4 exercises to strengthen your knees

Knee pains and pains in the joints are not restricted to a certain age group anymore. Younger people of today face this problem too. To stay active all your life and escape the severe aches associated with weakening of muscles, joint pains or arthritis, you must start now. The only way to keep your knees fine and working is to exercise. 
4 moves that help you strengthen your knees.
1. Leg lifts (inner thigh) - lie on any one side, lay your head on the arm of the side below you. Make sure this hand is straight above your head, touching the ground. Keep your legs straight, one above the other. Lift the leg on top a few inches above, hold for few seconds and bring it back. Do this for 10 times and then with the other leg, on the other side. This exercise strengthens your inner thighs, eventually strengthening the knees.
2. Hip raises: lie flat on your back, your shoulders touching the ground. Bend your legs comfortable, your feet resting firmly on the ground. Raise your hips and thighs so that from your head to feet, you form an angle. Wait in this position for about 10 seconds, lower your hip until it touches the ground. Repeat for ten counts.
3. Lunges: stand straight. Take a step ahead with your right leg. Left leg remains in its place. With your back straight, bend your knees so that both are at 90 degrees. Go back to standing position; take your right leg back to where it was. Do the same step with your left leg. Repeat both sides ten times.
4. Bent leg extensions: this is pretty easy and all that you need to do it sit on a chair comfortably, with your back straight first. Your feet firmly flat on the ground in front of you, lift the right leg straight extending to the front. Make sure your thighs stay on the chair. Bring your leg back to the original position, firmly planted on the ground. Do the same with your left leg. Repeat 10 times on both sides.
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The Only 4 Moves That Strengthen Your KNEES

Cervical spondylosis is an age related disorder affecting the discs and joints in your neck. The overuse of the bone and cartilage in the cervical spine of your neck leads to cervical spondylosis. While it is mostly caused by age, it can also be caused by other factors. Stiffness and severe, chronic pain are the most common problems with patients afflicted with cervical spondylosis. While in others, it might not cause problems and they can go about their daily activities.

Physiotherapy for Cervical Spondylosis
There is no cure for cervical spondylosis, but its symptoms can be treated with physiotherapy. If you have chronic pain in your neck, shoulder blades or arms, a physiotherapist can provide effective pain relief by strengthening your vertebrae and neck. This will improve your posture and prevent any relapse of the pain.

Firstly, the physiotherapist will evaluate your condition; check your reflexes and strength. Then, the physiotherapist will move on to the following treatments:

Stretching, strengthening and straightening exercises: Before beginning these exercises, your physiotherapist will first apply cold or heat to the affected area and then proceed with a deep tissue massage or electric stimulation. When your muscles are relaxed, the exercises will begin only then. These exercises are performed to strengthen the muscles in your neck. Through these, you will learn how to improve your range of movement and posture.
Neck traction: Pulling your head to stretch out your spine is called neck traction. This technique is used to improve movement and ease the pain. Traction is used to open the spaces between the vertebras gently in order to ease pressure on the distressed discs. Traction is done continuously or sporadically, with short periods of rest in between. If you cannot find the right physiotherapist to do this for you, there are devices to help you stretch your spine.
Cervical collars and pillows: Neck pillows or cervical pillows, are made to keep your neck steady while you sleep. Cervical collars are also called neck braces which are used to support the neck. While cervical collars have been proven to be quite beneficial, there isn t much evidence to support cervical pillows in treating cervical spondylosis. You can always consult your physiotherapist before purchasing a cervical pillow.

Cervical Spondylosis - How Physiotherapy Can Help Treat it?

A broken wrist is known as a wrist fracture and it may occur due to a variety of causes starting from undue pressure on the wrist which can result in an injury as well as debilitating conditions like arthritis, which makes the bones and joints prone to fractures. There are also non displaced breaks, which are stable kinds of fractures and in which, the wrist remains in its place. Let us find out more about the kinds of fractures and the procedures for treatment of the same.

