Common Conditions Requiring Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy for Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury

Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles tendonitis is a common injury to the Achilles tendon located above the back of the heel resulting in pain, limited mobility, inflammation, and occasional rupture. Diagnosis is clinically done, and management is aimed at reducing aggravating activity, medication and the use of supportive devices.

Achilles Tendon Repair

Tendonitis, a tear, or a full rupture to the Achilles tendon can require surgery to correct. Following the repair, physiotherapy is the mainstay of rehabilitation to help ensure a complete recovery and a return to activities of daily living.

ACL Reconstruction

ACL reconstruction is a ideal method of regaining the stability lost after a tear of the ACL ligament in your knee. However successful return to activities and sport depends upon a well constructed physiotherapy rehabilitation program following your surgery.

After Surgery

Surgery can be an excellent option when conservative treatment has plateaued or become ineffective. Physiotherapy is not only crucial to optimizing recovery after surgery, but research now shows that physiotherapy before surgery improves overall outcomes!

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

ALS or Lou Gehrigs’s Disease is caused by the death of neurons that control voluntary muscles. Patient have progressive muscle weakness and complain of problems with breathing, activities, and movement.

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common conditions affecting our body with every person eventually experiencing this wear and tear on their joints. However it’s a condition that does not necessarily have to involve pain, stiffness, and a loss of movement. Physiotherapy can provide relief and a return to activity in most cases.

Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy (often called a scope) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure which involves the insertion of a camera and small tools to diagnose and repair problems within and around a joint. Following repair, physiotherapy is usually prescribed to continue the recovery process.

Back and Neck Pain

Back and neck pain are the most common impairments that physiotherapists assess and treat. Active physiotherapy has been shown to be among the most effective treatment modalities to address spinal problems.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is the most common movement disorder in children. It is a group of permanent movement disorders that occur during early childhood. CP is caused by abnormal development of the brain that controls movement. Patients generally present with poor coordination, stiff and weak muscles, and tremors. Symptoms may not be limited to movement, and can also effect sensation, vision, hearing, swallowing, and speaking.

Dizziness

Dizziness is the 2nd most common symptom reported to medical professions and can complicated to accurately assess and treat. Vestibular physiotherapists are skilled in identifying dizziness disorders and providing appropriate treatment programs.

Foot Pain

Pain in your foot can be a result of a variety of impairments. From joints, ligaments, tendons, nerves, to soft-tissue fat pads and fasciia, an expert physiotherapist can find the root cause of your symptoms and with expertly prescribed physiotherapy, reduce or eliminate your problem.

Fractures and Dislocations

Fractures and dislocations are among the most common traumas that patients can experience. Though initially highly disabling, these are the among the most straight-forward in terms of rehabilitation, particularly with an expert physiotherapist.

Hip Fractures: Risks, Causes, Treatment

Hip fractures general result from falls, resulting in hip pain, inability to ambulate, and general weakness of the joint. Most commonly found in the elderly, this injury can be debilitating and fatal if not address quickly. Depending on your age and risk factors, surgery is commonly performed with good outcomes. Post operatively it is important to participate in adjuvant treatments. Physiotherapy is known to improve function and quality of life

Hip Replacement

Hip replacement surgery often results in a dramatic improvement in a patient’s pain, mobility, and quality of life. However this is highly dependent on a dedicated physiotherapy treatment regimen which includes both an experienced physiotherapist and a motivated patient.

Knee Pain

Knee pain is a common complaint and can arise from faults with several types of structures in the knee. These impairments of meniscus, ligament, tendon, muscle, bursa and nerve can be assessed by a orthpaedic physiotherapist and treated through a well-planned physiotherapy prescription.

Knee Replacement

Knee replacement surgery or knee arthroplasty is a common procedure to replace the damaged knee joint with an artificial one. Compliance to your physiotherapy program is essential in order to achieve maximal recovery and function.

