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Do you suffer from low back pain? Pain is a symptom of a musculoskeletal disorder occurring in the lower back. The intensity of the pain felt depends on the extent of the disorder. There are numerous causes such as injury or strains to the lower back. Each case involves issues with the discs, ligaments, soft tissue and muscles in the lower back. Treatments vary depending on the extent and area of damage, but one popular therapy is the use of massage chairs to relieve low back pain.

The importance of the lower back to us getting around is critical. The lower back takes the majority of our weight and more so if we lift something. There are certain conditions that occur in time due to aging of the body. Most low back pain problems are preventable with proper posture, lifting, etc.

There are certain spine conditions that are treated by medical doctors which include Ulcers, Scheuermanns disorder, Pancreatitis, Pagets disease, Pelvic inflammatory disease, Ankylosing spondylitis, and Spinal stenosis. You may require surgery and physical therapy afterwards. In some cases, prescriptions are given.

The vast majority of low back pain issues are fully preventable. This class of issues is caused by poor lift technique, bad posture, lack of warm up or stretching before activities. As we age, our muscles lose their flexibility and require more warm up prior to activity. The areas tend to stiffen up after activities causing pain and discomfort later.

The lower back enables us to stand upright. For the spine to accomplish this, it distributes the weight over the length of the spine. Injuries or strains cause the weight (force) to be concentrated in one area. This can over stretch a muscle or tendon causing damage. If the concentration of weight continues, then more damage is done.

Massage chairs have become important treatment instruments in a variety of environments for low back pain. They are used in chiropractic and medical offices for providing therapy to patients. They are also used in physical therapy clinics as part of healing and recovery. They offer a wide range of massage treatments covering the full body along with additional therapies.

A rolling massage is used to provide a traction function with a massage chair. The rolling is performed by rollers located in the back of the chair to target the spine. The patient is reclined back in the chair, and with the use of the patients weight and the angle of recliner, the rollers gently elongate the soft tissues between the discs. This helps to restore flexibility.

Massage chairs are used to deliver full body heat. These massage recliners have heating elements located throughout the chair. They can be used individually to target specific areas or used for the full body. Heat is commonly used to reduce the instance of swelling and help with the flow of blood in the area.

Massage chairs have the capability to apply traction. Traction is used to stretch out a given set of muscles. The rolling massage applies traction to the vertebra in the spine. Each vertebra is individually adjusted as the rollers progress up the length of the spine. Massage chairs can apply traction to the lower body and to the arms and shoulders.

You can find many complimentary therapies being built into massage chairs. One fundamentally important therapy is simply music. Music helps the mind to relax and many massage chairs come with a MP3 player and headphones. You can relax to your favorite music as the massage soothes and relieves your tension.

As you can see the occurrence of low back pain is high considering all of its many causes. Almost everyone will have some incidence of lower back pain sometime in their life. For some the pain will be mild, but for others the pain can be quite severe. It is good to know your options and be educated in your choices. Find the right treatments for your and consult with your physician. Technology advances and massage chairs have become very sophisticated. Consider a massage chair a multi-faceted asset in your long term back care health.

Continue your research into Massage Chairs and find out the best brands like Panasonic, Omega and Sanyo. These manufacturers deliver therapeutic massage therapy to make you feel your best. View Massage Chair Reviews to compare the features that are most appropriate for you.

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A Spinal Disc has two main components that make up it’s structure. There is an outer later made up of fibro-cartilage known as the annulus fibrosis. This is comparable to the dough in a doughnut. There is also an inner layer known as the nucleus polposus which is a jelly like material which would be the jelly inside the doughnut. The nucleus portion of the intervertebral disc is a shock absorber that also acts as a fulcrum for movement that redistributes the impact from daily stress and movement as well as spacing between two adjacent vertebrae.

To better understand how a disc functions we often compare it to a jelly doughnut. If you put pressure on one end, say the front end, of a doughnut you could imagine that the jelly would migrate towards the back. If you put pressure on the back end, the opposite would occur, and the jelly would migrate towards the front. The same holds true for your intervertebral disc since it functions as a fulcrum. When the jelly starts to protrude from the confines of the annular fibers this is known as a prolapse. This can cause symptoms of sciatica or radiculopathy such as numbness and tingling down an extremity.

As people age, the nucleus pulposus begins to dehydrate, which limits its ability to absorb shock. The annulus fibrosus gets weaker with age and begins to tear as a result of repetitive stress as well as the aging process. This doesn’t always cause pain for all people although it can for some.

When the discs of the spine begin to dehydrate this is known as degenerative disc disease, and if bony changes accompany this process it’s often referred to as arthritic changes or spondylosis.

Once a tear has arisen within the annular fibers it is highly likely that the inner nuclear material will begin to make it’s way through that tear. This is termed a herniation. All along the sides of the spine are nerve roots and spinal nerves that make their way to organs, tissues and other body parts and they are at high risk of being infringed upon by herniated disc material. A pinched nerve is when this herniated disc material begins to make contact with one or more affected nerve roots and may cause severe radiating pain, numbness, tingling and reduced ranges of motion. One can also suffer pain as a result of a ‘leaky’ disc where the jelly simply oozes out of the tear and begins to cause inflammation in the adjacent soft tissues. If the pain is nerve related it’s usually deemed a radiculopathy.

