Dr. Rajiv Mehta

Today’s lifestyle and food habits have led to obesity becoming a widespread problem across the globe. Obesity means being overweight which invites a host of other disorders that increase morbidity and mortality rates and reduces the quality of life. Obesity can cause a person to feel less confident and be less healthy as it aggravates issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disorders, arthritis, muscle pain, fatigue and loss of flexibility.

Why is physiotherapy a safe technique for slimming and achieving the optimum body weight?
There are a lot of ways by which one can undergo weight loss. But it is important to note that many of these include intake of harmful medicines and crash dieting to bring about rapid weight loss which may not be sustained and can even cause irreversible damage to the body. Physiotherapy involves exercising and burning the excess fat accumulated in specific body parts to tone the body and make it look slimmer and healthier. As this method does not involve taking medicines to curb hunger or reduce enzyme production, it does not harm the body.

How can physiotherapy be used in slimming?
There are several ways in which physiotherapy helps in slimming and shedding the extra kilos-

1. Physiotherapy is based on the premise that exercise and movement are the key to weight management.
2. Physiotherapy recognises the barriers to activity and movement of a person and then deals with these problems first to lead to effective weight loss.
3. It also aims to manage associated problems like arthritis, back pain and stiffness through exercise to increase the movement of an individual which will automatically lead to greater physical activity which will help in maintaining weight loss.
4. Physiotherapists prescribe appropriate physical activity to tone muscles, increase muscle strength, burn calories and increase endurance based on the physical state and requirement of an individual.
5. In a lot of persons, obesity is more a mental state than physical. Physiotherapy is the most appropriate in such cases as the physiotherapist considers individual requirements and then prescribes the most appropriate movement and exercise for slimming and weight loss.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

A workout session is often tedious and exhausting, especially for those who aren’t comfortable with strenuous exercises. And, many a time, you can experience significant pain in pursuit of a fit body - injuries, strain, and sprain become a part of your life. The most common gym injuries one might have while working out are-

1. Muscle pull or strain- A muscle pull can injure anyone regardless of their age. This usually results from strenuous physical activity. Sometimes, overstretching can cause the muscle fibers to tear, which in turn affects the hamstring or calves. The most common symptoms include- bruising and discoloration, stiffness, localised pain.
2. Ankle sprain- This refers to an injury to your ligaments. This occurs when you mistakenly twist the ligament while exercising. If you have a sprained ankle, you will likely notice these symptoms- bruising, swelling, stiffness and tenderness, difficulty putting weights on the ankle.
3. Shoulder injury- Several other muscles, ligaments, and tendons hold your shoulder together, thereby making it prone to injuries during workout sessions. Weight lifting exercises like Machine Shoulder Press, Overhead Shoulder Press etc can lead to serious shoulder injuries like the Rotator Cuff injury, if you don’t follow the right technique.
4. Tendinitis- Tendinitis is caused due to the overuse of tendons during the workout. Tendons are wide cords joining the muscle to your bones. When the tendons become inflamed, it restricts the movement of the joints, resulting in pain.
5. Shin Splint- This injury is caused due to recurrent trauma to the connective tissues. This tissue connects the tibia bone to the muscles, and when these tissues break down or become inflamed, stiffness and pain are experienced. People who engage in long running-cycles are most likely to have a shin splint.
6. Runner’s knee- This type of injury is common in those who spend several minutes on the treadmill. Runner’s knee is characterized by mild dull pain at the back of or beneath the kneecap, typically felt while running.

Repetitive motion, not having enough rest after completing one set of the exercise, simple wear and tear- all these result in workout injuries. Many a time, people don’t pay much attention to these injuries and continue with their daily activities. Studies reveal that overuse of body parts account for about 30% of all injuries. Ignoring these injuries may lead to serious health conditions in the long run.

A few precautionary measures can be adopted to prevent such injuries-

1. If you’re running on the treadmill, make sure you have full control over your movement and the speed of the machine. Most treadmills these days come with a clip that you can attach to your clothes so that if you lose control and fall off the treadmill, the machine will stop immediately and prevent you from sustaining any grievous injury.
2. Wear proper shoes that support your feet and are comfortable to move around. Watch out for slippery, uneven floors. Athletic shoes are specially designed to fit your feet well for this purpose.
3. Don’t start your workout session by lifting heavy weights. Start with mild, warm-up exercises (stretching, Jumping Jacks, free-hand squats) to allow your body to become accustomed to the environment.
4. Maintain a healthy body weight. This is essential because an overweight person is more likely to get affected by injuries to the joint bones, fractures etc.

How are these common injuries treated?
Injuries sustained during workout sessions need to be looked after. Urgent medical intervention is recommended in such cases so that the pain does not hinder your movement and routine activities for long.
The most effective and preferred choice of treatment to cure gym injuries is the RICE technique.

1. Rest (R)- Make sure you don’t put too much pressure on the injured area. Refrain from any physical activity and allow your injury to heal.22481
2. Ice (I)- Apply ice on the injured area to reduce swelling and inflammation.
3. Compression (C)- In order to reduce swelling, apply a compression bandage.
4. Elevate (E)- Elevate the wound/injury to minimize swelling.

