Breaking a bone is, needless to say, a painful experience. But, when people have their broken bone put in a cast, they tend to forget about it until it comes out. This is quite wrong! A person would want to be up and running but does not find that the hand or the leg as it has been cast up. For weeks, the person's hand or leg barely moves and also shrinks up quite a lot!

There is a lot of pain, not only due to shrinkage when a fracture occurs. The occurrence itself causes what is known as acute pain. Then, for some weeks, the sub-acute pain just seems to persist, to the person having the fracture. The reason for this is the fact that the bone and the soft tissue are in the process of healing.

Chronic pain is a worry as it does not go away even after the healing process has ended. In order to make sure that there is a quick recovery and there is no chronic pain which is experienced at all, some of the proverbial leaves need to be taken out of the book of physiotherapy.

To start with, sometime between a fortnight and a month after the injury or the bone break has taken place, the doctor will wish to see some movement in the soft tissue that has broken around the bone. The great advantage of this is that while it may be a little bit of effort and time involved, there are great benefits by the way of less pain and swelling as the blood flows as normally as is possible.

If such movements are not done, a person can have related soreness, which can be even more of a pain! An example of this would be a broken foot or ankle causing the stiffness of the knee. When a person is already in pain, adding to his or her trouble makes no sense at all, does it?

Post one month mark, the physiotherapist would want to see more functioning so that the normal levels can be attained. A person who has a fracture should not despair as if he or she is willing to stick to the schedule given by the physiotherapist and perform all the exercises that have been set out, he or she will be back at the normal level much sooner than would have been expected!

Also, getting active again will reduce the risk of a repeat injury, and that is enough justification to do so!

What To Expect When Recovering From Broken Bones?

Your knee is a very complex structure consisting of bones, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, muscles and meniscus. Most people encounter knee pain at some point in their lives. If your knee pain is chronic in nature, then it may last for a prolonged period.

Many causes may be responsible for your knee pain. Some of the causes are stated as follows:
1. Your knee is very much prone to injuries. Knee injuries may happen due to accidents, falling down carelessly or while playing sports. The most common knee injuries that may be the cause for your knee pain are mentioned as follows: 
a) Fractures may cause you to feel pain in the areas of your knee bones.
b) Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury (ligament injury caused by twisting and a sudden motion) or Medial Collateral Ligament injury (injury to the tissue in the insides of your knee) is very common to sportspersons and may be the reason for severe knee pain.
c) Sometimes your knee bones may get dislocated from their usual alignment. This can also make you experience severe knee pain.
d) Ligament injuries, meniscus tear or tendon tear can also be responsible for your knee pain.

2. Sometimes pain in your buttock or foot region can also result in mild knee pain.

3. At times chronic problems like osteoarthritis that affects the cartilage can cause the problem of knee pain. Other chronic problems like Gout, rheumatoid arthritis can also cause severe knee pain.

4. Being overweight can also result in knee pain.
The symptoms of knee pain may be different in each case. The most common symptoms are mentioned below:
a) Stiffness of knee
b) Swelling of your knee
c) You may also feel unstable
d) Difficulty in walking or bending of your knee.
e) You may notice redness in your knee area.

Knee pain must not be ignored. It is highly recommended for you to seek advice from an orthopedic as soon as you encounter any of the above mentioned symptoms.

Suffering from Knee Pain - Know What Causes it? 

As you age, your body and bones start to grow weaker. You may experience a number of health disorders that you did not suffer from before. These are known as degenerative diseases. Such conditions also affect the spinal region of a person. The degenerative diseases that affect the spine are termed as lumbar spondylosis.

What causes spondylosis?

Here are some known causes and risk factors for spondylosis-

  The bone, ligaments and other connective tissues in the spine wear down with age. Additionally, the intervertebral discs also undergo degeneration. This can lead to bulging discs and even herniation.
  Apart from your age, your genes also play a role in spondylosis. People who have a family history of the condition are more likely to suffer from the disorder.
  Lastly, if you have suffered from an injury to the spine, spondylosis is much more likely. It does not develop as soon as the spine is injured, but may gradually appear over a period of years.

Common symptoms of spondylosis:

Symptoms differ from one patient to the next and some people may not experience any effect of the disease. However, symptoms are present if the herniation or slipped disc leads to excessive pressure on the nerves.

  The most common symptoms of lumbar spondylosis are back and neck pain
  In case the spondylosis results in a pinched nerve, the pain may radiate into the legs and arms
  Other minor symptoms of spondylosis include tingling, weakness and numbness

Treatments for spondylosis:

Spondylosis cannot be cured. However, symptoms can be managed using medications and therapies.

  Pain medications - Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to deal with the pain and discomfort from the degenerative disorder.

  Antidepressants - Some antidepressants are useful in treating the pain associated with spondylosis. However, these medications have side effects. This is why it is wise to consult a doctor before consuming them.