A disc injury can be termed any of the following, depending on it’s severity; slipped disc, ruptured disc, bulging disc. In medicine there are three degrees of injury that can occur to a disc:

1. Disc Protrusiton

2. Extruded Disc

3. Sequestered Disc

Surgery used to be the only options if others therapies failed. Until recently there has been a gap between conventional therapy and surgery. Now, there is a new options for those who are trying to avoid surgery that you will soon read about.

If you’ve failed conventional therapy at that point surgery is usually investigated as an option. However, the presence of incontinence, weakness and numbness of genital regions or function is known as cauda equina and considered an emergency situation requiring surgical intervention.

The Cochrane Collaboration, after a meta-analysis or randomized controlled trials, concluded that “limited evidence is now available to support some aspects of surgical practice.” Indications for surgery have been refined as a result of these findings and additional controlled trials.

Surgical intervention should only be considered after all other forms of non-surgical intervention have been exhausted.

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Swiss engineer, Karl Muller, was walking barefoot through a Korean rice field when he noticed that his back pain – something he suffered with – was quite a bit better. Intrigued, he carried out a little research and discovered that Africa’s Masai tribesmen are well known for their good posture and do not suffer from back pain.

Muller came to the conclusion that walking barefoot on soft ground was better for your back and joints than walking on a hard surface. He decided to design a shoe which would mimic the effect of walking on a soft yielding surface such as grass or sand.

What he finally came up with was the Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) range of footwear. It is, according to the company website, so different to standard footwear that it deserves the title of “anti-shoe”.

MBT shoes incorporate a specially developed curved sole without a heel, which produces a rolling action when your foot makes contact with the ground. It’s just like walking on sand in your bare feet in fact. The use of materials of different densities also contributes to the effect by further lowering jarring and impact shock.

Independent scientific studies have verified that this is genuinely better for your back and joints. There are further proven benefits in addition to better posture. For instance, whilst engaged in normal walking in MBT shoes, the wearer’s muscles will be in use for longer (in comparison with similar walking in traditional shoes). The muscles are in use for approximately 16% longer. Wearers also tend to take slightly shorter strides. Both these effects raise the amount of work done.

The result is that every single step you take whilst wearing MBT shoes provides you with additional exercise. It’s like getting a lower body workout just by walking around normally. So, in addition to improving posture and reducing back pain, MBT footwear can also help to trim your buttocks and tone your legs.

You would imagine that would be sufficient wouldn’t you? Despite all these benefits some people find MBT shoes a little chunky and not very aesthetically pleasing. MBTs are a little more expensive than conventional shoes (but the benefits may make them great value for money). Fortunately there are now alternative offerings available which utilise the same basic design and are more cosmetically attractive. Both Skechers Shape Ups and Fitflops have similar curved soles which are specially engineered to increase the muscle activity duration and tone your legs and buttocks whilst engaged in normal, everyday walking activity.

Whichever brand of footwear you go for, the opportunity to reduce back pain and trim your lower body at the same time – all whilst doing nothing more energetic than walking normally – seems to be very attractive.

Check out MBT shoes or have a look at the Fitflops range.

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If you suffer from back pain, then you owe it to yourself to explore what treatment options are available. You want to check with your doctor or chiropractor to diagnose your condition. Some forms of lower back pain can be treated more naturally while others may need surgery. This depends on many factors that your health professional can consult you on directly. Many back pain treatments utilize massage therapy to help assist the healing process. Massage therapy is not necessarily the cure. It is a compliment to your therapeutic needs. Massage therapy can be performed by a massage therapist or in some cases with a massage chair.

Back pain may come from a gradual process. For instance, you work on a computer a few hours a day. You use the mouse and keep your arm under tension. It starts to ache later. This is minor pain. If you are playing sports and through out your back. This is a sudden injury. The sudden injury gets attended to because the pain is overwhelming. On the other hand, we go back to the computer day in and day out. The tension builds in the arm, shoulder and back. Minor back pain accumulates for months or evens years. Do not wait until surgery is the only option; look at some preventative measures that can be taken now.

If you recognize that you are suffering from discomfort associated with back pain, get medical attention. Explain what you feel to your chiropractor and come up with a plan of action. Back pain can be debilitating, so waiting does not cure it. Understanding the causes is an important first step to starting the healing process.

Many of us have built up habits that are now causing the back pain we experience. I know as my stress builds, my shoulders and neck areas get stiff. This starts to cause considerable discomfort as my shoulders and neck start to ache. After speaking with my doctor, I started to realize how I carried my stress and we found some ways to start to reduce the stress by changing my reaction to certain situations. My shoulders and neck would really ache. I have started to change some habits which have started my healing.

In many cases of back pain, there is physical therapy, change of habits and tension relief. Tension and anxiety can be effectively reduced with massage therapy. Massage therapy is wonderful to help relax the mind and work out the stress that has accumulated in the body. There are many massage therapies to assist your recovery. One option you many not be aware of is massage chairs. Massage chairs offer a vast selection of effective massage therapies.

