Category: Education

The role of the hip flexors:

The hip flexor muscles include the iliacus and psoas major. Together these muscles act to lift the thigh up closer to the abdomen, which is the movement known as hip flexion. Excessive tightness of the hip flexor muscles is more likely to occur in certain people. It can lead to biomechanical abnormalities and be a source of pain. 

People that are more prone to hip flexor tightness:

People that have occupations that involve prolonged periods of sitting are prone to hip flexor tightness as the hips are in a sustained flexed position during sitting. People that engage in regular exercise such as running and cycling are also more prone to tight hip flexors. Sportspeople playing kicking sports such as soccer and football are also more likely to experience excessive flexor tightness as the kicking motion involves repetitive hip flexion movements. 

The consequences of tight hip flexors: 

Tight hip flexors can be a local source of pain around the hip joint which can be present during prolonged periods of sitting or during sporting activities that utilise the hip flexor muscles. Excessive tightness of the hip flexors can change lumbo-pelvic posture as it pulls the pelvis into an anteriorly tilted position. Increased anterior pelvic tilt increases the curve within the lumbar spine (lordosis) which in turn can cause the facet joint of the lumbar spine to be compressed more and tighten up surrounding back extensor muscles such as the erector spinae; this can lead to associated lower back pain. 

Tight hip flexors and altered alignment of the pelvis can also lead to over-activity of the hip flexor muscles and altered neuromuscular activity of the gluteal and core muscles which can further be a source of hip pain. 

Keeping in mind these exercises are just the basic exercise that we start off with to fully fix your knee injuries you will still need to continue to progress to harder and more functional exercises in order to feel pain free.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your hip/groin issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

We can help you lead a healthier and pain free lifestyle. 

Our physiotherapist will be able to give an individualised advice/ treatment plan that is tailored for your particular needs.

 At Capital Physiotherapy, your initial appointment is 40-60minutes long. This allows our physios to be thorough in their assessment, as well as giving them enough time to give you treatment on the same consultation! 

If you have physiotherapy concerns and questions, don’t hesitate visit us at any of our clinics like in Footscray suburb or you may do online booking with us. We also provide Telehealth Consultation for your safety and convenience during this pandemic.

Waking up with heel pain in the morning?

Do you experience heel pain first thing in the morning when you take your first few steps going to the bathroom?

If you are experiencing pain at this part of your heel, you most likely have what we call Plantar Fasciitis or the new term as we were told it’s called “plantar fasciopathy” or “plantar fasciosis”.

The plantar fascia is a thick, weblike ligament that connects your heel to the front of your foot. It acts as a shock absorber and supports the arch of your foot, helping you walk.

Too much pressure on your feet can damage the ligaments in turn causing this structure to be inflamed or degenerate faster making it painful and stiffness.

Symptoms:

• The pain is usually worse in the morning when you take your first steps out of bed
• if you’ve been sitting or lying down for a while, the first few steps that you take will normally be painful
•  Climbing the stairs can be 
• After prolonged activity on your feet causes it to flare up and People with plantar fasciitis don’t usually feel pain during the activity, but rather just after stopping.

So how can we fix this problem?

1. Ice and anti inflammatory drug
2. Change footwear with good support and heel pad 
3. Golf ball stretches
4. Calf stretch

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your foot issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

We can help you break this habit and lead a healthier and pain free lifestyle. 

Our physiotherapist will be able to give you individualised advice/ treatment plan that is tailored for your particular needs.

 At Capital Physiotherapy, your initial appointment is 40-60minutes long. This allows our physios to be thorough in their assessment, as well as giving them enough time to give you treatment on the same consultation! 

If you have questions and concerns about physiotherapy, don’t hesitate to give our South Yarra physio at 0401 865 333 or you can do online booking. We also provide Telehealth Consultation for your safety and convenience during this time.

If you are experiencing pain right at this area while you are running and sometimes it travel up to your leg then you most likely suffers from what we call Posterior Tibial Tendonitis.

This problem is commonly seen in runners or hikers.

This muscle is located in the deep compartment of the lower leg, and is a key stabilising muscle of the ankle, supporting the medial arch of the foot.

So what causes your muscles to start hurting?

1.  Incorrect technique used over a period of time (running or hiking)
2.  Flat Feet; People who suffer from these problems either have flat feet to begin with or develop a flat foot if this issue is not properly fixed and it can lead to multiple other ankle injuries when left untreated.
3. Weak ankle stabiliser muscles– because the ankle stabiliser are weak they are unable to cope the the amount of load that you are trying to put them through with your activities hence they started getting injured
4. Weak Calf muscles;The bigger muscles group are suppose to do most of the work such as running or long distance hiking however if they are weak, your stabiliser muscles will have to do dual task both stabilising the ankle joint and also helping to do the actual movement, so inevitably, it gets overworked leading to injuries

How to fix it?

1. Hence to go about fixing this problem we first need to correct your technique 
2. Then we need to improve your flat feet issues 
3. Strengthen your injured ankle stabiliser muscles (Tibialis Posterior)
4. Strengthen your calf muscles so they are strong enough to do the activities you want them to do! 

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your ankle issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

Our Physiotherapy Clinics in Melbourne

Hawthorn Physio Clinic

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South Yarra Physio Clinic

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Footscray Physio Clinic

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If you have been diagnosed with:

• Shoulder tendinitis
• Shoulder bursitis
• Rotator cuff injury
• Bicep tendonitis

Most shoulder injuries are caused by poor biomechanic of :

1. shoulder blade movement and also

2. poor shoulder joint control

Basic shoulder joint explanation.

Video About Impingement

1. kinesiology of scapular 

2. kinesiology of shoulder joint

As these injuries are mostly due to poor shoulder blade control which leads to you constantly putting your shoulder stabiliser muscles at risk of injuries.

You then might ask “ So what can you do to start improving your shoulder blade muscles control?”

We do have a useful video over here so don’t forget to check it out after this video.

The most recent video teaches the basic exercise that we normally give for most clients with shoulder injuries.

Keeping in mind these exercises are just the basic exercise that we start off with to fully fix your shoulder injuries you will still need to continue to progress to harder and more functional exercises in order to feel pain free in your daily activities.

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your shoulder issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

We can help you break this habit and lead a healthier and pain free lifestyle. 

If you are suffering from should pain or any physiotherapy concerns, you may visit one of our clinics near you or book online using this link. We also provide Telehealth Consultation for your safety and convenience during this pandemic.

Hip popping is also known as “Snapping hip syndrome”

SHS is more common in women, though it can affect people of all genders and ages.

There are three main types of snapping hip syndrome:

• Internal. Usually caused by your hip flexor muscles rubbing against a bony prominence at your hip 
• External. Usually caused by your side hip muscles rubbing against a bony prominence. 

The youtube video that we created will show you some simple exercises that will help kick start your internal and external snapping hip problem.

• Intra-articular. In this category, a snapping hip is caused by an actual hip joint issue or injury. Unlike external or internal SHS, intra-articular SFS isn’t caused by a tendon or muscle. There is actual structural damage to the actual hip joint  such as cartilage, labrum tear etc.

These are actual joint damage and I highly recommend you go see a physiotherapist to get it treated ASAP. You don’t always have to end up in surgery in these cases but it is also not something you can fix on your own 🙂

Here at Capital Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists are the experts in helping you to fix your posture/alignment issues as well as all the discomfort that comes with it!

Our Physiotherapy Clinics in Melbourne

Hawthorn Physio Clinic

Book An Appointment

South Yarra Physio Clinic

Book An Appointment

Footscray Physio Clinic

Book An Appointment