Labral Tears of the Hip

Pain in the groin or hip can be a result of a tear in the cartilage of the joint. This is commonly referred to as a labral tear. The pain and limited movement that results is commonly treated with physiotherapy.

Ligament Injuries

Ligaments are the soft-tissue structures in our body that connect one bone to another. Trauma and repetitive strain can often irritate or damage ligaments leading to disability. Fortunately it is one of the most common problems that physiotherapists successfully treat.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal causing pressure on the nerve roots that travel through the canal and exit the spine in the lumbar region.

Meniscal Tears of the Knee

Meniscal tears are injuries to knee cartilage that functions as cushion. Patient may experience pain, swelling, and restricted range of motion. Depending on the degree of tear treatment will vary from rest to surgery. Osteoarthritis is the most common chronic joint disease that effects quality of life and daily function. It is a deterioration of the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and restricted range of motion.

Neurological Conditions

This category of impairments covers a wide variety of separate and distinct conditions. However they all involve a dysfunction of the brain, the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, or a combination of the three. Physiotherapy is a common primary or supportive treatment to help manage or resolve neurological conditions.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis is the most common chronic joint disease that effects quality of life and daily function. It is a deterioration of the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and restricted range of motion.

Osteoporosis

Osteoperosis is a disease that causes a reduction in bone quality that results in an increased risk of bone fractures. The fractures result in pain and disability if not managed appropriately.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson ’s disease is a movement disorder caused by the malfunction of nerves that is progressive over time. Patients generally present with tremors, slow movement, and stiffening of limbs.

Pinched Nerve

Nerve compression can be extremely painful and cause tingling, loss of sensation, and muscle weakness. Physiotherapists are experts at assessing the cause of the pinched nerve, and provide the treatment necessary to reverse it.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

RA is a form of arthritis that is a chronic disease cause by inflammation effecting tissue, joints, cartilage, and bone. Generally it effects the small joints (hand and feet), causing pain, stiffness, and restricted range of motion.

Rotator Cuff Injuries

The rotator cuff is the group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint allowing it to be both stable and mobile. Trauma or repetitive wear and tear can cause inflammation to these structures and even a partial or complete tear. Physiotherapists routinely treat rotator cuff injuries.

Sciatica

Sciatica is a result of spinal nerve compression resulting in radiating pain that can be felt along the buttocks, thighs, and knees. Pain is commonly brought on by movements that pinch the effected nerve. In time and with appropriate treatment, this pain can be dramatically reduced and even self-remitting.

Shoulder Dislocations

The shoulder joint is the most common to dislocate or sublux and can result in trauma to the supportive muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Physiotherapy can help reduce pain, improve stability and prevent stiffness and immobility.

Shoulder Pain

A painful shoulder can be a result of a variety of causes including problems with the cartilage, muscle, tendon, ligament, nerve or bursa. Physiotherapists can properly assess these conditions and provide the recommended physiotherapy treatment to reduce your pain and improve your function.

Spinal Cord Injury

Injuries to the spinal cord cause a disruption in the nerves essential for sensation and muscles contractions of the torso and limbs. Physiotherapy is critical in maintaining and progressing function in these affected areas.

Sprains, Strains and Tears

Sprains, strains and tears are the general terms used to describe injury (both traumatic and repetitive) to soft tissue structures such as ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Physiotherapy is the most common treatment recommended when these soft-tissue impairments are significant or chronic and repetitive.

Stroke or (CVA)

A stroke or CVA occurs when the blood flow to a part of your brain stops or gets interrupted resulting in damage or death to the brain cells in that area.

Tendonitis

This common condition is regularly and successfully treated with physiotherapy. Tendonitis is the general term for the inflammation, pain and swelling that occurs at the tendon (tissue connecting muscles to bones).

Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow

Tennis elbow and Golfer’s elbow are painful inflammatory conditions of the tendons on the outside and inside of the elbow. Without treatment, this condition can often persist for months, whereas physiotherapy can rapidly improve the symptoms and promote a quick return to activity.