Knee pain or injuries are very common and have numerous causes. Knee pain can emerge from delicate tissue wounds like ligament sprains and muscle strains. Bone conditions like knee joint pain, Osgood Schlatters, and biomechanical dysfunction can also cause knee pain. Treatment can include basic knee mobilization techniques, taping, massages or knee strengthening exercises completely through a careful recovery method after knee replacement or reconstruction.

Physiotherapy can help you overcome the pain and increase your strength and flexibility. A physiotherapist can suggest you a number of treatments and also help you understand your issue and get you back to your everyday routine. Physiotherapists are said to be successful in getting rid of the source of the knee pain by diagnosing a cause. This includes tightness around the knee and treating it with stretching and exercises.

Following are some of the exercises a physiotherapist might generally recommend for knee pain:

Hamstring stretch: Stretching keeps you flexible and increases your scope of movement, or how far you can move your joints in different directions. It additionally helps you reduce your chances of injuries and pain. Continuously warm up with a five minute walk first. Lie down when you are prepared to stretch your hamstring. Circle a bed sheet around your right foot, use the sheet to pull the leg up and hold for twenty seconds and then lower the leg. Repeat twice and switch legs.
Calf stretch: Use a chair for balance. Bend your left leg. Step back with your right leg and gradually straighten it behind you. Press your left heel toward the floor. You should feel the stretch in the calf of your back leg. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat twice and then switch legs.
Straight leg raise: It helps build muscle strength to give support to the weak joints. Lie on the floor. Twist your left knee, foot on the floor. Keep the right leg straight, toes pointed up. Tighten your thigh muscles and raise your right leg.
Quad set: With these, you don't raise your leg. Just tighten the thigh muscles, also called the quadriceps, of one leg at once. Begin by lying on the floor. Keep both legs on the ground, loose. Flex and hold the left leg tense for five seconds and then relax. Do three sets of ten repetitions. Switch legs after every set.
Cushion squeeze: This move strengthens your legs from the inside so that they can support the knees. Lie on your back, both knees facing inwards. Place a cushion or a pillow between the knees. Press your knees together, squishing the cushion between them. Hold for five seconds and then relax. Do three sets of ten repetitions. Switch legs after every set.
Heel raise: Stand tall and hold the back of a seat for support. Lift your heels off the ground and rise on the toes of both feet. Hold for three seconds. Gradually lower both heels to the ground. Do three sets of ten repetitions. 

Knee Pain - How Physiotherapy Can Heal Knee Pain?

Exercises for Sciatica
Sciatica is often distinguished not as a medical condition but as a set of symptoms that underlie a more serious medical concern such as a slipped disc, degeneration of the spine or the lumbar region etc.
It is important to note the symptoms of Sciatica, as these are quite distinct -
1.Constant pain in one of the buttocks or leg (rarely are both legs affected)
2.The pain worsens on sitting
3.The pain is often described as a sharp & searing pain similar to a burning sensation
4.The pain is often accompanied by a heaviness or numbness that makes movement difficult
5.Shifting of postures (sitting to standing and back to sitting) becomes painful and laborious
An alternative to surgery would be to supplement the oral medication with certain specific exercises.
Reflexology, Acupuncture and Chiropractic manipulation are all considered effective to alleviate the pain to a large extent.
Patients are often encouraged to partake in daily exercise routine, incorporating strengthening and stretching exercises.
The strengthening exercises target the core or abdominal muscles along with the back muscles to provide more support to the back.
The stretching exercises will help to “loosen up” the surrounding muscle groups such as the hamstrings, which then allow for more blood and oxygen circulation alleviating the pain and giving the immune system a much needed boost.
When patients engage in a regular programme of gentle stretching and strengthening exercises, they can recover quickly (in comparison to those who do not exercise) from the flare ups and over time the painful episodes are known to reduce significantly, both in frequency as well as intensity.
Ancient holistic practices such Yoga and Tai-chi are often considered the best form of exercises for the afflicted because of the balanced and slow but controlled movements that complement the ‘breath’ rather than causing further exertion to the already fragile bone density.
It is recommended that expert advice be sought and the exercises should be undertaken only under trained supervision. Please do not attempt to “experiment” with Yoga or Tai-Chi on your own, as improper or wrong posture could lead to irreparable damage to the spine. 


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 Exercises for Sciatica To Keep It Under Check

Calcium is known for its role in maintaining the bone health, from keeping your teeth stronger to normal functioning of the cells.  But there are various factors, which lead to a deficiency of calcium in the human body and paves the way for several complications.