If you have gradual pain and discomfort get some professional attention. You owe it to your family and yourself to not live with the pain. How happy can you be if your back hurts? Life could certainly be better. Check with your doctor and find a course of action right for you. Most likely massage therapy will be a part of our curriculum. If so, explore your options with both massage therapists and massage chairs. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but finding a healthy treatment to get you back to normal is the most important concern.

Seek treatment for your back pain and get relief. Massage Chairs have a tremendous variety of massage therapies. Do not let aches, pains and soreness ruin your day, when a Massage Chair can provide effective daily relief.

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We grow up with the medical model of injury and disease in our heads, its our way of understanding what happens to us. When a pain or other problem occurs, the doctor investigates and pins down the fault to a particular organ or body system, targeting the treatment to improve the malfunctioning of the part. The problem then goes away or is managed such as healing in a fracture, recovery from pneumonia after antibiotics and replacing an arthritic joint. However, there is a group of pain conditions which do not fit well into this system and are not widely recognised or treated.

In normal pain, such as from a sprained ankle, the pain messages pass up to the spinal cord in the back, exciting the nerves there which take the pain on towards the brain. These incoming messages cause the spinal cord nerves to become highly excitable, amplifying the messages as they are sent on, making us feel a lot of pain. This excitation settles down as the inflammation and pain reduces and the spinal cord nerves return towards normal. However, this amplification process can be very powerful and create a pain problem without incoming pain signals. When this happens a person has a pain condition but no underlying physical tissue damage or injury.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic widespread pain (CWP) are typical pain syndromes. CRPS can develop in a wrist or ankle after a moderate or minor injury such as a small fracture or a sprain, with the joint rapidly becoming painful, stiff and swollen. A wrist and hand like this has very limited function and needs to be free of immobilisation as soon as possible to start rehabilitation. Early Osteopathy intervention is vital to get the passive and active ranges of movement as soon as possible and educate the patient in what they have to do.

Chronic widespread pain occurs, as the title implies, all over the body, with multiple trigger points in muscle bellies. Trigger points are areas of acute sensitivity to pressure which occur in specific places in muscles and can refer pain away from those sites causing a persistent pain condition. Osteopaths treat trigger point pain with acupuncture, acupressure, stretches and positional advice. Fibromyalgia syndrome occurs mostly in women, and consists of widespread pain, fatigue, hypersensitivity to pressure, poor sleep, feeling unrestored in the morning, brain fog, IBS, reduced physical ability and pain unpredictability.

Anger, depression, anxiety or low mood are common accompaniments to a chronic pain syndrome, necessitating the skills of a clinical psychologist if the patients are to be successfully managed. Patients find sticking to a treatment plan very challenging and exhibit anger, irrational thinking, poor coping, non-assertive communication and negativity. FMS patients often disclose an abuse history either as children or in adult relationships and this can be the dominating feature of their presentation. Isolated Osteo treatment is unlikely to work and the psychologists input is vital.

A FMS pain management programme covers several psychological skills and strategies, including pacing activity, realistic and negative thinking, assertiveness and communication skills, mindfulness and acceptance, goal setting and planning, validation of the reality of the condition and reduction of isolation by meeting others with the same condition. Passive communication with families, friends and others is very common and this leads to anger and frustration as they are unable to make their needs clear. The overall very negative nature of the pain experience leads to a negative bias in thinking about the world and their problems.

Medical treatment is not very successful in pain syndromes but drugs such as amitriptyline can be useful with their nerve transmission altering affects. Many FMS sufferers react adversely to drugs and this limits their usefulness, especially if morphine-related chemicals add to lack of mental clarity and fatigue. A graded exercise programme, carefully guided to avoid overdoing, is useful in the longer term as these patients have lost of lot of strength and fitness. Stretching is often reported to be helpful and may be all a person can do if they are having a worsening but overall a structured plan is necessary for a pain syndrome.

Andrew Mitchell, clinical director of the Osteopath Network, writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions and physiotherapists in Nottingham. The Osteopath Network has more than 550 clinics located throughout the UK and offers treatment at weekends and after hours.

Most pain is related to injury or tissue damage and the treatment is relatively straightforward in theory: the tissue at fault is searched for and investigated, a cause is found and the treatment is aimed at improving the underlying abnormality. This is the medical model of disease and injury and it works exceptionally well, diagnosing our fractured leg, pneumonia, arthritic joint or heart attack and then treating it so the problem is solved. The difficulty starts with the many pain conditions which dont fit into this model and which are not well diagnosed or treated by medical doctors.

If we sprain an ankle the pain signals rush up the nerve towards the spinal cord and cross over onto the next relay of nerves up to the brain. This next relay of nerves is made highly sensitive by the incoming pain and they start to react more and more strongly to the incoming barrage, amplifying the pain we experience in our mind. This will settle down as the injury heals and the system resets to normal, however this does not always occur or a pain can start without any incoming tissue pain at all. This is a pain syndrome, a collection of painful and other symptoms which do not appear to have an underlying pathology.

Typical pain syndromes are complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), chronic widespread pain (CWP) and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). CRPS occurs after minor or moderate injury to a limb such as the ankle or wrist and the underlying reasons are not well understood. In the wrist the person may be in plaster for a few weeks for a minor fracture or sprain but complains of high levels of pain and has difficulty keeping the fingers moving. The fingers are stiff and swollen and moving them elicits significant pain, at which stage immobilisation is removed if possible to allow rehabilitation.

