Latest post on physioquestions.com | Intro to the Shoulder (Part I): What makes your shoulder stable?

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the human body. A normal shoulder precisely constrains the humeral head to the centre of the glenoid cavity throughout most of the arc of movement.  

Shoulder stability is the result of a complex interaction between static and dynamic restraints.

• Static stabilisers (capsule, ligaments, labrum) act as concave structures to deepen the glenoid fossa.
• Dynamic stabilisers include rotator cuff and surrounding larger muscles that provide scapular stability (serratus anterior, lat dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, pectoralis)

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Latest post on physioquestions.com | Review on LARS - An alternative for ligament reconstruction

I was asked about the efficacy of LARS as an alternative surgical option for ACL reconstruction. 

In recent years, the use of LARS ligaments have been increasing with promising clinical results. In fact, these ligaments have been in clinical use for over 15 years. LARS stands for Ligament Augmentation & Reconstruction System, and these artificial ligaments are intended for the intra or extra-articular reconstruction of ruptured ligaments.

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Latest post on physioquestions.com | Knee Injury: ACL (Part II)

In follow-up to my previous article on "Knee injury: ACL (Part I)", here is the 2nd half of my discussion to provide an overview of ACL surgery and post-op rehabilitation. 

Who will benefit from surgery?

• Individuals with active lifestyles
• Individuals involved in high-level sporting activities (eg. soccer, basketball, netball, footy, skiing, etc)
• Those with recurrent knee instability due to ACL deficiency
• Those wishing to protect their knee joint and cartilage from future damage
• Individuals who have attempted and failed conservative management with recurrent knee pain and instability

Topics covered in this article: 

• Surgery: What graft is used? What does the procedure involve?
• Rehabilitation: Overview of the aims, goals and duration of each stage in rehab
• Prehabilitation (Preparations prior to surgery)
• Phase 1 - Acute Recovery (0-2 weeks)
• Phase 2 - Muscular Control (2-6 weeks)
• Phase 3 - Balance and Proprioception (6-12 weeks)
• Phase 4 - Sports-Specific Training (3-6 months)
• Phase 5 - Return to Sport (6 months +)

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Latest post on physioquestions.com | Knee Injury: ACL (Part I)

My sister-in-law recently ruptured her ACL playing touch footy and will be undergoing surgery in a month. Hence it prompted me to write about the ACL - what it is, what happens with an ACL injury, and provide an overview of surgery and rehabilitation from a physiotherapist's perspective.

What is the ACL?

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is one of the four major stabilising ligaments of the knee. 
The other three are: Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL). The term 'cruciate' is used as the ACL crosses the PCL in a crucifix position.

Topics covered:

• Anatomy including attachments
• Functional anatomy
• What happens in an ACL injury
• Signs and symptoms of a torn ACL
  
• What to do immediately post-injury
• Treatment options: conservative vs surgical
• Returning to sport

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Latest post on physioquestions.com | Baby milestones: 7 to 12 months

Understanding the developmental milestones of a baby is a good way for parents to monitor their child's growth. It is of course important to mention that all babies are different and some may achieve certain milestones later than others, and this is nothing to be worried about (unless you notice this delay happening consistently).

Following on from my previous article "Baby milestones: 1 to 6 months", this latest post lists out the major milestones to look out for in your child between 7 to 12 months.

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Latest post on physioquestions.com | Baby milestones: 1 to 6 months

Understanding the developmental milestones of a baby is a good way for parents to monitor their child's growth. It is of course important to mention that all babies are different and some may achieve certain milestones later than others, and this is nothing to be worried about (unless you notice this delay happening consistently).

Tummy time

In this article, I have listed out some of the major milestones to look out for in your child.

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Latest post on physioquestions.com | Exercises suitable for when sick with the cold/flu

QUESTION RECEIVED 31/8/10:

"What kind of stretches/exercise can you do when you are sick with the flu and a lot of your body hurts? How can you get your blood circulating well without exhausting yourself?"

Good on you for thinking about exercising even when you are sick. It is often so hard to motivate yourself to get up off the bed or couch, or sometimes you just physically are not able to stand up long enough before feeling dizzy or weak.

Here are some gentle exercises that I would recommend for you to do to keep the blood circulating and prevent your body getting stiff (without causing too much exhaustion). Just select a few that you like and try to do them 3 x a day. I have also written down the sets/reps that I would recommend. Of course, the key is not to over-do, so do what your body can handle!

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