Sport, especially Football is a global passion, and it extends far beyond the professional stage, engaging participants of all ages and genders. However, the research can often neglect amateur and female players. Addressing this gap, a recent study examined 462 male and female amateur footballers, uncovering crucial insights.

Key Findings were:

1. Injury Prevalence: Nearly 78% of males and 79.2% of females reported previous or existing injuries. We often play with little niggles and pains.
2. Weekly Injury Rates: Nearly 1 in 5 Males recorded and 1 in 4 females reported weekly injury prevalence. That is extremely high!
3. Gradual Onset Injuries: Over half of male and female injuries resulted from gradual onset issues. It comes on subtly and the nit leads to injuries. Why we recommend listening to your body and report any early signs to your physiotherapists.
4. Age as a Factor: Injury incidence increased by 7% for each year of age in males and 3% in females.
5. Common Injuries: Hip/groin injuries topped males’ list, while knee injuries dominated females’.

Clinical Implications: 1 in 5 males and 1 in 4 females reported weekly injuries, emphasising the need for reducing individual injury risk, especially for those aged 25 and above or with pre-existing injuries.

This study underscores the importance of tailored injury prevention programs for diverse football demographics, ensuring a safer and more enjoyable experience for all players.

To reduce your risk of injury, call our clinic on 91168691 to book in with one of our experts for an individual program.

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The FIFA 11+ is a power-packed warm-up program designed to slash injury risks in soccer players. But could it also be the secret ingredient for winning games? Let’s dive into a study that uncovered intriguing connections between using 11+ and scoring more victories in men’s college soccer.

Key Takeaways:

1. Performance Matters: Teams following the 11+ regimen scored more wins and suffered fewer losses, showcasing the direct link between program use and improved game records.
2. Compliance is Key: Teams that adhered to the 11+ at least twice a week reaped even more substantial benefits in their win/loss ratios.
3. Performance Over Prevention: While injury prevention is a given, showing that 11+ enhances performance might be a game-changer for coaches and athletes. It highlights the relationship between keeping players healthy and uninjured and winning performance.

The FIFA 11+ warm up program is known to reduce injuries in soccer players. Despite its effectiveness, many teams don’t fully embrace or stick to it. Highlighting the performance benefits over injury prevention might be the game plan.

What It Means for Physio’s, Coaches and Athletes: Adopting an injury prevention program like the FIFA 11+ could now offer a two-for-one deal—less injuries and more wins. Coaches and athletes might find better performance a compelling reason to commit to such programs.

Pre-season is upon us for next year and we advise our sponsored teams to adopt the program to reduce injuries and improve performance. To get our clinicians to assess and implement the program, please contact our friendly staff today.

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For many of us, dealing with headaches is like a recurring storyline. Did you know that neck pain might be a key player in tension-type headaches (TTH)? Let’s discuss by diving into the latest insights in tension type headaches.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Neck-Headache Connection: Neck pain in tension-type headaches can stem from various causes, including referred pain from the head or musculoskeletal issues in the neck. Understanding these nuances is crucial since up to 90% of TTH patients also report neck pain.
2. Evidence of Neck Impairments: Research highlights some common impairments in individuals with TTH, like forward head posture, reduced neck movement, and altered muscle control. However, these findings don’t always pinpoint the neck as the headache culprit. They might be consequences rather than causes.
3. Upper Cervical Structures and Sensitisation: Areas like the upper cervical spine joints and trigger points in muscles can contribute to TTH, possibly due to sensitisation of the trigeminocervical nucleus. However, it’s a complex puzzle—reproducing headaches through palpation doesn’t always happen.
4. Holistic Management Approach: Managing TTH requires a multidisciplinary approach. Physiotherapy, with a mix of strategies like manual therapy and specific exercises and approaches involving the central nervous system, proves effective. While soft tissue therapy may offer short-term relief, solely targeting upper cervical joints isn’t recommended.
5. Decision Tree for Cervical Involvement: The authors propose a decision tree for clinicians. If trigger points reproduce TTH, start with soft tissue treatment, followed by addressing upper cervical joint dysfunction. Posture and motor control issues can be tackled along with general aerobic exercise.

Implementing in Practice:

1. Tailored Treatment Plans: Our Physiotherapists can tailor treatment plans based on individual patient findings. Identifying trigger points and choosing interventions accordingly, such as soft tissue treatment or manual therapy for upper cervical joints, ensures a targeted approach.
2. Holistic Exercise Prescriptions: Exercise isn’t one-size-fits-all. Combining tissue-based exercises with central nervous system-focused activities provides a holistic approach. Patient preferences play a role in adherence, making exercise programs more effective.