Widespread pain syndromes are very challenging problems for the patient and are very difficult to treat with any success. CWP shows trigger point hypersensitivity in the bellies of the muscles, specific points which are very painful to palpate and refer pain down to structures nearby. Osteopathy treatment consists of an exercise programme, stretching, acupressure, postural correction advice and acupuncture. Fibromyalgia has the typical symptoms of CWP with the addition of difficulties concentrating, IBS, severe fatigue, unrestored sleep, poor sleep, hypersensitivity to pressure and an over-reaction to activity.

Psychological interviewing of these patients is vital as having a long-term pain problem is very likely to produce low mood, depression and anxiety which in turn lead to poor coping and difficulties engaging with therapy. The clinical psychologist may find that the patient discloses a significant history of abuse, either in childhood and/or in adult relationships. This will have lead to important difficulties in dealing with other people, negative thinking, passive communication, anger and problems sticking to a treatment once agreed. The clinical psychologist will have an important role in supporting these patients through a course of treatment.

It is vital that the clinical psychologist teaches FMS sufferers psychological strategies to help them manage the condition and make their wishes clear. Pain management programmes address developing realistic thinking, positive coping strategies, assertive communication, acceptance of the condition, mindfulness, pacing activity and meeting others in the same boat to reduce the feeling of isolation. Sufferers typically communicate with their relatives and others in very passive ways, leading to conflict, anger and resentment as they do not make their needs clear. Realistic thinking addresses the understandable bias towards thinking negatively due to a longstanding pain condition.

Pain syndromes are not amenable to normal medical management but medication can be helpful if it does not increase mental confusion or fatigue. Drugs such as amitriptyline, used initially for depression, are given to reduce pain and improve sleep. A graded exercise programme, guided by a Osteopath, can improve strength, fitness and so functional ability. Patients report stretching is helpful and especially so if the pain is severe enough to preclude exercise. Pain syndrome sufferers benefit from a multi-disciplinary approach and a structured strategy.

Andrew Mitchell, editor of the Osteopath Network, writes articles about physiotherapists in Haywards Heath, back pain, neck pain, injury management. Andrew is interested in many aspects of alternative medicine.

Two of the leading causes of back pain are obesity and weak abdominal muscles. In this article, we look at 4 ways to reduce body fat and develop stronger abdominal muscles. In the process, your 6 pack might be revealed!

1.Dead lift to Build Muscle. Your resting metabolism (the rate at which your body burns energy when you are at rest) is higher if you have more muscle. So you will burn more energy throughout the day and lose more fat. Work on building the bigger muscles like the triceps in your arms, the hamstrings and quadriceps in your legs and the trapezius and latisimus dorsi in the back. In order to build muscle, you have to use resistance-weights. If you choose to exercise at home then use dumbbells-they take up very little cupboard space. Another option is to join a gym and use barbells. The exercise that uses more muscles than any other is the dead lift. Start with light weights and always be sure to use good posture-never bend your back.

2.Maintain a caloric deficit. In simple language, eat slightly less than you need to. Look at the daily energy (calorie) needs of moderately active people: A 30 year old woman, weighing 70kg/154 pounds needs 2300 calories and only 2200 calories per day by the time shes 40. A 30 year old man, weighing 70kg/154 pounds needs 2600 calories per day and 2500 c per day when hes 40. Work out roughly how much energy your meals contain-there are many calorie calculators on the Internet. Eat 250-500 calories per day less than you need to lose fat safely and gradually.

3. Use interval training during cardiovascular exercise. Swimming is a great low impact exercise. Light walking is a good choice if you’re unfit. As your fitness improves, you need to use interval training. Simply, this means alternating between exercising at a fast pace for a few minutes and a slower pace for a few minutes. So, using a 20 minute swimming session on a : 5 minutes slow pace, 5 minutes swimming fast,5 minutes medium pace, 3 minutes fast pace, 2 minutes cool down.

4. Strengthen Your Abdominals. There are many exercises you can do to strengthen the abdominal muscles. If you have any lower back pain, however, choose exercises with a smaller range of motion like the crunch. Avoid exercises with a larger range of motion, like the sit up-they strain your lower back. Here’s how to do the crunch: lie on your back, and place your feet on the ground with the knees pointing to the ceiling. Put your hands behind your head or fold them on your chest. Lift your shoulders off the ground as you curl your torso forward. Feel your abs crunch. [I:http://marenda.biz/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/AndrewdeBruyn7.jpg]

Build your Back,Beat the Pain is a step by step plan to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles and beat back pain.

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The large majority of the bodys joints, including the elbow, are capable of producing what are known as accessory movements, small sliding and gliding movements occurring inside a joint which a person cannot perform on their own. Accessory movements are vital for the normal use of a joint and are easily disrupted, limited or abolished by trauma or postural bodily misuse. The elbow accessory movements are very limited in size and consist of a small sideways gapping of the joint, which does not make a large difference to the ability to achieve various positions with the hand but does increase functional ability.

