Physiotherapy: An Effective Treatment for Supraspinatus Tendinopathy

Introduction

Supraspinatus tendinopathy is a typical and debilitating condition that turns out to be more pervasive after middle age and is a typical reason for shoulder pain. The supraspinatus tendon of the shoulder’s rotator cuff is affected and these affected tendons of the musculoskeletal framework proceed toward degeneration.

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Spinal Issues Attributing to Heel Pain and Physiotherapy as a Treatment

PHYSIOTHERAPY CENTER IN NOIDA

Heel pain can be caused due to a multitude of factors. Often the heel pain is localised and is caused due to shoes misfitting, overuse of feet, and so on. At other times, it is caused by underlying problems such as spinal issues. However, here we will focus on spinal issues often being the direct cause of heel pain.

Causes

Spinal issues attributing to heel pain include – cervical spondolysis, sciatica, spondylolisthesis, lumbar degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and herniated disc. They are generally a result of postural problems, muscle tightness / weakness, nutritional deficiencies and ageing.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of heel pain caused due to spinal problems include restricted ability to bring the foot up, foot heaviness and difficulty walking on tiptoes, difficulty in completing everyday functions such as walking and driving, and is usually accompanied by redness, tenderness, thickened skin, or swelling.

Diagnosis

It is crucial that the particular reason for foot pain be precisely analysed by a properly prepared doctor. On the off chance that the foot pain might be caused by an issue in one’s lower back it is prudent to see a spine specialist for an entire analysis of potential lower back conditions that might cause the leg pain and foot pain. The diagnosis is done by examination of medical history, taking X-rays, etc.

Treatment: Physiotherapy

Heel pain often lands a patient in surgery and we at Eva Physiocare can prevent that. We are working on preventive care for heel pain caused due to spinal issues as well as non-spinal ones.

Physiotherapy is a non-intrusive treatment process, therapeutic in nature, and is shown to grant quick relief to patients. At the same time physiotherapy helps in preventing heel pain by curbing it before it takes a serious shape. Physiotherapists efficiently make manual assessment by way of clinical reasoning and without having to refer to any kind of imaging such as X-rays, etc. in order to diagnose the causes of the heel pain.

Physiotherapy treatment procedure focuses on biomechanical corrections through heel and foot exercises like stretching and strengthening exercise, etc., to ensure strength and flexibility. In this case the physiotherapist will not just focus on the heel pain but also on the underlying spinal problems that are attributing to it, thereby, treating the spinal issue by means of physiotherapy as well. Physiotherapy for the spine includes controlled, gradual and progressive exercises that induces the free movement of nutrients to the spine, and have healthier discs, muscles and ligaments.

The systematic treatment of physiotherapy allows the patient to avoid surgery altogether and it is considered a good thing by many given its intrusive nature, high costs and associated risks. Additionally, if the patient has to undergo or has already undergone surgery, physiotherapy helps in quick and effective rehabilitation, and enhancement flexibility and mobility.

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Treating Osteoarthritis of Knee: Surgery versus Physiotherapy

Introduction

Osteoarthritis is a situation that involves the wear and tear of the cartilage/natural cushioning between joints. The shock-absorbing capacities of the cartilage are reduced and results in the bones at the joints rubbing against each other causing pain, swelling, stiffness, inability to move, and emergence of bone spurs.
Knee pain is a standout amongst the most well-known yet ignored musculoskeletal conditions. Osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of knee pain. While it can happen even in youngsters, the possibility of osteoarthritis ascends after the age of 45. Women are more prone towards it. Cases of osteoarthritis are rapidly increasing in India due to the changing lifestyles and eating habits.

Causes

The most common causes for knee osteoarthritis include factors of age; weight gain; heredity factors; gender (women above 55); repetitive stress injuries such as kneeling, squatting, or lifting heavy weights (55 pounds or more); athletics involving soccer, tennis, or long-distance running; and other illness such as rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic disorders (iron overload) and excess growth hormones.

Treatment: Surgery Versus Physiotherapy

Surgery is said to be the last resort for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. This is because, in a revolutionary study on meniscal tears and the treatment of Osteoarthritis by the New England Journal of Medicine, it was resolved that there were no irrelevant contrasts between patients settling on surgery over an escalated regiment of non-intrusive treatment/physiotherapy.

The differences between the two procedures include:

1. While surgical procedures involve arthroscopy, osteotomy, and arthroplasty; physiotherapy includes hamstring stretches, calf stretches, standing quadriceps stretches, seated leg raises, step-ups, straight-leg lifts, single-leg dips, hamstring curls, wall squats, half squats, knee stabilization series, static hamstring contractions, sit/stands, heel cord stretches, leg extensions, hip abductions and adductions and leg presses with resistance bands, in accordance to the physiotherapist’s guidance.
2. The underlying problem with surgery is the possibility of adverse effects/risks due to intrusive procedures. Due to this, physiotherapy being a non-intrusive technique is considered safer.
3. Surgery focuses on the realignment of bones in joints, artificially, by the addition of artificial parts, cutting off the excess bone, and general realignment. Physiotherapy, however, focuses on restoration of mobility and strengthening of muscles, in addition to weight management. Stretching, strengthening, and flexibility exercises, along with proprioception and balance exercises, and joint mobilization and manipulation, are effective in pain management, lowering inflammation, and restoring optimal balance after an injury.
4. Most patients can administer to themselves and resume typical everyday exercises inside 6 weeks and drive inside 4 to 6 weeks. It might take 3 months to a whole year to completely recoup and acknowledge the advantages of knee surgery. Physiotherapy, on the other hand, needs no special recovery time and it spans over a period of 6 to 12 weeks only.
5. In addition to all of this, it is to be acknowledged that surgeries are costly, unlike physiotherapy.

Conclusion

Despite the problems posed by surgery, it is a definite tool in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee but only recommended in extreme conditions. Physiotherapy is in every way the best procedure to go about it. Physiotherapy is aimed toward biomechanical corrections of the affected knee, thereby preventing the osteoarthritis from taking a serious shape. It’s therapeutic nature and capacity to provide relief often postpones the need for surgery or dismisses it altogether. We at Eva Physiocare are working on preventive care that includes diet management in the integrated wellness programme.

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