Understanding the intricacies of neck pain in tension-type headaches empowers both physiotherapists and patients to achieve relief more effectively. Our Clinicians can create personalised strategies for lasting well-being.

Call our friendly staff to book an appointment today 9116 8691.

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Knee pain, specifically in the front region, known as patellofemoral pain, can have a significant effect on quality of life. The good news is that exercise therapy has proven to be a game-changer for this condition. But, which exercise regime works best, focusing on the hip or the quadriceps? Let’s dive into the findings of a recent study to unravel the mystery.

Key Takeaways:

1. Equal Footing for Hip and Quadriceps: The study set out to compare the effectiveness of quadriceps exercises (QE) against hip exercises (HE) for patellofemoral pain. Surprise, surprise—both showed similar improvements in reducing knee pain and enhancing patient function in the short term.
2. Sustained Benefits at 26 Weeks: The good news doesn’t stop at the short term. The pain relief and functional improvements from both exercise protocols remained at the 26-week mark since the initiation of the exercise routines. It’s a lasting gift from your exercise efforts.
3. Exercise Adherence Matters: Participants completed around 28 out of 36 exercise sessions, showing that sticking to the program is key. Whether it’s seated knee extensions or standing hip abductions, consistency pays off.

Implementation:

1. Tailoring Exercise Plans: Physiotherapists now have more flexibility in crafting exercise plans for patellofemoral pain patients. Recognizing the unique needs of each individual, they can choose between hip-focused or quadriceps-oriented exercises based on patient-specific risk factors.
2. Combining Therapies for Maximum Impact: This study suggests that exercise therapy, whether targeting the hip or quadriceps, can be complemented with other interventions like orthotics, taping, or bracing. It’s about creating a holistic approach for the best results.
3. Age Consideration: While the study focused on individuals in their early 20s to early 30s, clinicians need to be mindful of the age range. The prevalence of patellofemoral pain can vary in different age groups, so adapting exercise plans accordingly is crucial.

This study gives us a valuable tool in the form of options. It’s not about choosing between hip and quadriceps exercises; it’s about having an arsenal of effective strategies to tackle patellofemoral pain and help individuals of all ages get back on their feet with less knee trouble.

If you are suffering from anterior knee pain, book an appointment with one of your clinicians to access and create a personalised program for you.

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Ever felt pain, instability, or recurrent injuries in your ankles? That might be chronic ankle instability (CAI), a condition influenced by various factors like mechanics, sensory-motor issues, and even psychological aspects. Previous research hinted at faulty movement patterns in chronic ankle instability, and now a recent study dives deeper into how limited ankle motion might be contributing to the problem.

Key Takeaways:

1. Focus: Researchers looked at the biomechanics of active individuals with chronic ankle instability, particularly how they landed on a single leg during certain tasks. The key question was whether their static ankle flexibility (dorsiflexion range of motion) played a role in how they performed these movements.
2. Participant Groups: The participants were divided into 3 groups: hypomobile (limited flexibility – stiff ankles), normal, and hypermobile (excessive flexibility – too much movement).
3. Biomechanical Differences: The results showed significant differences in how participants landed based on their ankle flexibility. Those with limited flexibility (hypomobile) had less dorsiflexion and more hip flexion during landing, while those with excessive flexibility (hypermobile) tended to adopt an ankle inversion strategy.
4. Muscle Activity Findings: Muscle activity patterns also varied. The hypomobile group used more muscles around the ankle but less thigh muscle, while the hypermobile group leaned toward a knee-dominant landing strategy.

Implementing in Practice:

1. Tailored Interventions: chronic ankle instability has multiple factors at play, and this study emphasises the need for tailored interventions. We need identify specific impairments and customise the approach accordingly to individual patient findings.
2. Restoring Ankle Motion: Around 25% of chronic ankle instability patients in the study had reduced ankle motion. Physiotherapy interventions have been proven effective in restoring sagittal plane motion at the ankle, even in long-standing cases.
3. Balance and Proprioception Training: About 20% of CAI patients had greater ankle flexibility, leading to a susceptibility to ankle inversion. Incorporating balance and proprioceptive training becomes crucial for this group to enhance stability and prevent recurrent injuries.

In conclusion, understanding chronic ankle instability involves considering a variety of factors. Physiotherapists play a key role in evaluating ankle flexibility, addressing impairments, and tailoring interventions to optimize movement patterns and reduce the risk of further injuries.

Our clinicians tailor a program based on your needs so you can confidently return back to sport or activity. If you are suffering from stiff ankles or excessive movements causing recurrent sprains book in with our physiotherapists to get your program.