These little accessory movements may not seem to be able to make a difference to the use of the elbow joint but they can permit a slight lengthening of the extensor muscles of the wrist when we are trying to adjust our arm position to get hold of something. If a muscle is stretched slightly this increases the contractibility and thereby its function. In this case the extensor muscles can extend the wrist more successfully to allow the flexor muscles to apply grip strength.

Should the opposing muscle group, the flexors, dominate then the extensor muscle origin can become shortened and tight to a degree, limiting the ability of the extensor muscles to adapt wrist positions for useful holding and gripping. The radial head, normally rotating in its radial ligament, confers the precise positioning required to allow the hand to be placed and used in a huge variety of positions.

Pulling the wrist upwards with the palm pointing down and forearm rotation with elbow bend as the palm faces upwards are the two most common and useful arm functions, repeated countless times every day. The origin of both the sets of muscles which do these activities happens to occur very close on the same area of bone on the outside of the elbow. If this leads to overuse of this area the muscles can become tenser, shortening them and reducing tissue elasticity. A cycle can then occur where the initial stress is overuse, followed by the area becoming tight, then the arm compensating and becoming tighter once again.

If the arm is used for many actions and over some time in a bent position so the wrist is extended and the elbow flexed this can cause a mechanical disadvantage as the wrist extensors are slackened off and so can exert less force. A typical activity of this sort is piano playing and use of a computer mouse. If the muscles have to continually try and recover from ongoing posture stresses which persist for a long period they can shorten close to their origin. With time this sets the elbow up for the small event which will be the last straw and alter the achy, annoying problem into an acute, terrible pain.

Tennis elbow is a widespread problem which often develops slowly as described, however the onset can be sudden and unexpected after a lot of physical work which can overstress the joints tissues and cause local inflammation and trauma. Typically the slower onset is more common with the more minor problems being present for some time until there is a sudden, often small trauma. The tennis backhand stroke is a good example of how to significantly stress the origin of the extensor muscles but other activities which reflect that kind of action can add up to the same.

Over tight muscles in the extensor origin are opposed by the strength of the gripping and holding applied, in cases causing an overstress to the junction between the bone and the tendon and local tearing of tissues from the bone. As a process this can repeatedly occur, with the initiating stress becoming less and less and the pain results becoming more troublesome and long-lasting. As the small scars continually form they contract and add to the local tightness and so the likelihood of painful stretching. Tennis elbow pain can be very severe so that it interferes with activities of daily living.

Jonathan Blood Smyth, editor of the Physiotherapy Site, writes articles about Physiotherapists, physiotherapy, physiotherapists in Solihull, back pain, orthopaedic conditions, neck pain and injury management. Jonathan is a superintendant physiotherapist at an NHS hospital in the South-West of the UK.

Joint classification puts the ankle joint into the category of a mortise joint and it is specialised for its function. A front and rear movement action is performed by the ankle hinge for walking and it stabilises the lower leg on rough ground and when moving. The ankle forms the connection between the lower leg and the foot to facilitation the transfer of the weight of the body to the mobile and stable foot. The upper joint structures are mostly made up of the tibial surface with the fibula making up a small part of the lateral side of the joint.

The mortise of the upper part of the ankle encloses the ankle bone or talus, which is set on top of a group of mid foot or tarsal bones which make up the foot arch. The upper dome of the talus articulates with the tibia surface and the talus makes two other important joints. One is with the navicular bone in front of it so it can transfer weight forward onto the forefoot. The other is the joint below the talus, the talo-calcaneal joint, a very complex and important foot joint.

The tibia takes the weight of the body and carries it down to be borne by the talus which passes it on vertically and rearwards to the calcaneum and forwards through the navicular to the forefoot metatarsals. Spreading out forwards with an almost parallel radiation , the metatarsals are slender bones which give significant mobility and stability to the foot. The foot arches are important structures and mean that the forefoot weight bearing areas are mainly under the first and fifth metatarsal heads, with the others bearing weight if the arch gives way to some degree.

The ankle upward and downward movements are known as dorsiflexion (up) and plantarflexion (down) and the inwards and outwards movements of the foot do not occur at the ankle. The inwards movement is known as inversion, the outwards as eversion, and both of these movements occur at the talo-navicular, forefoot and talo-calcaneal joints. Together these complex joints allow the body weight to be held stable over the feet as the body moves and to allow the feet to cope with irregular surfaces. The foots design allows it to satisfy these competing demands.

The foot is amazingly engineered to cope with the strong requirements which it is asked to. When bearing weight the direct downward forces are of a very high level and these are routed through the foot and transmitted further. The tarsal bones make up the foot arch and the forces are taken by their arched structure and by the ligaments which connect the individual foot joints. The muscles of the foot also have a strong role in managing to keep the foot structurally stable against the weight of the body and the forces generated by large body movements.

The tibialis anterior muscle is the prominent long muscle on the outside of the shin and you can see the tendon as it rolls down towards the ankle and crosses over to the inside to some degree. The tendon attaches to three bones which are placed at the top of the arch of the foot, so when the muscle contracts it lifts and supports the arch to some degree. The tibialis posterior muscle comes from the rear calf and round the inner side of the ankle bone to end up inserting close to the tibialis anterior tendon. It pulls the bone to the rear and accentuates the arch again.