Your doctor will also prescribe a few anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers to ease the pain. You can also use a shoulder splint to keep the injured shoulder/arm in place.  In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

People have a common perception that most injuries, medical conditions only affect those who spend several hours working outdoors. But what if we tell you that people who stay indoors- such as homemakers - are also susceptible to numerous health problems?

There’s a saying: “Home is where the heart is.” But for countless homemakers, home is the place where ‘hurt’ is! Scores of Indian homemakers encounter various injuries every year while engaging in household chores like cleaning and washing. The most common ones are:

1. Sprain: If you’re a neat freak, you wouldn’t mind spending half of your day cleaning the entire house. Here’s a small tip- go slow if your cleaning duties include shifting heavy appliances and furniture from one place to another. There’s a high chance that you may end up with a sprain injury. Sprains occur when you accidentally twist your ligaments. Another major cause of sprain injuries is a sudden fall. If you’re mopping the floor or cleaning the bathroom, there’s a fair chance that you may slip or lose balance. One must be cautious when working with water.
2. Back injuries: These are the most common types of injuries at home. Bending, lifting a heavy bucket or an abrupt movement, can strain your back muscles or ligaments leading to back injury. Many times the injury can result in a persistent, sharp stabbing pain, and hinder your usual routine.
3. Joint compression: Homemakers spend a considerable amount of time standing in the kitchen. As tiring as it is, standing for prolonged periods puts pressure on your joints- knee joint, hip joint as well as those in the feet and the ankle. This leads to wear and tear of the synovial joints, eventually causing them to tear. In due course of time, you will find it difficult to move around and walk even a meagre distance.

Prevention
Starting to get worked up? Don’t be. These problems can easily be prevented if you follow these steps-

• Avoid overstretching, bending and twisting
• Avoid lifting heavy weights. If possible, use a waist belt to keep away from traumatic injuries.
• Keep your body weight in check. Mild exercises can help you with that.
• Maintain a healthy diet- calcium intake can help your bones get stronger.
• Use muscle braces to keep your joints protected.

Treatment
The most preferred and effective choice of treatment for curing muscle injuries and joint inflammation is physiotherapy. Physiotherapy uses manual therapy, mechanical force and exercise therapy to promote mobility.

1. The most common method of treating such injuries is the RICE technique. ‘RICE’ stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Keep the injured part at rest. Put an ice bag on the injured portion. Compress the injured area. Elevate the wound/injury for faster relief.
2. Anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen and Aspirin are prescribed to reduce inflammation and swelling. Painkillers can offer you instant relief from pain.
3. Physiotherapy treatment can effectively cure you of such injuries, that too in a short span of time. If you follow the treatment guidelines, recovery will take about 2-4 weeks.

 In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions! In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Hi,

I am Dr Rajiv Mehta, Physiotherapist, practicing since 1999. I have been working in sports physiotherapy, Orthopaedic physiotherapy, neuro physiotherapy and Paratik physiotherapy.

Today I am going to talk about sports injuries, now many of the sports are coming up in India like cricket, football, marathons, gyming, badminton due to all of increase in this sports, injuries in related to this sports also increased. I am talking about few of the common injuries like Supraspinatus, it is a shoulder injury very common in badminton, bowling, cricket, another one epicondylitis that is also known as tennis elbow very common in tennis and cricket. Ankle sprain, very common injury in football also in marathons. Shin pain very much common in marathons, people who run in marathons get pain in their leg. Then knee injury, very common in football, cricket, marathons also. So what happens when this injury occurs, either sports person leave their sports or change their sports but believe me there is no need of leaving sports. One thing is sure that these injuries cannot be treated at home by any of the home remedie, nor rest only can treat this injuries. So visit a sports physiotherapist who will not only rehabilitate your current injury but also will prevent the further damage to that injury, one of the magical treatment for this sports injury that I am going to tell you that you should always do whenever there is any injury that is price P.R.I.C.E. P stands for Positioning, whenever there is any injury to any part first of all position it, stable it with any splint with any cast whatsoever is available, then R, R is for rest, keep that part in complete rest do not try to move that part and see whether the injury is at what extent, keep that to the professionals only. I is for Ice, immediately apply ice this ice prevent swelling of that area and reduces the injury by about 80%. C, C stands for compression apply a compressive bandage, crepe bandage over the injured area. Then E, E is for elevation, elevate the part above the heart so that swelling doesn't stay there the educate moves towards the heart. If you apply this P.R.I.C.E phenomenon in any of the injury, surely you will be back to your sports as soon as possible and trust your sports physiotherapist visit him as soon as possible, so that you can enjoy your sports, you can enjoy your prash. Regarding sports injury, I am treating many of the Olympians, many of the film stars, many celebrities and it's my promise that you won't have to leave sports neither you have to be on the rest for much of the time.

If you have any sports injury, visit to velocity fitness clinic its a velocity promise that you will gain your velocity as soon as possible.

Thanks, I am Dr Rajeev Mehta sports physiotherapist.