much less common but are more disabling than your traditional lower ankle sprain. They must be diagnosed early stage and appropriate treatment initiated, which does differ from a lower ankle sprain. What Causes a High Ankle Sprain? High ankle sprains most commonly occur when your foot is planted on the ground and then an excessive outwards twisting of your foot occurs. High ankle ligaments can also sprain when your ankle is loaded severely and pushed into excessive dorsiflexion. This often occurs in football tackles. What are the Symptoms of a High Ankle Sprain? High ankle sprains occur following a traumatic ankle injury. Patients often report: Pain felt above the ankle that increases with outward rotation of the foot. Pain with walking and often significant bruising and swelling across the higher ankle rather than around the malleolus. Your severity of symptoms will depend on the grade of ankle sprain: mild, moderate, severe. Patients with a high ankle sprain without fracture may be able to bear weight, but will have pain over the junction between the tibia and fibula just above the level of the ankle. This is higher than the more traditional sprains.  How is a High Ankle Sprain Diagnosed? Your physiotherapist or sports doctor will clinically assess your ankle ligaments integrity. If they suspect a high ankle sprain or syndesmosis injury they may recommend a X-ray, CT scan or MRI to confirm the diagnosis.  The radiologist will check for a gapping in the inferior tibio-fibular joint as shown in this X-ray. What’s the Treatment for High Ankle Sprain? It is important to have stability between the tibia and fibula at this level because there is a tremendous amount of force that passes through this area when walking and running. Some rotation of the fibula with respect to the tibia is permitted by these ligaments.  Once you rupture or overstretch these high ankle ligaments, the bones of your lower leg move apart with every step causing pain and loss of your passive ankle stability. You will often require crutches or a walking boot during this phase. Researchers have concluded that there are essentially six aims that need to be covered to effectively rehabilitate your sprained ankle and prevent recurrence. Physiotherapy Treatment Aims: Injury Protection, Pain Relief & Control Inflammation Regain Full Range of Motion NWB - Non-Weight Bear PWB - Partial Weight Bear FWB - Full Weight Bear Strengthen your Ankle and Calf Muscles Restore Joint Proprioception & Balance Restore Normal Function Walking Running Jumping & Landing Speed & Agility Sport-Specific Skills Resume Sport High Ankle Sprain Treatment Progressions There is no specific time frame for when to progress from each stage to the next. Your injury rehabilitation will be determined by many factors during your physiotherapist’s clinical assessment. You’ll find that in most cases, your physiotherapist will seamlessly progress between the rehabilitation phases as your clinical assessment and function improves. It is also important to note that each progression must be carefully monitored as attempting to progress too soon to the next level can lead to re-injury and the frustration of a delay in your recovery. Phase 1 - Injury Protection: Pain Relief & Anti-inflammatory Tips As with most soft tissue injuries the initial treatment is RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. (Active) Rest: In the early phase you’ll most likely be unable to walk on your sprained ankle. Our first aim is to provide you with some active rest from pain-provoking postures and movements. This means that you should stop doing the movement or activity that provokes the ankle pain. In most cases, you will need to be non-weight bear. You may need to be placed in an ankle walking boot, a supportive ankle brace or utilise crutches. Ice is a simple and effective modality to reduce your pain and swelling. Please apply for 20-30 minutes each 2 to 4 hours during the initial phase or when you notice that your injury is warm or hot. Compression: A compression bandage, tubigrip compression stocking or kinesiology supportive taping will help to both support the injured soft tissue and reduce excessive swelling. Elevation: Elevating your injured ankle above your heart will assist gravity to reduce excessive swelling around your ankle. Your physiotherapist will utilise a range of helpful tricks including pain relieving techniques, joint mobilisations, massage, strapping and acupuncture to assist you during this painful phase. Anti-inflammatory medication and natural creams such as arnica may help reduce your pain and swelling. However, it is best to avoid anti-inflammatory drugs during the initial 48 to 72 hours when they may encourage additional bleeding. Most people can tolerate paracetamol as a pain reliever. Phase 2: Regain Full Range of Motion If you protect your injured ankle ligaments appropriately the torn ligaments will successfully reattach and heal a normal functional length. Mature scar formation takes at least six weeks.  During this time, it is important to lengthen and orientate your healing scar tissue via massage and exercises designed to address your joint range of motion, muscle length and normal neural tissue motion.  