The arch is pulled up to some degree by these two muscles working in concert to pull it up and stabilise it from the side against the weight of the body. The spring of the foot, vital in running and walking, is maintained by this. Another important muscle is the peroneus longus which runs down the leg and its tendon runs under the outside of the foot to insert over towards the first toe. This arrangement stabilises the foot from any direction as there are muscles which pull from each direction to maintain the foot posture against the forces generated by movement and body mass.

Jonathan Blood Smyth is the Superintendent of Physiotherapists at an NHS hospital in the South-West of the UK. He writes articles about back pain, neck pain, and injury management. If you are looking for physiotherapists in Nottingham visit his website.

The elbow makes up the middle joint of the arm and makes two reasonable length and useful levers of the arm. At first glance the elbow looks like a simple forwards and backwards hinge but on looking more closely it is capable of a lot more. The upper arm bone (humerus) connects in the elbow with the two forearm bones, the ulna and the radius. The upper part of the ulna and the lower part of the humerus form the elbow joint, with the easily felt bony point of the ulna at the back of the joint. The end of the humerus has a rounded cylinder shape which is surrounded partially by the ulnar part of the joint.

The ulna forms the main part of the joint near the elbow and narrows down to the head at the wrist end, which is dominated by the expanded end of the radius. The radial head, at the elbow end, is concerned with rotation of the forearm and the radius is the bone which performs most of the swiveling action that we find so useful in our forearms. This mobility, when combined with the mobility of the wrist and of the fingers and thumb, makes the hand the precise and dominating tool it has become. All elbows exhibit a slight degree of bend when they are relaxed, due to soft tissue tension.

A bony protrusion on the cylindrical end of the humerus articulates with the upper part of the radius which is on the outer side of the elbow when the hand is facing upwards. The radial head is the other part of that articulation, a rounded part somewhat like a cotton reel, placed close to the ulna and held in place during rotatory movements by the radial ligament, a band of ligament surrounding the head. Forearm rotation is predominantly performed by the radius, beginning with it lying in parallel with the ulna and then turning and crossing over that bone to achieve the full pronation movement with the palm down.

The ability to rotate the forearm is a vital ability in the manipulation of objects. Much human activity and dexterity involves the thumb and fingers which are relatively restricted to forward and back movement. This means other movements are necessary to allow the endlessly varied positions we need to access with our hands. Elbow function combines flexing and extending the joint in combination with rotation, allowing smooth and coordinated movement of the hand. This precision and adaptability can have a negative side because it is so useful it can be repeated many times and to excess.

The wrist naturally extends when we reach out for something, bringing the fingers above the object to be grasped and allowing the fingers to exert their power best. Try and flex your wrist downwards, hold it there and grip something powerfully, it just doesn’t work. Turning the forearm over so the palm is down is called pronation, and this activity only ever works against the weight of the arm to position the hand for light activities such as grasping small objects or writing.

The pronators’ lack of strength is a bit like the calf muscles which pull our feet up as we step and are much less powerful than the calf muscles which propel us. An inability to extend the wrist or pronate the forearm makes the process of gripping and holding objects difficult and awkward, as the main muscles of gripping are unable to exert full power.

Elbow supination and flexion, the opposite of pronation and extension, occurs when the elbow is actively bent and the palm brought to face up. Typical functions involving this movement are taking food to the mouth with a fork and screwing in screws, so this is both a very common action indeed and one with much more strength than pronation. Supination and flexion of the elbow is primarily performed by the biceps muscle with a contribution from a smaller but strong muscle termed supinator. The common extensor origin is the area on the outer part of the elbow which has the origin of the extensor muscles of the wrist and supinator.

Jonathan Blood Smyth, editor of the Physiotherapy Site, writes articles about Physiotherapy, back pain, orthopaedic conditions, neck pain, injury management and Physiotherapists in Coventry. Jonathan is a superintendant physiotherapist at an NHS hospital in the South-West of the UK.

The elbow makes up the middle joint of the arm and makes two reasonable length and useful levers of the arm. At first glance the elbow looks like a simple forwards and backwards hinge but on looking more closely it is capable of a lot more. The upper arm bone (humerus) connects in the elbow with the two forearm bones, the ulna and the radius. The upper part of the ulna and the lower part of the humerus form the elbow joint, with the easily felt bony point of the ulna at the back of the joint. The end of the humerus has a rounded cylinder shape which is surrounded partially by the ulnar part of the joint.

The ulna forms the main part of the joint near the elbow and narrows down to the head at the wrist end, which is dominated by the expanded end of the radius. The radial head, at the elbow end, is concerned with rotation of the forearm and the radius is the bone which performs most of the swiveling action that we find so useful in our forearms. This mobility, when combined with the mobility of the wrist and of the fingers and thumb, makes the hand the precise and dominating tool it has become. All elbows exhibit a slight degree of bend when they are relaxed, due to soft tissue tension.

If the palm is facing upwards the radius is along the outside of the forearm and the upper part of the bone is formed into a rounded prominence resembling a cotton reel, articulating with a bony area on the lower humerus. This radial head is closely positioned next to the ulna just inside it and there is a circular structure of ligamentous material, the radial ligament, which surrounds the head and holds it in place as it rotates. The radius performs the greatest amount of movement in forearm rotation, starting in line with the ulna and ending up rotated over it so the radius is on the inner side and the hand is palm downwards.

