This is a condition where pain and discomfort or stiffness can be felt in the neck area anywhere from the skull to the base of the shoulders. There can be a few different causes of the neck pain ranging from muscle tightness or spasm such as in a torticolis or in a myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome through to pain caused by restriction of the movement of the facet joints such as in a cervical facet syndrome. Cervical disc injuries can also be a source of neck pain.
Headaches can have many different causes from musculoskeletal as well as other origins. Some of the more common causes of headaches that we get to see are from a myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome involving the posterior cervical musculature, dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, or as can sometimes happen with dysfunction of the facet joints in a cervical facet syndrome.
This term refers to pain experienced at different points throughout the back and may be related to bad posture, incorrect lifting techniques general stiffness or overall core weakness causing overloads or biomechanical compensation. Pain anywhere in the body is not normal, it may not indicate exactly what is going wrong but definately indicates that something is not right.
This is a broad description of pain that is felt typically as a band across the low back pain, but which may also localize to one or the other side. The different qualities of the pain can range from a dull ache or burning sensation which often accompanies a myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome involving the muscles of the lower back or hips, through to sharp pain as is felt in a lumbar facet syndrome. Generalized muscle spasm due to overuse as well as lumbar disc injuries can also cause substantial low back pain.
This is a very general term given to pain experienced in the low back which may have some referral down one or both of the legs. The significant part of this condition which needs closer assessment is the referral of pain down the legs which may be due to a lumbar disc injury in more severe situations but can quite easily also be due to the radiculopathy experienced from a lumbar facet syndrome, sacroiliac syndrome or pain referral pattern from a myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome involving the muscles of the lower back or hips or buttocks.
There are a few causes of hip pain that can involve the joints of the lower back such as the SI joints in a sacroiliac syndrome, the soft tissue around the hip such as in a tensor facsia lata (TFL) syndrome or a greater trochanteric pain syndrome or dysfunction of some of the muscles in a myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome or hip flexor dysfunction. Indeed, degeneration of the hip joints as is seen in osteoarthritis is a factor of a maturing spine and while this can seldom be reversed, its progress can be slowed and the symptoms controlled in many cases.
'Slipped discs' is a general term given to a condition as a result from damage to the lumbar intervertebral discs. Typically the more gelatinous interior (nucleus palposus) of the disc bulges or in severe cases sequestrates through the outer fibers (annulus fibrosus) of the disc into the surrounding area and may place pressure on the nerves exiting the spine between the vertebrae or on the spinal cord itself. Lumbar disc injuries are a very common occurrence in both active and sedentary individuals commonly brought about by a bending and lifting while twisting movement. While in some of the more severe cases, decompressive surgery is required to reduce the symptomology, many people seek a more conservative treatment first to help with the symptomology without ever needing to undergo surgery.
This is a common condition caused by rapid acceleration and then deceleration of the neck causing neck hyperextension and consequent damage to the soft tissue structures of the neck most commonly caused by being rear ended. Research has shown that speeds as low as 20Km/h can cause whiplash and that structural damage to a vehicle should not be used as an indicator for a whiplash injury. Symptoms usually start within 12 - 24 hours after the accident with falls, sporting injuries or being hit in the head being other major causes.
Pain felt in the knee can have many origins most of which are related to trauma or degeneration as in osteoarthritis. Meniscus injuries are a common cause of knee pain which is often of an acute type and related to a fall or sports injury. Damage to the ligaments such as the lateral collateral, anterior cruciate (ACL) or posterior cruciate (PCL) ligaments are also common causes of knee pain as are tendon injuries as in an infra patellar tendinopathy or runner's knee caused by incorrect running techniques or overuse. One of the most common condition associated with knee pain is patellofemoral pain syndrome caused by patellar tracking problems during walking or running. Iliotibial band (ITB) dysfunction can also be a source of knee pain.
Conditions causing shoulder pain may be related to overuse injuries such as in a frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) or a bicipital tendinopathy, or as a result of trauma such as in an injury to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint or a rotator cuff tendinopathy.
Pain as a result of a myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome can be felt in many different areas of the body that correspond to localized or distant pain referral patterns from trigger points (knots) found in muscles. More commonly we find these trigger points causing headaches in the posterior cervical musculature, low back pain or groin pain when found in the low back muscles or neck and shoulder pain when found in the muscles of the upper back.
In many cases tendinopathies are as a result of inflammation around tendons found around the joints of the body and are due to overuse injuries or related to faulty biomechanics. More common areas of tendinopathies that we see are in the knee in a runner's knee, around the back of the heel in a Achillies tendinopathy or around the biceps tendon in a bicipital tendinopathy
Very common causes of foot pain we see in our clinic are as a result of plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia or Achillies tendinopathy although there are many other conditions that may cause foot pain including bunions, bone spurs, ankle sprains and fractures.
Conditions we typically see that cause elbow pain may be related to tendinopathies of the insertions of the tendons at the lateral tennis elbow or medial golfer's elbow epicondyles or trauma to the elbow joint itself through sprains or strains.
Repetitive strain injures are a broad set of injuries sustained through repetative tasks, faulty biomechanics, mechanical compression, excessive loading or vibrational stress. Some of the more common injuries associated with RSIs are wrist sprains, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow or golfer's elbow. In almost all cases which can be managed successfully inflammation and swelling as well as tendinopathy are usually the root cause of the symptoms.
It is important to consult with a qualified health care practitioner who can either help you, or steer you in the right direction to receive the proper care.