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You might have heard those odd noises your knees make when you move them—grating, cracking, or popping sounds. This is what we call crepitus. For many people, crepitus is linked to the idea that their joints are wearing out, and they fear it could lead to more damage. This fear often makes them reduce their activity levels and change how they move to avoid the sound. When they seek advice about crepitus, they expect their healthcare professionals to have solid evidence-based knowledge on how to deal with it.

Key Takeaways from the Study:

A recent study by Drum et al. dove into the world of crepitus in people with knee issues. They wanted to understand what these folks believed about crepitus, how these beliefs influenced their exercise and physical activity, and how healthcare professionals played a role in shaping these beliefs.

1. Understanding Crepitus: The study involved individuals who experienced crepitus in their knees. What they found was that some had crepitus without any pain, while others had both crepitus and pain. However, only some of them thought the sound had a connection to the timing or severity of pain or stiffness. This connection was more common in people with knee osteoarthritis.
2. Worry About Crepitus: When they first heard the sound, some were worried, while others weren’t. But as time passed, people generally became less worried. Their main concern was pain and function, not the crepitus sound.
3. Exercise is Good: All participants believed that exercise was beneficial for their knees as long as it was the right type. Most remained physically active, but many adjusted their movements to avoid crepitus and related pain.
4. Lack of Contact with Professionals: Interestingly, many people were curious about what crepitus meant but never talked to a healthcare professional about it. Of those who did, some were reassured that it wasn’t a big issue. Many participants expressed the desire to learn more about what exercises they should do and what crepitus means.

Implementing in Practice:

1. Debunking Crepitus Myths: As healthcare professionals, we should educate our clients about what it means and reassure them about the benefits of exercise and physical activity.
2. Personalized Approach: It’s vital to help clients find the types of exercise and physical activity that work best for them personally. Every individual’s needs and preferences are unique.

In conclusion, while creaky knees might sound unsettling, it doesn’t typically raise a major red flag for those who experience it. However, it’s important for healthcare professionals to provide clarity, reassurance, and guidance to ensure that clients stay active, maintain their overall health, and manage any related discomfort effectively.

If you are suffering from creaky or popping knees, book in with one of our clinician to get an individual exercise program.

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Shoulder injuries are prevalent in sports, particularly among young male athletes, and they present a significant challenge in returning to previous levels of performance. Research by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) reveals that up to 30% of overhead athletes, and a staggering 67% of swimmers, suffer from shoulder injuries during their collegiate careers. The results emphasised that shoulder injuries often result from deficits in strength and motor control in the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints. This article summarizes postoperative care, return to play (RTP) criteria, and timelines for overhead athletes recovering from common upper extremity injuries.

Rehabilitation Phases:

1. Acute Phase: This phase focuses on restoring range of motion (ROM), strength, endurance, and proprioception. Rest and protection are followed by the gradual restoration of near-normal passive ROM, which can take three to six weeks. The timeline depends on the type of injury and surgeon preference.
2. Intermediate Phase: During this phase, athletes work on increasing strength, balance, and full active ROM in preparation for their sport. Closed chain weight-bearing, core exercises, and isotonic push/pull exercises are introduced. Special attention is given to shoulder external rotators and periscapular musculature.
3. Advanced Phase: Athletes transition to advanced exercises as they approach near-full pain-free ROM and strength. Plyometrics play a crucial role in preparing for throwing, beginning with two-handed drills and progressing to one-arm drills with weighted balls.
4. Return to Activity Phase: This phase involves a gradual increase in throwing fitness, including indoor reactive and weighted ball throwing. Throwing volume and intensity are increased gradually, with one day of rest recommended between throwing days.

However, it’s important to note that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Exercise selection should be tailored to the athlete’s specific deficits and needs, evolving from basic to advanced exercises as they progress.

Return to Play: Athletes can return to play after regaining full pain-free shoulder ROM, pre-injury strength, and passing clinical and sport-specific testing. RTP is a longer process with the involvement of sport coaches, allowing athletes to work back into full participation at their discretion.

Outcomes: Professional level throwers often struggle to reach pre-surgical performance levels. In contrast, non-overhead thrower recreational athletes (swimmers, crossfit athletes, rock climbers) tend to return successfully. Return-to-play rates for various shoulder surgeries vary, with non-throwing athletes showing more favorable outcomes than elite overhead athletes.

In conclusion, shoulder injuries are common in sports, and rehabilitation is a stepwise process tailored to individual needs. The return to play is influenced by the type of sport and the level of the athlete, with non-elite throwers having better outcomes. Rehabilitation programs should consider the unique demands of the shoulder and be patient-focused, gradually working athletes back into their sports.

If you are suffering from shoulder injury or recovery from shoulder surgery, book a consult with one of our clinicians who can guide you with a safe return to sport plan.

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