For manipulating objects it is very important to have the abilities of joint rotation. The thumb and fingers, the most important part of human coordination and precision, are relatively restricted in their freedom of movement. In order to permit the vast number of varying positions which are required to manage hand use, rotation is a vital function. Extension and flexion of the elbow joint, when combined with rotation, allows the hand to be placed in position with precision. At times this ability can be unhelpful as its usefulness may mean we repeat the exact same action a large number of times.

The action of reaching out for something in front of us demands that we stretch out the elbow, turn the hand palm down and lift the fingers above the object to be gripped, a position which also allows the optimum hand power to be exerted. Trying to grip something strongly when the wrist is bent down is very ineffective and the force available is weak. Turning the forearm over so the palm faces down is known as pronation, and these muscles are weak as they have little more to do than turn the weight of the arm.

This means that the pronators are not powerful muscles as the only job they have to do is position the arm, a bit like the muscles which pull our feet up when walking. A lack of pronation or the ability to extend the wrist back when reaching makes gripping objects a clumsy procedure, with the primary power muscles of gripping inhibited in use.

In contrast, the action of flexing the elbow and rotating the palm upwards is known as elbow flexion and forearm supination. This movement is very commonly done throughout our day and is a much more powerful action than pronation, with examples including using a screwdriver to bring a fork to the mouth to eat. The main flexor and supinator of the elbow is the biceps muscle with assistance from another, smaller but strong muscle known as supinator. On the outer side of the elbow is the common extensor origin where both the supinator and the muscles extending the wrist originate.

Jonathan Blood Smyth is the Superintendent of Physiotherapy at an NHS hospital in the South-West of the UK. He writes articles about back pain, neck pain, and injury management. If you are looking for physiothrapists in Southampton visit his website.

The spring ligament, a strong fibrous band, stretches from the calcaneus to the navicular, running under the talus on the way, keeping the foot arch in place. The arch of the foot is maintained by the spring ligament holding the bones together against the forces pushing down from above, with the arch becoming stronger as more weight is placed on it. A very strong ligament, the spring ligament is well suited to resisting the high levels of force involved in jumping, hopping or running which might otherwise cause the arch to spread. Maintenance of the arch by muscular control is more continuous and postural, holding the talus in place along with the ligament.

The ankle has accessory movements like all our other synovial joints. These are small internal gliding and sliding movements which naturally occur within a joint during normal movement but cannot be independently performed. Accessory movements are vital to the normal functioning of joints and if they are limited or lost then the joint loses some of its functional ability also. As the weight passes onto the foot the forefoot and toes are flat on the ground the talus is forced inwards to a small degree by the downwards forces.

This slight twisting of the foot tensions it slightly and contributes to the elastic recoil as the weight begins to be lifted off the foot, added to by the stretch energy built up in the ligaments placed along the foot. As we step through this contributes a little pulse of energy to make things easier, often referred to perhaps as a spring in our step. To manage the challenges of rough surfaces the foot must adapt to different levels and angles, with much of this adaptation occurring at the subtalar joint below the talus and between it and the calcaneum.

The ankle mortise holds the talus firmly in its grasp as the heel bone is enabled to make lateral movements under it via the subtalar joint and there is significantly more movement towards the inside than the outside. Our typical walking patterns can alter the foot postures we adopt in gait and this can compromise foot function and cause foot pain and disability. If we walk with our legs turned outwards this means the outer foot border contacts the ground first and requires the rest of the foot to roll inwards in order the get flat onto the ground.

This rolling inwards of the foot tends to flatten the arch, leading to a stretching of the supporting sling made up of the tibialis anterior and tibialis posterior muscle tendons, allowing the talus to slip down from its apex position at the top of the foot arches. As the process continues the forces involves in rolling the arch inwards are very strong, gradually leading to an abnormal foot which acts much more like a platform and much less like a spring loaded tool.

There is a greater range of movement in a medial (inwards) direction in the foot than in the lateral (outwards) direction which is limited by the fibula which gets in the way. This increases the likelihood of any sideways stresses resulting in a rapid inwards movement of the foot, causing an ankle sprain. Flat feet are often not painful in themselves but their abnormal position has knock on effects for all the joints above them including the ankle, knee, hips and low back. The forefoot also has a sideways arch even though this is small compared to the main foot arch, but if it flattens it places abnormal stresses on the head of the second metatarsal.

The sprained ankle which can occur due to the tendency for the ankle to go over with the foot pointing inwards sprains the ligaments on the outside of the foot. A significant sprain of this area always involves the subtalar joint as well and the ankle commonly has a weakness from then on which means that repeated strains can become a problem. The sprain causes swelling in the local area and this can thicken into scar with time, becoming particularly problematic if the ankle has been held immobilised for some time as this way movement and stability is lost.

Jonathan Blood Smyth, editor of the Physiotherapy Site, writes articles about Physiotherapy, back pain, orthopaedic conditions, neck pain, injury management and physiotherapist in hartlepool. Jonathan is a superintendant physiotherapist at an NHS hospital in the South-West of the UK.

