How many times have you been given an exercise and wondered what is with the magic number of 3 sets of 10?
If you’re someone who’s currently working out at home during lockdown and want to improve your fitness goals then keep reading because there’s much more to consider when it comes to exercise dosage.
Personally speaking, physiotherapists have a bad reputation for drawing stick figures on a piece of paper after treatment and writing 3 sets of 10 for every exercise.
The year 2020 has seen some very different changes around the world due to COVID-19. Included in this is the requirement to work from home, and as a result, Allied Health Professionals have seen a large shift in patient injury complaints, whereby neck and lower back pain is becoming a much prevalent trend.
The carpal bones are a group of eight small bones in your hand. These include
Scaphoid (Most common 40-70% in literature)
Lunate (0/5% - 1% rare due to protected position in proximal carpal row)
Capitate (rare due to its protect position in the middle of the carpus)
Trapezium (4-5% of fractures)
Trapezoid (0.5-1%)
Triquetrum (2nd most common 4-18% in literature)
Hamate (2% of all fractures (Hook of hamate often a golf club versus ground)
Pisiform (<1% off all carpal fractures)
Scaphoid Fractures
The most common type of carpal bone fracture is a scaphoid fracture most likely because it is the easiest to identify on a plain x-ray in comparison to other bones. Having said that it can often not seen (known as an occult fracture) then an MRI or CT scan is recommended. Due to the blood supply which passes the bone and has a branch that reverts back the bone is at risk of death (avascular necrosis) or non union (not healing) therefore it is pertinent not to miss this injury.
Treatment in the acute stages is often splinting and review x-ray in 2 weeks is suspicious of a scaphoid fracture. Hand physiotherapist can make a splint to immobilise the wrist and this often includes the thumb. Once confirmed immobilisation can be from 6-12 weeks. With a injury like this it is recommended to work with your physio and sports physician (Sports doctor) to best guide the appropriate treatment pathway if conservative management is not appropriate.
Hulsopple et al (2017) Treatment of acute carpal bone fractures. Current Sports Medicine Reports
Ankle sprains are one of the most common sporting and musculoskeletal injuries that results in damage to the ligaments of the ankle.
The most common ‘mechanism of injury’, or how the injury occurs, is when the ankle rolls out where the sole of the foot ends up facing inwards. This is known as a lateral ankle sprain, where injury is to the ligaments on the outside of the ankle as pictured below.
Neck pain is very common, with 60% of people experiencing some form of neck pain in their lifetime and one of the main reasons that people seek physiotherapy treatment
Similar to back pain, the good news is that most forms of neck pain are caused by musculoskeletal conditions, which respond very well to physiotherapy treatment and exercise.
Shoulder pain and discomfort is very common. Your shoulder is a very mobile joint, just think about how much it can move - up, across, behind and twist!
This essentially means your shoulder is quite unstable, this is due to the low contact area of the socket (formed by your scapular) and the ball of your arm bone (humerus).
Anyone who suffers from frequent headaches or migraines will know how disruptive it can be to your ability to concentrate and go about your day to day life. However, physiotherapy can actually play a significant role in managing your headaches, relieving their symptoms and determining their underlying cause.
