BRINGING SCIENCE TO TREATMENT
We’re excited about our recent announcement to transition our subscription model to a web-based publication! This offers our readers the opportunity to access our content from any smart device. The downside of mobile reading is a phenomenon called ‘text neck’.
Paralympic skiers of the U.S. team Stephen Lawler (R) and Stephanie Jallen look at a mobile phone, 2018. REUTERS/Paul Hanna
Rest assured that the cervical spine is made to endure flexed positions for prolonged periods of time – as evidenced by the many craftsmen throughout the centuries who sat hunched over their work. The problem for the modern person, however, is that the muscles of the thoracic spine may not be conditioned for the load. Even fairly fit athletes may ignore upper back muscles in their training routines leading to thoracic dysfunction from time spent on mobile devices. Trevor Langford reviewed the tests to diagnose thoracic limitations and exercises to strengthen the thoracic musculature in a recent article.
The upper back muscles play a role not only in neck pain, but also in shoulder movements, as Chris Mallac explains in this week’s feature article on the upper trapezius. Pain and weakness in the upper traps affects the scapulohumeral rhythm, possibly limiting shoulder range and smoothness of movement. Limited scapular rotation most significantly impacts shoulder elevation in the arc of movement beyond 90°, as the scapula contributes over 50% of the motion in this range (see figure 1)1. Upper trap health, therefore, impacts overhead athletes, including swimmers and golfers.
Sometimes, neck pain isn’t coming from the neck at all, as in a case study presented by Chris Mallac. The cause of this dysfunction came from an unusual source: the pec minor. Malloc explains his detective work and offers treatment strategies for managing this unlikely culprit (see figure 2). This case study, where the subject is a physiotherapist, is a great reminder to practice what we preach while reading on the go!
in Email Newsletters, Knee injuries
Like the misconception, that bad posture causes back pain, the myth that running causes knee arthritis persists. Researchers at the University of British Columbia compared the beliefs concerning running and knee osteoarthritis (OA), of runners, non-runners, and healthcare practitioners (HCP)(1). A total of 831 surveys revealed that 13% of the non-HCP population surveyed believed running... MORE
in Email Newsletters, Knee injuries
If one knee injury wasn’t bad enough, imagine the triple whammy of the unhappy triad. Athletes often refer to this type of injury as ‘blowing out’ a knee because of the damage done to the important knee stabilizers. As we continue our series on running injuries, we turn our focus from knee injuries of endurance... MORE
in Diagnose & Treat, Email Newsletters, Joint injuries, Knee injuries
Pain usually arouses injury concerns, but with knees, it’s often the cringe-worthy sounds they make that send an athlete to see a physiotherapist. The sounds may be worse when going up and down stairs or squatting. These sounds lead the athlete to believe their knee is worn out or damaged(1). Their concern alone often leads... MORE
in Email Newsletters, Improve, Sports psychology
The Boston Marathon is one of the hallmark road races, requiring participants to qualify with an acceptable time from a prior race. Only the best make it to Boston. Now being best requires a bit more effort as the Boston Athletic Association recently adjusted the qualifying times, requiring participants to be faster than the past few... MORE
in Email Newsletters, Leg injuries, Musculoskeletal injuries
Triathletes are runners too. So are football, soccer, and rugby players. Triathletes, however, have the added stress of swimming and cycling prior to running. This means their lower legs are already fatigued when engaged to run. Physiotherapist Trevor Langford examines the role of the tibialis posterior in today’s feature article. This muscle lies under the... MORE
in Ankle and foot injuries, Diagnose & Treat, Email Newsletters, Musculoskeletal injuries
With the recent setting of a new world record for the marathon by Eluid Kipchoge, runners everywhere will be stepping up their game. With that renewed intensity often comes new injuries. To help you with the athletes that limp into your clinic, we begin our newsletter series on running injuries and performance. Most running injuries... MORE
Knee pain is the most common of all sports injuries and virtually every sport has its share of knee injuries and related problems. If you or your client has played sport for any sustained period of time, the chances are you've already experienced at least one bout of knee pain. Be it a temporary, mild nuisance you've shrugged off, or a debilitating injury that forced you to seek specialist help. The good news for athletes, coaches and sports injury professionals, is that thanks to some important recent work in this area, sports scientists now know more than ever about the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of knee injuries. And now you too can share in these insights, courtesy of this special report. MORE
Understand and manage the shoulder's function, recognise how and why pathologies develop and learn the concepts behind current and best practice of shoulder injury management. MORE
Drawing from the knowledge and experience of our panel of sports scientists, physiotherapists and sports therapists we have compiled a holistic, technical and hands-on approach to understanding, treating and managing running injuries. The report covers prevention, physiology, core stability and technique, and includes case studies and illustrations throughout. It will stay with you as an invaluable reference point through your running career, and not only help you stay injury free but also increase your biomechanical efficiency for long term gains. MORE