Just as importantly, you should not overstretch ligaments and soft tissue, or you may develop a passively unstable ankle. Your physiotherapist will prescribe the exercises that are best suited to your needs. Phase 3: Restore Muscle Strength Your calf, ankle and foot muscles will require strengthening after a high ankle sprain. It is important to regain normal muscle strength to provide normal dynamic ankle control and function. Your strength and power should be gradually progressed from non-weight bear to partial and then full weight bear and resistance loaded exercises. Your physiotherapist will guide you. Phase 4: Normalise Foot Biomechanics In order to prevent a recurrence, your foot arch and its control should be assessed by your physiotherapist. In some instances you may require a foot orthotic (shoe insert) or you may be a candidate for the Active Foot Posture Stabilisation program. Your physiotherapist will happily discuss the pros and cons of both options to you. Phase 5: Restore High Speed, Power, Proprioception and Agility Most sprained ankle injuries occur during high speed activities, which place enormous forces on your ankle and adjacent structures. Balance and proprioception (the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body) are both known to be adversely affected by injuries such as a sprained ankle. To prevent a re-injury, both aspects need to be assessed and retrained. In order to prevent a recurrence as you return to sport, your physiotherapist will guide you with exercises to address these important components of rehabilitation to both prevent a recurrence and improve your sporting performance. Depending on what your sport or lifestyle entails, a speed, agility, proprioception and power program will be customised to prepares you for light sport-specific training. Phase 6: Return to Sport If you play sport, and depending on the demands of your chosen sport, you may require specific sport-specific exercises and a progressed training regime to enable a safe and injury-free return to your chosen sport. You must be able to hop at least 15 to 20 times pain-free before even considering returning to sport. Your physiotherapist will discuss your goals, time frames and training schedules with you to optimise you for a complete and safe return to sport. The perfect outcome will have you performing at full speed, power, agility and function with the added knowledge that a through rehabilitation program has minimised your chance of future injury. What is the Recovery Time from a High Ankle Sprain? High ankle sprains are more severe than the common ankle sprain and will normally take longer to heal. High ankle sprains must be diagnosed early stage and appropriate treatment initiated, which does differ from a lower ankle sprain. Syndesmotic injuries heal slower than the more common low ankle sprain, which is why health professionals are often more concerned about "high ankle sprains." Your physiotherapist, sports doctor or orthopaedic surgeon will first determine if the injury is stable or unstable. If the injury is stable, then the high ankle sprain can be treated in a cast or walking boot, usually for a period of six weeks. Grade 1 - Mild In mild cases, you can expect full ligament healing at approximately 6 weeks, but it may take longer to prepare you for functional sport again. Despite most people being told to simply “rest” and it will recover, we find that these mild sprains often result in joint stiffness, ligament laxity, muscle weakness or tightness plus reduced proprioception (balance and joint awareness). If not adequately treated these often cause your ankle and foot joints to compensate movement at adjacent joints, which can lead to several other injuries months or years down the track. Grade 2 - Moderate Grade 2 injuries occur when you have a significant ligament injury that allows the ligament to excessively stretch. In most cases these injuries result in a recovery period of 6 to 12 weeks. With increasing injury severity, the rehabilitation process becomes more complex and extensive. All Grade 2 injuries should be thoroughly rehabilitated to enable: full range of motion full strength full proprioception full power and agility full return to sport-specific drills Grade 3 - Severe Grade 3 ligament injuries are when the ligament is completely ruptured. More severe high ankle sprain injuries can also include fractures of the bones or high ankle sprains, which will require additional rehabilitation time to a simple ankle sprain. If the injury is unstable, then a "syndesmotic screw" can be placed between the tibia and fibula to hold the bones in proper position while the syndesmotic ligament heals.  Patients will have the screw in place for about 3 months while the syndesmotic ligament heals. Patients should understand that if they walk on the leg while the syndesmotic screw is in their leg (even after the ligament has healed) the screw can break. The reason for this is that there is normally some motion between these bones when people walk.  The rehabilitation of a Grade 3 ankle sprain normally takes 3 to 6 months, but is quite variable depending on your specific injury. Your physiotherapist or surgeon will be able to provide you with more specific guidelines and advice. Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online Common High Ankle Sprain Treatments Immediate Injury Treatment Avoid the HARM Factors What are the Healing Phases for a Soft Tissue Injury? What to do after a Muscle Strain or Ligament Sprain Acupuncture and Dry Needling What is Sub-Acute Soft Tissue Injury Treatment? Active Foot Posture Correction Exercises Gait Re-Education Biomechanical Analysis Balance Enhancement Exercises Proprioception & Balance Exercises Agility & Sport-Specific Exercises Medications? Heel Cups Orthotics Soft Tissue Massage Walking Boot Electrotherapy & Local Modalities Heating Pads How to Strap an Ankle Joint Pain Relief Techniques Kinesiology Taping Neurodynamics / Neuro Mobilisation Physiotherapy Instrument Mobilisation (PIM) Prehabilitation Strengthening Exercises Stretching Exercises Support Brace Supportive Taping & Strapping TENS Machines Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online FAQs about High Ankle Sprain What is Pain? Physiotherapy & Exercise When Should Diagnostic Tests Be Performed? How Does Kinesiology Tape Reduce Swelling? How Can You Prevent a Future Leg Injury? How Do You Improve Your Balance? How Much Treatment Will You Need? How to Strap an Ankle How to Stretch? Sports Injury? What to do? When? What are the Common Massage Therapy Techniques? What are the Early Warning Signs of an Injury? What is Sports Physiotherapy? When Can You Return to Sport or Work? Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online Helpful Products for High Ankle Sprain Related Injuries Achilles Tendon Rupture Achilles Tendonitis / Tendinitis Calf Muscle Tears Foot Bunion Heel Spurs (Calcaneal Spurs) High Ankle Sprain Muscle Pain: Strains or Tears Plantar Fasciitis Sprained Ankle