Here are the top three signs that indicate you are suffering from calcium deficiency.

Difficulty in sleeping: Sleep is essential for your bone health and calcium is directly associated with your sleep cycle. The level of calcium in your bones rises and falls when you are asleep and it reaches its peak when you are in deep slumber. This indicates that when you are unable to sleep properly, it is a warning sign of calcium deficiency. There are various researches that have confirmed, that by increasing the level of calcium, it is possible to restore the normal sleep cycle of an individual. This is also related to the role that calcium plays in the production of a sleep hormone called melatonin. When the calcium content in the body is really low, this hormone is not produced, thus, making it difficult for a person to sleep.
Difficulty in losing extra pounds: Yet another frustrating aspect of any individual s life is the inability to shed off excess pounds. This issue is also linked with the lack of calcium supply in the body. The calcium that s stored in the cells assists in the processing and storage of fat. So the fat cells with high calcium content burn faster, making you lose weight. Thus, if you have trouble losing weight in spite of having a well-regulated diet and regular workout, it s a sign that you are suffering from low calcium.
Paresthesia: Though this ailment is not much heard of, it could be a sign of calcium deficiency. Paresthesia is a nervous disorder, which causes tingling sensation, tremors, numbness and loss of sensitivity. It could also lead to poor concentration, amnesia, confusion, hearing impairment, twitches and other physical as well as neurological impairment. This is because low calcium in the blood is connected with the health of your nerves.
The deficiency of calcium can manifest itself in different intensity, ranging from the non-existent to minimal to severe levels. Chronic calcium deficiency can lead to life-threatening diseases like rickets, osteopenia, and even osteoporosis. Therefore, you shouldn t ignore these signs and consult an expert without delay.

Calcium Deficiency - 3 Signs You are Suffering from it

Rotator cuff is the name given to four muscles and their tendons, which keep your arms in your shoulder sockets, allowing you to lift your arms and do day-to-day stuff like combing your hair, cutting vegetables etc.

The shoulder joint is a very important joint of the body and this is why any tear that happens in the rotator cuff can be devastating.

Causes

Tears can happen in rotator cuff due to a number of factors like injury and degeneration due to age. Tears that happen due to an injury to the shoulder are called acute. Degenerative tears are tears that happen due to degeneration of the tendon over time.

Common causes of degeneration are lack of proper blood circulation, which impedes the rotator cuff s ability to repair itself. Repetitive stress is another cause where we stress the tendon by repeating the same shoulder motions again and again while playing games like tennis, cricket etc. and doing jobs that require us to extend our arms upwards a lot. Lifting heavy objects can also lead to tears.

Symptoms

Chronic shoulder and arm pain are good reasons for you to see your doctor. If you suffer from pain in your shoulder at rest, while sleeping on the affected shoulder or pain while lifting and lowering your arm, then there is no time to wait.

The doctor will do a physical examination by moving your arm in different directions. He may follow it up with X-rays and MRI to check how big the tear is in your rotator cuff.

Treatment

Once confirmed that you indeed have a rotator cuff tear, your doctor will start the treatment. The goal of any treatment is to reduce pain and make your shoulder joint work properly again.

Nonsurgical Treatments: 

Nonsurgical treatments include rest, using of a sling to protect the shoulder and modifying your daily activities. This means you may not be able to do activities that cause shoulder pain. Your doctor can also prescribe pain and anti-inflammatory medicines. Strengthening and physical therapy bring up the rear of this type of treatment.

What you must remember is that nonsurgical treatment relieves pain and improves function in the shoulder, but does not improve shoulder strength. The size of your tear may also increase over time.

Surgery: 

Surgery, which attaches the rotator cuff to your bone, is done if you suffer from continuous pain and symptoms over a year or so. If you have a large tear, conservative treatments will not work and surgery will have to be resorted to. 

If you have been suffering from chronic shoulder or arm pain, waiting and watching is definitely not an option. You must visit an orthopedic surgeon at the earliest. Remember, if treatment is not started soon enough, your rotator cuff tear will get larger and will require only surgery.

Rotator Cuff Tears: What Are My Options?

Most of the arthritic conditions don t have any cures. Ankylosing Spondylitis is also a type of arthritis that does not have a cure. It is a kind of arthritis of the spine; it affects the vertebrae. It primarily affects the spine, but it may also affect other areas such as shoulders, hills, hips, ribs, small joints of the feet and hands etc. In very advanced stages, it may also affect eyes, lungs and heart. 