Type of Fracture: The wrist is basically made up of eight small bones that connect the two long arm bones, which are known as the radius and ulna and create the forearm. The broken wrist can take place in any of these bones. A hand surgeon will generally take a look at this kind of fracture and determine whether it is displaced, stable or open. As discussed earlier, a wrist fracture can be of various types. While a non displaced wrist fracture is a more stable kind that does not really require much more than rest or medication, a displaced wrist fracture is a non stable kind where dislocation happens.

Other Factors: There are a variety of other factors that will be taken into consideration in order to repair this kind of a fracture. To begin with, the Orthopaedic specialist will consider your age and the kind of job, hobbies and other kinds of activities that you indulge in. Also, the doctor will try to ascertain whether or not you are in good health on an overall basis. The presence of other injuries will also be taken into account for this kind of an injury in there has been a bike or car accident that has caused the fracture.

Treatment: The method of treatment will vary as per the considerations listed above. A padded splint may be installed in order to align and support the bones and wrist respectively, so that there is ample relief from the acute pain as well. Further, an unstable fracture will require a cast as to support the entire forearm and give proper rest to the region so that the bone can grow back together and get aligned again. Surgery may also be required for very severe cases, and pins, screws, metals and plates may also be used depending on the exact location and type of fracture.

Recovery: Remember to move your fingers as much as you can so as to prevent them from getting stiff while they are held up in a splint or a cast.
Hand therapy will be helpful in gaining back motion and function of the wrist.

Wrist Fracture Procedure - Facts You Should Know About 

Physiotherapy plays a pivotal role in helping a person recover after a hip replacement surgery. It brings back the old flexibility and prevents blood clots in the area where the procedure has taken place. After the surgery team gives its green signal, a physiotherapist starts working with a patient for a full recovery. 

Here is a list of some common exercises that a physiotherapist suggests after a hip replacement surgery:

Walking: It is important to use the crutches for a time period of 4-5 weeks post the procedure. Until the surgeon or the physiotherapist advises against using the crutches, it makes sense to use it while walking. It makes sense to retain the normal walking posture by using the crutches rather than limping without it. A physiotherapist reviews the pressure exerted by the arm while holding a crutch, before advising the patient to get rid of the crutches.
Increasing hip flexibility: This is a basic form of exercise where an individual lies on one side of the body with knees and hips bent. A pillow is placed in between the knees. While doing this, it should be ensured that both the feet is kept together and the back muscle is not twisted. The top knee should be slowly raised like an opening of the calm shell. This position should be maintained for 4-5 seconds.
Strengthening the hips: The body should rest on the stomach. The buttocks should be tightened and one leg should be slowly lifted. This position should be maintained for a stretch of 3-5 seconds. The same should be repeated for both the legs.
Strengthening the hip and the stomach muscle: The body should rest on the back with a leg bent. The stomach muscle should be tightened and the bent leg should be lifted carefully while ensuring that the bend does not supersede more than 90 degrees. While keeping the stomach muscle tight, the lifted leg should slowly come down to touch the surface. This act should be repeated for 5-6 times.
Strengthening the thigh muscle: While sitting in a steady chair, an elastic loop should be wrapped around the ankles. The elastic loop should be stretched with one leg while keeping the other foot firmly rooted to the ground. The lifted foot should slowly come down to the normal position. The same act should be repeated for 4-5 times.
Improving balance: An elastic loop should be tied to one leg of a table and the other end of the loop should be tied to one ankle. The table should be held on for maintaining balance. Maintaining an erect position, the tied up ankle should be stretched sideways. The position should be maintained for 3-5 seconds to return back to normal standing position.

How Physiotherapy Can Improve Recovery After Hip Replacement Surgery?

It is quite likely for you to mistake fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) as the same condition because of the frequent overlap and similar symptoms. As a result, people with both conditions are diagnosed with only one and are treated for that. The major difference between PMS and FMS is that they need different treatment. The trigger points can be eliminated, and while MPS pain may exacerbate FMS, treating MPS can improve FMS.

