INTRODUCTION TO MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS TREATED WITH PHYSIOTHERAPY - HEREFORD

In this page I describe what musculoskeletal disorders (MSKD's) are and how they can cause pain and dysfunction.

I then describe in more detail the most common musculoskeletal  disorders that are treated with physiotherapy here in Hereford within each subcategory.

It is very important to get these assessed and treated as soon as possible.  ​Early assessment and treatment speeds up recovery and reduces the risk of future injuries or  complications. 

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WHO BENEFITS FROM TREATMENT?

Physiotherapy, sports therapy & sports massage are very beneficial for anyone who is suffering from  a musculoskeletal disorder  (MSKD) , participating in exercise or who competes in sport here in Hereford.

Depending on what is required, a progressive exercise plan can be utilised along with manual therapy to improve your strength, flexibility, mobility, balance and stability. This will aid with either pain relief,   injury rehabilitation, injury prevention or both. 

For anyone who participates in regular exercise, manual therapy techniques, especially massage can be very useful to use before, straight after and also in-between exercise to assist with recovery and injury prevention. 

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WHAT ARE ​MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS (MSKD's)

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSKD's) are a range of injuries, disorders, or abnormalities that can develop within the soft tissues and/or the skeletal system. The soft tissues encompass nerves, spinal discs, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Injuries or abnormalities in any of these areas can lead to dysfunctions and pain.​

 

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 Common MSKD's that can be treated are:

INJURIES

ACUTE/CHRONIC

   Muscular & tendon injuries
   Joint/ligament injuries 
   Overuse injures 
   Recurrent/Repetitive injuries

MUSCLE IMBALANCES ​

COMPENSATORY MOVEMENT PATTERNS

SPINAL PAIN

LOW BACK & NECK PAIN

   Disc damage, disc bulge, spondylosis (arthritis in the spine),     muscular and ligament injuries

 

POSTURAL DYSFUNCTION ​

ARTHRITIS

POST SURGICAL REHABILITATION

REDUCED BALANCE AND STABILITY (PROPRIOCEPTION)

REDUCED STRENGTH/ ENDURANCE / FLEXILBITIY

INCREASED MUSCULAR TENSION

TENSION HEADACHES

GENERAL MUSCULAR TENSION

TRIGGER POINTS

.................................AND MANY MORE

What is pain?

Pain is a natural response to damage or abnormal stress placed on the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves) or bony structures in the body. Swelling and inflammation is often present along with pain.

When inflammation and swelling occurs, chemicals are released as part of the normal healing process. Some of chemicals can cause irritation and increase the activation of the nerves involved with producing pain.  This serves as a warning system to try and prevent any further damage to the area. It does this by causing you to try and avoid straining or stressing the area any further (e.g. if the knee has been injured, pain causes you to take weight off the knee by limping or resting more). This then helps to  reduce the load passing through the damaged area, allowing for healing.  

 

 

Examples of situations that can trigger pain are:

Injuries

Acute injuries - causes immediate damage to the local area. e.g.  a ligament sprain.

Chronic injuries - develop over a prolonged period of time as abnormal loads/stress are applied to an area  that results in inflammatory reactions and pain ( e.g.Overuse injuries).

Increased tension within muscles - This can lead to adhesions/trigger points within  the muscles. These can cause both localised and/or referred pain as well as other symptoms such as pins and needles and changes to sensation.

Nerve root compressions  such as a disc bulge  -Cause pain either directly from the disc squashing the nerve,  or after the build up of inflammation that can occur after the spinal disc, ligaments or tendons etc have been damaged.  

COMMON MSKD'S THAT CAN BE TREATED WITH PHYSIOTHERAPY IN  HEREFORD

There are many common MSKD'S throughout the body that cause pain and can be treated with exercises and/or manual therapy. The following is a list of common disorders that will benefit with treatment.​

  • NECK -  whiplash, disc injury/prolapse, arthritis, increased muscular tension/trigger points, myofascial pain
  • SHOULDER -  impingement syndreome, rotator cuff tears, labral tears, increased muscular tension, trigger points, myofascial pain, scapula dyskinesis, acromioclavicular joint  injuries, dislocation, tendinopathy, bursitis, frozen shoulder, arthritis, calcific tendonitis
  • ELBOW - tennis elbow, golfers elbow, tendinopathy, bursitis, fractures, ligament injuries, increased muscular tension/trigger points, myofascial pain
  • HAND & WRIST - Post fracture rehabilitation, DeQuervain's, dislocations, arthritis, impingement syndromes, ligament tears, tendinopathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, nerve compression, post surgical. repetItive strain injuries, increased muscular tension/trigger potins, myofascial pain
  • FINGERS & THUMB - fractures, dislocations, ligament injuries, tendinopathy, mallet finger, swan neck deformity, Boutonniere deformity,  repetitive strain injuries, increased muscular tension/trigger potins, myofascial pain
  • LOW BACK - arthritis, disc bulge/prolapse, disc injury, degenerative disc disease, joint dysfunctions/injuries, spondylolisthesis, spondylolysis, fracture, non-specific low back pain, increased muscular tension/trigger points, myofascial pain
  • HIP/PELVIS - arthritis, femoroacetabular impingement, labral tears, ligament tears, synovitis, tendinopathy, bursitis, muscle strain/tear, stress fracture, increased muscular tension, myofascial pain, sacroiliac joint pain, piriformis syndrome, deep gluteal pain syndrome, hamstring tendon injury.
  • KNEE - arthritis, meniscal injury, ligament injury, bursitis, tendinopathy, fat pad impingement, knee cap dislocation, cartilage damage, patellofemoral pain, increased muscular tension/trigger potins, myofascial pain.
  • CALF - strain, tear, increased muscular tension/trigger potins, myofascial pain
  • Foot and Ankle - arthritis, ligament injury, tendinopathy, fracture,  plantar fasciitis, increased muscular tension/trigger potins, myofascial pain 
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