However, what really makes it scary is Ankylosis. When Ankylosis takes place, there is formation of new bony structures in the spine. These structures cause some sections of the spine to fuse and make the spine immobile. 

Symptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis 

  Pain and Stiffness 

One may feel a constant pain coupled with stiffness in areas like buttocks, lower back, hips etc. These symptoms may go on for months. It often starts at the sacroiliac joint. 

  Bony Fusion 

The formation of bony structures in the spine in advanced stages may affect movement of the back, neck, hips etc., and may also impair the ability to perform daily activities. The formation of bony structures may go to the extent of fusing the ribs in the rib cage to the breastbone or spine. This may limit the ability to expand the chest while taking deep breaths. 

  Pain in Ligaments and Tendons 

Ankylosing Spondylitis may also affect the tendons and ligaments that attach the muscles to the bones. This may precipitate pain and stiffness beneath or behind the heels. 

Cause of Ankylosing Spondylitis 

The cause of this disorder is not yet known, yet a genetic link cannot be ruled out. It has been observed that most of the people affected with Ankylosing Spondylitis carry a specific gene in them. People carrying this gene are susceptible to spondylitis. However, there are about 10% people who carry this gene, but don t have any sign of Ankylosing Spondylitis. So, a sure determinant of cause of this disease is not completely known. 

Diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis 

To diagnosis Ankylosing Spondylitis, the physician has to look at several factors. 

These include: 

  Symptoms exhibited by the patient 

  Physical Findings 

  X-Rays of pelvis and back regions 

  Taking chest measurements while taking deep breaths 

  Laboratory tests Based upon the complete diagnosis, physician can positively determine if the condition is indeed Ankylosing Spondylitis. 

Treatment 

While a cure for Ankylosing Spondylitis is still not on the horizon, there are some treatments which can reduce pain and discomfort and thereby improve daily activities. Goals of treatment Since the disease can t be cured, the goal is to reduce pain and stiffness, prevent deformity, maintain a good posture, and help perform daily activities. In fact, if treatment is proper, the patient may lead to a semblance of a normal life. However, it calls for a team approach. The team must include a physical therapist and an occupational therapist, apart from a rheumatologist. If the patient is suffering from bony growth, the doctor may go for an osteotomy.

Ankylosing Spondylitis - How To Handle It?

Joint pain is considered to be one of the first few signs of aging. According to the science of Ayurveda, joint pain is triggered mainly by an accumulation of toxins in the body. These toxins can create an imbalance in the doshas which in turn can cause pain and inflammation on the joints. Along with joint pain, a person is likely to experience a loss of flexibility, weakness, tenderness and enlargement of the joints.

Unlike some popular forms of medication that focus on relieving the pain, Ayurveda addresses the root cause of the issue. Panchkarma aims at cleansing the body of toxins and clearing blockages in the body s digestive and circulatory system. This helps the vatta dosha flow easily through the body and reduces pain associated with arthritis etc. Panchkarma can be defined as a collection of five ayurvedic techniques. These are:

Vasti or Medicated Enema: Vasti aims at removing toxins and waste products from the body through the colon. In doing this, it cleanses the digestive channels and improves circulation of air or the vatta dosha in the body. With better circulation, joint pain is effectively reduced. An enema also nourishes the body and gives it the strength to rebuild tissues while boosting the immune system.
Abhyanga or Full Body Massage: This technique helps I the removal of toxins from deep tissues within the body. It pacifies the vatta and nourishes the body while simultaneously reducing stress and enabling better quality sleep. A full body massage also helps calm the body both physically and mentally.
Potli or Poultice Massage: As the name suggests, a potli involves massaging the body with medicated herbs tied together in a tiny bundle that has been warmed with medicated oils. This potli is then used to massage the entire body. This technique helps relax the muscles of the body and soothes the aggravated vatta dosha. It is very effective when it comes to providing relief from joint pains caused by arthritis, spondylitis, muscle cramps etc.
Pizhichil or Rich Oil Massage: A rich oil massage involves subjecting the body to streams of lukewarm oil that has medicinal properties while simultaneously softly massaging the body. This type of massage helps relieve tension and stress and is a very effective remedy against joint pains. It is highly recommended in the case of rheumatic diseases.
Svedana or Steam Bath: A steam bath helps cleanse the body both physically and mentally by aiding in the removal of toxins through sweat and calming the mind. It also helps soften the muscles and tissues and dilates the channels in the body.

Joint Pain - How Panchkarma Therapies Can Help You?

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