What are Resistance Bands? What are they helpful for?

What are Resistance Bands? Resistance bands are a simple but very effective form of resistance exercise equipment that can be safely used at home. As you perform your resisted exercise the resistance band adds a resistance level to ensure that you strengthen your muscles quicker. Resistance bands have a simple colour coding system so that you can quickly and easily visually select the resistance band level that you want. To enable you to perform the full range of elastic exercises, the "rainbow" pack provides one four foot length of each colour:  Yellow (Very Light Resistance) Red (Light Resistance) Green (Moderate Resistance) Blue (Moderately Heavy Resistance) Black (Heavy Resistance) You can now purchase the full raonbow of resistance bands and save. You'll get one of EACH COLOUR resistance band.  That's five (5) resistance bands in total - at reduced price.  Available now in 1.2 metre (4 foot) sections. FAQs' about Resistance Bands What Force Can Resistance Band Generate? More info about Resistance Bands and Resistance Band Exercises... More info or Buy Online

More info or Buy Online

What's a Trojan War Hero got to do with Heel Pain?

In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War. Achilles was the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.

Legend states that Achilles was invulnerable in all of his body except for his heel. He even died because of a wound on his heel. The term Achilles' heel has come to mean one's point of weakness.

However, most runners and athletes who need to run or jump will know that Achilles heel is better known as Achilles Tendonitis and it is both painful and effects your sporting performance.