Cysts on ovaries arise mainly because of a woman’s normal ovulation process, but before we address how they come about, let’s answer the question – what are these cysts?

Cysts are small fluid or semi solid filled sacs that develop on a woman’s ovaries. They are most common in women in their reproductive years and tend to go away naturally without the woman doing anything about them.

Most cysts are harmless but some can become troublesome and cause problems such as bleeding, rupturing, and abdominal pain.

How do these cysts form?

Women normally have two ovaries that store and release eggs on a monthly basis. Each ovary about the size of a walnut, is located on each side of a woman’s uterus.

One ovary produces and releases an egg each month, as part of a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle.

The egg is enclosed in a sac called a follicle and this follicle grows inside the ovary until the hormone estrogen signals the uterus to prepare itself for the egg. The follicle containing the egg is then released from the ovary.

The follicle itself then releases the egg it contains and this egg then travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus.

The shell that is left behind after the follicle has released the egg is called Corpus luteum

In turn, the uterus begins to thicken itself and prepare for pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilised all the contents of uterus as expelled as part of the monthly menstrual cycle.

If a follicle after being released from the ovary fails to rupture and release the egg, the fluid remains and forms a cyst on the ovary.

Ovarian cysts tend to resemble bubbles; filled with fluid and surrounded by thin walls. This type of cyst is called a functional or simple cyst and can affect women of all ages.

Most of them are also benign (meaning non-cancerous) and tend to disappear on their own within a few weeks without any form of treatment.

Types of Cysts That Can Form On Ovaries:

The most common ovarian cyst is the Follicular cyst and it is formed when ovulation (the release of the egg by the follicle) does not occur or when a mature follicle collapses on itself.

It can grow to about 2.3 inches in diameter and when it ruptures can create a sharp severe pain on the side of the ovary on which the cyst resides. Usually, these cysts don’t produce any symptoms and disappear by themselves within a few months.

Other types of cysts on ovaries include the Corpus luteum cyst: This type of functional ovarian cyst occurs after an egg has been released from a follicle.

After this happens, the follicle becomes what is known as a corpus luteum.

If a pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum usually breaks down and disappears. It may, however, close up on itself, fill with fluid or blood, and persist on the ovary.

Hemorrhagic cyst: This type of functional cyst occurs when bleeding occurs within a cyst.

Dermoid cyst: This abnormal cyst usually affects younger women and may grow to 6 inches in diameter.

This cyst is similar to those present on skin tissue and can contain fat and occasionally bone, hair, and cartilage.

If you reading this article then chances are you have some sort of cysts on your ovaries that has refused to resolve itself and you are wondering what to do.

Cysts on ovaries arise mainly because of a woman’s normal ovulation process, but before we address how they come about, let’s answer the question – what are these cysts?

Cysts are small fluid or semi solid filled sacs that develop on a woman’s ovaries. They are most common in women in their reproductive years and tend to resolve naturally without any medical intervention.

Most cysts are harmless but some can become may cause problems such as bleeding, rupturing, and abdominal pain.

How do Cysts On Ovaries Come About?

Women normally have two ovaries that store and release eggs on a monthly basis. Each ovary about the size of a walnut, is located on each side of a woman’s uterus.

One ovary produces and releases an egg each month, as part of a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle.

The egg is enclosed in a sac called a follicle and this follicle grows inside the ovary until the hormone estrogen signals the uterus to prepare itself for the egg. The follicle containing the egg is then released from the ovary.

The follicle itself then releases the egg and this egg travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus for fertilisation.

A shell called Corpus Luteum, is left behind after the follicle has released it’s contents.

In turn, the uterus begins to thicken itself and prepare for pregnancy. If the egg is not fertilised all the contents of uterus as expelled as part of the monthly menstrual cycle.

If a follicle after being released from the ovary fails to rupture and release the egg, the fluid remains and forms a cyst on the ovary.

Ovarian cysts tend to resemble bubbles; filled with fluid and surrounded by thin walls. This type of cyst is called a functional or simple cyst and affects women of all ages.

Most of them are also benign (meaning non-cancerous) and tend to disappear on their own within a few weeks without any form of treatment.

Types of Ovarian Cysts:

The most common ovarian cyst is the Follicular cyst and it is formed when ovulation (the release of the egg by the follicle) does not occur or when a mature follicle collapses on itself.

It can grow to about 2.3 inches in diameter and when it ruptures can create sharp severe pain on the side of the ovary on which the cyst appears. Usually, these cysts produce no symptoms and disappear by themselves within a few months.

Other types of cysts on ovaries include the Corpus luteum cyst: This type of functional ovarian cyst occurs after an egg has been released from a follicle.

After this happens, the follicle becomes what is known as a corpus luteum.

If a pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum breaks down and disappears. It may, however, close up on itself, fill with fluid or blood, and remain on the ovary.

Hemorrhagic cyst: This type of functional cyst occurs when bleeding occurs within a cyst.

Dermoid cyst: This abnormal cyst usually affects younger women and may grow to 6 inches in diameter.

This cyst is similar to those present on skin tissue and can contain fat and occasionally bone, hair, and cartilage.

If you reading this article then chances are you have some sort of cysts on your ovaries that has refused to resolve itself and you are wondering what to do.

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