  Topical medication - In some cases, topical medication applied directly at the site of the pain is more effective than oral pain medications.

  Physical therapy - Your doctor may recommend physical therapy for you as well if the spondylosis is severe and is interfering with daily life.

Acupuncture and chiropractic practices can also help deal with the discomfort to some extent. Furthermore, exercise relieves some pressure on pinched nerves, reducing the pain.

Lumbar Spondylosis - Common Symptoms & Treatment Of It!

The carpal tunnel is the passageway for the median nerve to pass through on the inner side of your hand, when your palms are facing down. For example, while typing, there is a lot of movement of the fingers and this puts a lot of pressure on this tunnel. In fact, people who are involved in a lot of typing are one of the most prone people for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Other causes would include trauma, fractures, etc., where the tunnel is injured.

Conventional measures to treat CTS included a combination of exercise and pain killers in mild to moderate cases. In moderate (sometimes) to severe cases, surgery was also done. However, with advancements in medical technology, endoscopic surgical procedure is gaining popularity.

What is done?
In endoscopic surgery, a small incision is made in the wrist or one each in the palm and the wrist. Through this, a flexible tube with a camera and minute cutting tools are inserted into the wrist. Another ligament known as transverse carpal ligament is cut. This reduces the pressure on the median nerve, which provides relief from the CTS symptoms.

What to expect as benefits?
The intention behind the surgery remains the same in both traditional and endoscopic procedures. The pressure on the median nerve is released, restoring movement and reducing pain in the joints. In addition, the endoscopic procedure has the following benefits.

Less invasive: Needless to say, there are only one or two small incisions done for this procedure, so less surrounding tissue is damaged.
Same day surgery: No hospitalization is required, and unless required, the patient can return home on the same day of surgery.
Reduced recovery time: The recovery period is usually substantially less compared to the traditional surgical approach.
Back to work: Depending on which is your dominant hand, you would be able to return to your regular work earlier than with regular surgery. If your non-dominant hand is involved, a day or two of rest is required. If your dominant hand was involved, give it up to four weeks for complete recovery.
Reduced chances of nerve injury: The area of operation has many nerves and blood vessels, and endoscopic surgery reduces the chances of damaging adjacent nerves.
Anesthesia: This is done under local anesthesia. Therefore, complications arising out of general anesthesia are completely avoided.
Indications
While these sound promising, your doctor will decide if you are a candidate for endoscopic procedure depending on the following:

Nonsurgical treatment including exercise and pain killers have not provided relief, even after several months.
Severe symptoms including those of nerve damage, like loss of sensation, altered coordination, etc., is affecting your normal daily routine.
Person requiring bilateral surgery like severe trauma, wheelchair dependent, etc.

Carpal Tunnel - How Endoscopic Surgery is Beneficial?

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?

At some point in life most people experience acute pain in their lower back which is extremely painful. Pain in the spine causes a lot of discomfort and disruption in the life of an individual and hence, it is always better to get it checked on time. There are patients who even wonder when they should consult a neurosurgeon or a spine surgeon for their back pain. It is advisable that a physical examination is done by a primary care physician for low back pain before consulting a spine surgeon.

Why consult a Physical care Physician First?
The main reason to consult a primary care physician at first is that he would prescribe medications for severe lower back pain. The medications could include non-narcotic pain medications such as Ultram or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin. The physician can even refer you to a chiropractor or for physical therapy to get relief from the back pain. Mechanical means are made use of by a chiropractor mainly to alleviate the back pain of the patient.

If the patient feels better with the physical therapy or the medications prescribed by the family doctor and is able to resume normal activities, then there is no need to see a spine surgeon. It is often recommended to take good care of the back and to exercise. A combination of ergonomics, regular stretching and improved everyday posture is beneficial as it reduces the chance of causing pain in the lower back. Exercise plays a very important role and it provides the possibility of reducing the pain.

Conservative Care for Treating Lower back Pain
It is best for patients to consult a conservative care specialist if after consulting a chiropractor they do not find any reduction in their pain and they do not want to undergo spine surgery. The conservative care specialists are well-trained in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders and specialize in spine care. The role of the conservative care specialist is similar to a cardiologist who specializes in treating neurological disorders.

The specialist for spine care works along with the surgeon in a spine center to treat the lower back pain. The specialist is trained in diagnostic techniques and is capable of making use of a combination of diagnostic tests as well as injection techniques such as epidural steroid injections to diagnose the source of the lower back pain in a patient. They can even advise patients whether it is appropriate to consult a spine surgeon for surgery. Surgery is done to correct the anatomical conditions and it is performed only when non-surgical treatments are not successful in alleviating the pain of the patient.

When Is The Right Time To See A Spine Surgeon?

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