What is Achilles Tendonitis? (Aliases: Tendinitis, Tendinopathy, Tendinosis) Achilles Tendonitis is a term that commonly refers to an inflammation of the Achilles tendon or its covering. It is an overuse injury that is common especially to joggers and jumpers, due to the repetitive action and so may occur in other activities that requires the same repetitive action. Most experts now use the term Achilles tendinopathy to include both inflammation and micro-tears. But many doctors may still use the term tendonitis, tendinitis or tendinosis out of habit. What are Tendons? Tendons are the tough fibres that connect muscle to bone. Most tendon injuries occur near joints, such as the shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle. A tendon injury may seem to happen suddenly, but usually it is the result of many tiny tears to the tendon that have happened over time. Health professionals may use different terms to describe a tendon injury. You may hear: Tendinitis (or Tendonitis): This actually means "inflammation of the tendon," but inflammation is rarely the cause of tendon pain. Tendinosis: This refers to tiny tears in the tissue in and around the tendon caused by overuse. What Causes Achilles Tendonitis? Achilles tendonitis is an overuse injury that is common especially to joggers and jumpers, due to the repetitive action and so may occur in other activities that requires the same repetitive action. Most tendon injuries are the result of gradual wear and tear to the tendon from overuse or ageing. Anyone can have a tendon injury, but people who make the same motions over and over in their jobs, sports, or daily activities are more likely to damage a tendon. A tendon injury can happen suddenly or little by little. You are more likely to have a sudden injury if the tendon has been weakened over time. Common Causes of Achilles Tendonitis include: Over-training or unaccustomed use – “too much too soon” Sudden change in training surface – e.g. grass to bitumen Flat (over-pronated) feet High foot arch with tight Achilles tendon Tight hamstring (back of thigh) and calf muscles Toe walking (or constantly wearing high heels) Poorly supportive footwear Hill running. Poor eccentric strength What are the Symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis? Achilles tendonitis may be felt as a burning pain at the beginning of activity, which gets less during activity and then worsens following activity. The tendon may feel stiff first thing in the morning or at the beginning of exercise. Achilles tendonitis usually causes pain, stiffness, and loss of strength in the affected area. The pain may get worse when you use your Achilles tendon. You may have more pain and stiffness during the night or when you get up in the morning. The area may be tender, red, warm, or swollen if there is inflammation. You may notice a crunchy sound or feeling when you use the tendon. How is Achilles Tendonitis Diagnosed? Your physiotherapist or sports doctor can usually confirm the diagnosis of Achilles tendonitis in the clinic. They will base their diagnosis on your history, symptom behaviour and clinical tests. Achilles tendons will often have a painful and prominent lump within the tendon. Further investigations include US scan or MRI. X-rays are of little use in the diagnosis. What are the Aims of Achilles Tendonitis Treatment? Achilles tendonitis is one of the most common problems that we see at PhysioWorks and it is unfortunately an injury that often recurs if you return to sport too quickly – especially if a thorough rehabilitation program is not completed. Your calf muscle is a large powerful group of muscles that can produce sufficient force to run, jump and hop. Your achilles tendon attaches your calf muscle to your heel bone. It is a tendon or non-contractile soft tissue structure, which does have a different level of blood supply and function, which does alter the rehabilitation from a calf tear. Researchers have concluded that there are essentially 7 stages that need to be covered to effectively rehabilitate these injuries and prevent recurrence. Phase 1 - Early Injury Protection: Pain Reduction & Anti-inflammatory Phase As with most soft tissue injuries the initial treatment is RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. In the early phase you’ll be unable to walk without a limp, so your Achilles tendon needs some active rest from weight-bearing loads. You may need to be non or partial-weight-bearing, utilise crutches, a wedged achilles walking boot or heel wedges to temporarily relieve some of the pressure on the Achilles tendon. Your physiotherapist will advise you on what they feel is best for you. Ice is a simple and effective modality to reduce your pain and swelling. Please apply for 20-30 minutes each 2 to 4 hours during the initial phase or when you notice that your injury is warm or hot. Anti-inflammatory medication (if tolerated) and natural substances eg arnica may help reduce your pain and swelling. However, it is best to avoid anti-inflammatory drugs during the initial 48 to 72 hours when they may encourage additional bleeding. Most people can tolerate paracetamol as a pain reducing medication. As you improve a kinesio style supportive taping will help to both support the injured soft tissue. Phase 2: Regain Full Range of Motion If you protect your injured Achilles tendon appropriately the torn tendon fibre will successfully reattach. Mature scar formation takes at least six weeks. During this time period you should be aiming to optimally remould your scar tissue to prevent a poorly formed scar that will re-tear in the future. It is important to lengthen and orientate your healing scar tissue via massage, muscle stretches, neurodynamic mobilisations and