About FMS and MPS

FMS is a disorder featured by musculoskeletal pain along with sleep, fatigue and mood swings. It affects the way in which your brain processes pain signals.
MPS is another chronic pain disorder in which the pain is caused in the body because of pressure on sensitive points in the muscles. It is known as referred pain.
Symptoms:
There are several symptoms of MPS which are similar to that of FMS, while there are some different symptoms as well. The common symptoms are as follows:

Soft tissue pain
Headaches or migraines
Disturbance in sleep
Problems with balance
Tinnitus or ear pain
Memory problems
Excessive sweating
Here are the symptoms which are associated with MPS only and not with FMS:

Extreme numbness
Clicking or popping joints
Reduced range of motion in the joints
Blurry and double vision
Unusual nausea
Here are some symptoms which are observed in FMS but not in the case of MPS:

Fatigue
Panic attacks
Developing allergies and sensitivities
Feeling overwhelmed because of high sensory input levels
Confusion and disorientation
Diagnosis
MPS is difficult to diagnose and treat because of referred pain. The symptoms have to be recognised and the trigger points need to be identified for detecting MPS. The trigger points are found on the basis of the symptoms. Several tests like magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and tissue biopsy are used for MPS diagnosis. On the other hand, there are no tests or scans which can detect FMS in patients.

Treatment
There are several overlaps as well as major differences when it comes to the treatment procedures of MPS and FMS. The treatment methods which are used for both MPS and FMS are as follows:

Acupuncture
Physical therapy which may be in different forms
Tricyclic antidepressant medicine
According to studies, trigger point injections are not too effective in giving relief to fibromyalgia tender points, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are not useful for the treatment of FMS pain as they are meant for inflammation. It is very important for you to visit a doctor if you experience any symptoms of FMS or PMS. You require proper diagnosis so that the right treatment can be undertaken.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) & Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) - Signs That Indicate It!

In most cases, pain anywhere in the body can be explained as a symptom of some other problem, but sometimes, there is no reason for abdominal pain. This type of pain is known as chronic functional abdominal pain. This is a gastrointestinal disorder that cannot be explained through X-ray or laboratory findings. It can be triggered by altered sensitivity to nerve impulses in the brain and gut. People suffering from this condition are often so debilitated by the pain that it becomes the central focus of their life.

This condition cannot be cured, but with proper treatment, it can be managed so that it does not affect the quality of your life. The aim of treatment for this condition is to control the symptoms and improve functioning. When it comes to treating this condition, the patient s relationship with his or her doctor plays an important role as the condition cannot be proven through any form of testing and it has a great psychological effect on the person. Regular checkups are also a key to managing this condition effectively.

The first step towards achieving this is to identify possible emotional and situational triggers. Maintaining a journal that records these experiences can help with this. Further treatment is usually either through psychological treatment or antidepressants.

Psychological treatment is based on the understanding that the brain can block pain by diverting attention elsewhere. Nerve impulses that travel from the abdomen to the brain must pass through a type of  gate  that is controlled by nerve impulses generated by the brain. When these impulses close the gates, pain is blocked while when these gates are open, the pain can be magnified. Psychological treatment for chronic functional abdominal pain can be in the form of relaxation techniques, imagery, hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy. While relaxation techniques such as meditation and hypnosis help a person shift focus from the pain, cognitive behavioral therapy teaches a person how to change thoughts and perceptions in order to control the pain.

Antidepressants can also act as pain relievers. This form of medication stimulates the production of brain signals that close the  gates  of nerve transmissions. This blocks the pain but can take several weeks to be effective. Some people may experience side effects such as drowsiness and nausea and hence should never be taken without a doctor s supervision. In some cases, antidepressants may also be combined with cognitive behavioral therapy or medication to regulate bowels.

Ways to Treat Chronic Functional Abdominal Pain!

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