eccentric exercises. Signs that your have full soft tissue extensibility includes being able to walk without a limp and able to perform Achilles tendon stretches with a similar end of range stretch feeling. Phase 3: Restore Eccentric Muscle Strength Calf muscles work in two directions. They push you up (concentric) and control you down (eccentric). Most Achilles injuries occur during the controlled lengthening (eccentric) phase. Your physiotherapist will guide you on an eccentric calf strengthening program when your injury healing allows. Phase 4: Restore Concentric Muscle Strength Calf strength and power should be gradually progressed from non-weight bear to partial and then full weight bear and resistance loaded exercises. You may also require strengthening for other leg, gluteal and lower core muscles depending on your assessment findings. Your physiotherapist will guide you. Phase 5: Normalise Foot Biomechanics Achilles tendon injuries can occur from poor foot biomechanics eg flat foot. In order to prevent a recurrence, your foot will be assessed. In some instances you may require a foot orthotic (shoe insert) or you may be a candidate for the Active Foot Posture Stabilisation program. Your physiotherapist will happily discuss the pros and cons of both options to you. Phase 6: Restore High Speed, Power, Proprioception & Agility Most Achilles tendon injuries occur during high speed activities, which place enormous forces on your body (contractile and non-contractile). In order to prevent a recurrence as you return to sport, your physiotherapist will guide you with exercises to address these important components of rehabilitation to both prevent a recurrence and improve your sporting performance. Depending on what your sport or lifestyle entails, a speed, agility, proprioception and power program will be customised to prepares you for light sport-specific training. Phase 7: Return to Sport Depending on the demands of your chosen sport, you will require specific sport-specific exercises and a progressed training regime to enable a safe and injury-free return to your chosen sport. Your PhysioWorks physiotherapist will discuss your goals, time frames and training schedules with you to optimise you for a complete return to sport. The perfect outcome will have you performing at full speed, power, agility and function with the added knowledge that a through rehabilitation program has minimised your chance of future injury. What Results Should You Expect? There is no specific time frame for when to progress from each stage to the next. Your Achilles tendonitis rehabilitation status will be determined by many factors during your physiotherapist’s clinical assessment. You’ll find that in most cases, your physiotherapist will seamlessly progress between the rehabilitation phases as your clinical assessment and function improves. It is also important to note that each progression must be carefully monitored as attempting to progress too soon to the next level can lead to re-injury and frustration. The severity of your tendon injury, your compliance with treatment and the workload that you need to return to will ultimately determine how long your injury takes to successfully rehabilitate. Can Your Achilles Tendon Rupture? The worst case scenario is a total rupture of your Achilles tendon. Treatment in this case usually requires surgery, plaster or a walking boot for at least six weeks. Most of these injuries take six months or more to adequately rehabilitate. The best advice is to seek early advice from your physiotherapist to do all you can to avoid this nasty rupture happening in the first place. More info about: Achilles tendon rupture.  Treatment in this case usually requires surgery, plaster or a walking boot for at least six weeks. Most of these injuries take six months or more to adequately rehabilitate. The best advice is to seek early advice from your physiotherapist to do all you can to avoid this nasty rupture happening in the first place. Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online Common Treatments for Achilles Tendonitis Immediate Injury Treatment Avoid the HARM Factors What are the Healing Phases for a Soft Tissue Injury? Acupuncture and Dry Needling What is Sub-Acute Soft Tissue Injury Treatment? Active Foot Posture Correction Exercises Gait Re-Education Biomechanical Analysis Eccentric Strengthening Program Balance Enhancement Exercises Proprioception & Balance Exercises Agility & Sport-Specific Exercises Medications? Heel Cups Orthotics Soft Tissue Massage Walking Boot Electrotherapy & Local Modalities Heating Pads Joint Pain Relief Techniques Kinesiology Taping Neurodynamics / Neuro Mobilisation Prehabilitation Strengthening Exercises Stretching Exercises Support Brace Supportive Taping & Strapping TENS Machines Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online FAQs about Achilles Tendonitis What is Pain? Physiotherapy & Exercise When Should Diagnostic Tests Be Performed? What are the Different Massage Styles and their Benefits? How Does Kinesiology Tape Reduce Swelling? How Can You Prevent a Future Leg Injury? How Do You Improve Your Balance? How Much Treatment Will You Need? How to Stretch? Sports Injury? What to do? When? What are the Common Massage Therapy Techniques? What are the Early Warning Signs of an Injury? What is a Tendinopathy? What is Sports Physiotherapy? When Can You Return to Sport or Work? Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online Helpful Products for Achilles Tendonitis Related Injuries Achilles Tendon Rupture Achilles Tendonitis / Tendinitis Calf Muscle Tears Heel Spurs (Calcaneal Spurs) Muscle Pain: Strains or Tears Overuse Injuries Plantar Fasciitis Sever's Disease Sprained Ankle Stress Fracture

Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online

Do You Need A High Stability Knee Brace?

The Multi Orthosis Knee Brace 1036 is a high stability knee brace. It's a functional air neoprene knee brace with a polycentric knee joint that allows a more natural knee bending and straightening action. This knee brace also has built-in  pin-stops for easy use when you need to safely control or limit your knee range of motion.  The 1036 knee brace is light weight with open patella design to eliminate kneecap pressure. The 1036 knee brace assists you to increase knee stability while providing comfortable support and range of motion protection.  Indications for this Knee Brace: ACL Deficient Knee PCL Deficient Knee Significant Knee Instability Significant Knee Sprains and Strains Post-Operative Knees Your Knee Brace Size: To determine size of your knee brace, measure around the mid-section of your knee, while in a standing position. Size Knee Circumference S 33-38cm M 38-41cm L 41-46cm XL 46-50cm

More info or Buy Online

Knee Arthritis: What Causes Arthritis? How to Best Manage Your Knee Arthritis?

What is Knee Arthritis? The most common cause of Knee Arthritis is Knee Osteoarthritis (OA). Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative knee condition where the articular cartilage of your knee joint gradually wears away, exposing the underlying bone. As your knee arthritis progresses, bony spurs also develop in and around your knee joint in response to the change in load distribution and biomechanics. Within your knee there are two joints which can be affected by knee arthritis: thetibiofemoral joint - the joint between your thigh bone (femur) and your lower leg (tibia) and the patellofemoral joint (the joint between the kneecap and the femur itself). What Causes Knee Arthritis? There are several factors which have been found to predispose people to developing osteoarthritis in the knee joints: Age As you age it is normal for joint surfaces to “wear down”, especially the major weight bearing joints of the lower limb. The ability of joint cartilage to repair itself also declines as you grow older. Weight Your weight will directly affect the amount of load the joints in your lower limb have to support during weight bearing activities.  Previous Knee Joint Injury Previous injury to your knee can change the biomechanics of your knee joint. This leads to abnormal distribution of load through the knee in everyday tasks. Genetics The gene that produces your articular knee cartilage is sometimes defective and can lead to either decreased lay down of cartilage, or normal lay down of defective cartilage on the joint surfaces. Jobs or Sports that repeatedly load your knee joint Joint compression is essential for stimulating joint nutrition. Repetition of activities that excessively load the knee joint, such as squatting, lifting heavy objects and running, has been linked to an earlier onset of knee arthritis. What are the Symptoms of Knee Arthritis?  Knee Pain often with a gradual onset and progression often worse first thing in the morning or after periods of inactivity often aggravated with weight bearing activities such as walking, going up or down stairs, kneeling and squatting Knee stiffness Knee swelling Warmth around the knee Clicking or grating  Decreased strength of the lower limb muscles How is Knee Arthritis Diagnosed? Your physiotherapist or doctor will suspect signs of knee arthritis from how you explain your knee symptoms. They will also conduct a series of knee tests which help to identify signs of knee arthritis.  An X-ray may also be used to confirm the diagnosis, as well as establish the location and degree of your knee arthritis. What is the Treatment for Knee Arthritis? Physiotherapy Knee arthritis is a degenerative condition. Physiotherapy treatment is aimed at improving the symptoms of the disease (i.e. knee pain, swelling, stiffness), and you should begin to notice a positive difference within one or a few physiotherapy sessions. The main goals of physiotherapy for your knee arthritis are: Reduce your knee pain and inflammation. Normalise your knee joint range of motion. Strengthen your knee: esp quadriceps (esp VMO) and hamstrings. Strengthen your lower limb: calves, hip and pelvis muscles. Improve your patellofemoral (knee cap) alignment and function. Normalise your muscle lengths. Improve your proprioception, agility and balance. Improve your technique and function eg walking, squatting. Knee Braces Your physiotherapist may recommend the use of a knee brace to support your knee and help to de-load certain structures. There are many different styles available and it is important to find one that suits your individual needs! PhysioWorks stocks an extensive range of knee arthritis braces. You can check them out here: Knee Arthritis Surgery In some cases, patients with knee arthritis choose to undergo knee surgery to address the degeneration in the knee. The most common forms of surgery for this condition are arthroscopes, partial or total knee replacements.  If your knee arthritis symptoms are reaching an unmanageable level and treatment results have plateaued, it may be worth talking to your doctor about your surgical options.  Risks of surgery include infection, persistent instability and pain, stiffness, and difficulty returning to your previous level of activity. The good news is that better than 90% of patients have no complications post-surgery. Post-Surgical Knee Rehabilitation Post-operative knee rehabilitation is one of the most important, yet too often neglected, aspects of knee surgery.  The most successful and quickest outcomes result from the guidance and supervision of a qualified knee physiotherapist.  Your rehabilitation following knee surgery focuses on restoring full knee motion, strength, power and endurance. You will also require balance, proprioception and agility retraining that is individualise towards your specific functional needs. For more information, please ask your physiotherapist. Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online Common Treatments for Knee Arthritis   How to Ease Arthritic Pain Immediate Injury Treatment Acupuncture and Dry Needling Active Foot Posture Correction Exercises Gait Re-Education Biomechanical Analysis Balance Enhancement Exercises Proprioception & Balance Exercises Medications? Glucosamine Heel Cups Orthotics Soft Tissue Massage Electrotherapy & Local Modalities Heating Pads Joint Pain Relief Techniques Kinesiology Taping Neurodynamics / Neuro Mobilisation Prehabilitation Strengthening Exercises Stretching Exercises Support Brace Supportive Taping & Strapping TENS Machines Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online FAQs about Knee Arthritis What is Pain? Physiotherapy & Exercise When Should Diagnostic Tests Be Performed? What are the Different Massage Styles and their Benefits? How Does Kinesiology Tape Reduce Swelling? How Can You Prevent a Future Leg Injury? How Do You Improve Your Balance? How Much Treatment Will You Need? How to Stretch? What are the Common Massage Therapy Techniques? What are the Early Warning Signs of an Injury? What Can You Do To Help Arthritis? What is Osteoarthritis? When Can You Return to Sport or Work? Why Does Heat Feel So Good? Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online Helpful Products for Knee Arthritis Related Injuries ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) Injuries Chondromalacia Patella Discoid Meniscus Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome Knee Arthritis Knee Bursitis (Patellar Bursitis) Knee Ligament Injury Knee Meniscus Injury Knee Replacement Muscle Pain: Strains or Tears Osgood Schlatter's Disease Patella Tendonitis (Tendinopathy) Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Kneecap) Sinding Larsen Johansson Syndrome Stress Fracture