Health Resources

Meralgia paraesthetica is a pain syndrome and one of many different ones potentially presenting to a physiotherapist or doctor for diagnosis and treatment. The typical symptoms are numbness, pins and needles and pain in the lateral and anterior parts of the thigh. In the 19th century this condition was described and the link made with problems to do with the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, a purely sensory nerve. This nerve only deals with sensations and has no role with muscular action but transmits sensations from the thigh areas supplied by it. The incidence of this problem is not particularly clear but it could be under recognised.

This condition can be mistaken for a series of other musculoskeletal conditions such as nerve root compression, referred spinal pain and trochanteric bursitis and may be bilateral at times. The most common cause of this syndrome is inappropriate pressure on the on the nerve at particular points where it can be trapped. Being overweight may be a risk factor for this condition and it has been recorded as being caused by a tight belt. Various surgical procedures can be aggravating factors such as hip replacement, bone grafting and surgery to the quadriceps.  Read more...

Groin injuries are common in all forms of sporting endeavour, especially those in which a forceful inward movement of the hip occurs, known as hip adduction. Typical sports where this injury is more common are swimming, football, skating and hockey. Groin injuries may make up five percent of all injuries in football (soccer). Groin pain in younger people such as children and adolescents and in women can be due to more serious conditions than a simple groin sprain and should be investigated and referred on appropriately.

Children with hip pain and a limp should be thoroughly investigated as the possible diagnoses include septic arthritis, a slipped epiphysis of the upper femur, Perthe’s disease and avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Such conditions require the urgent attention of an orthopaedic surgical specialist. As pain can be referred from the hip to the knee region it is important for the surrounding joints to be assessed in the examination. In adolescent athletes the growth plate at the hip is a weaker area and may be involved in traumatic injuries.  Read more...

Meralgia paraesthetica is one of the many localised pain syndromes which can present to a musculoskeletal physiotherapist, with symptoms of tingling, numbness and pain in the anterior and lateral aspects of the thigh. The symptoms were linked with the idea of a local nerve suffering compressive forces not long after its initial description in the 19th century. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is the culprit and is solely a sensory nerve, having no muscular function and merely supplying the skin sensibility over the relevant thigh areas. It is not clear how often this syndrome occurs but it is likely to be under diagnosed.

There are many musculoskeletal conditions which could send pain to this general area and which can be confused with this neural problem, including trochanteric bursitis, spinal referred pain and spinal nerve compression. The commonest reason for this condition is abnormal pressure on the nerve in specific parts of its track where it is vulnerable. This has been linked to wearing an over tight belt and to being generally overweight. The syndrome may also be brought on by surgery near the area such as bone graft, hip replacement and quadriceps.  Read more...

There’s a lot to put up with for those who are afflicted with sciatica. There is constant pain in the muscles that are necessary for day to day functioning. And all too often, relief is hard to find, especially when it comes to certain varieties of this ailment.Yet, for a lot of individuals, sciatica stretches are among the most useful methods to help manage and relieve much of the discomfort that accompanies sciatica.

The sciatic nerve originates in the lower back and reaches down right to the toes in both legs. It’s both the widest and lengthiest individual nerve in the whole human anatomy and serves virtually the entire body. This is how come undergoing sciatic nerve pain is such a big problem – a lot of the muscles utilized in day-to-day living are impacted by this nerve. But by doing sciatica stretches, you can make a significant difference to your situation.  Read more...

The management of dislocated shoulders is a matter of controversy in the orthopaedic field, with the usual management being confined to a sling for between one and six weeks, with or without a strap around the waist to prevent external rotation. The arm is maintained close to the body with the forearm across the belly, a position known as medial rotation and adduction. This avoids the stresses which would be applied to the joint if it were moved to the side or outwards, known as lateral rotation and abduction.

Recent scientific studies have given new ideas on why these injuries should be immobilised in particular ways. One study done via MRI scanning showed that the socket and the fibro-cartilage rim, which is often damaged, were kept in most intimate contact with the arm by the side and the shoulder externally rotated at thirty-five degrees. A second study performed with dead bodies showed a reasonable range of movement where the two important structures are closely applied if the arm is in slight adduction. Bringing the arm forwards (flexion) or out sideways (abduction) tended to disrupt the joint rim.  Read more...

Sciatica is a medical condition whereby you feel pain in the lower areas of the back right down to the lower limbs. The pain is restricted to numbness; tingling sensations and a weakened back and limbs. For those of us who haven’t experienced sciatica you can be rest-assured that there is nothing to worry about, it is a fairly subtle and treatable pain.

The name sciatica is derived from the sciatic nerve, the longest and thickest nerve in the human body. And like the rote followed by the pain it stretches from the back to the lower limbs, perhaps even to the feet. Like any other nerve it carries and transmits sensations of either pleasure or pain, but in this case pain and discomfort.

A lot of causes have been cited as the sources of pain but only a few of those are actually real causes. When sciatic pain is triggered what would have happened is that pressure would have been applied against the sciatic nerve causing to swell. So when the nerve is swollen it is only natural that sensations will become distorted resulting in the numbness and tingly feeling. This is the case when you sit for a long time in an uncomfortable position.  Read more...

Pain in the forefoot, the front part of the foot not including the toes themselves, is known as metatarsalgia as the pain occurs around the metatarsals. It is a symptom of an underlying problem rather than a condition in itself. The pain can be caused by various conditions including inflammatory arthritis and a nerve growth on one of the nerves between the toes, a condition known as Morton’s neuroma or Morton’s metatarsalgia. Metatarsalgia can occur in anyone but is more common in middle aged and older people and those who participate in high-impact activities in sport.

The forefoot region is the focus of where the stresses are targeted during walking and running, with the first two heads of the metatarsals suffering the greatest forces. During running the metatarsals can endure up to 275 percent of the bodily weight, with estimations made of the foot taking over 100 tons of force over a mile run. The forefoot takes the majority of the burden in activities like running and walking. Inflammatory changes may occur in the little digital nerves supplying the toes, a digital nerve neuritis, caused perhaps by mechanical foot stresses and resulting in foot pain, numbness and pins and needles in the forefoot.  Read more...

A joint dislocates when the two parts of the joint, usually sitting in close contact with each other, are torn apart and then remain apart without being in the close relationship they were anymore. Surrounding a joint is a bag of ligamentous tissue called the joint capsule which is torn when the joint surfaces are forcibly moved past each other. The joint surfaces can be injured as their hard edges move against each other during the process. Typical other damage can be nerve, further joint and ligament injury.

Dislocations of the shoulder are the most common form of dislocation of a joint, making up almost half of all of this type of injury. The commonest form of dislocation is for the humeral head to be displaced forwards, known as an anterior dislocation. This occurs most often when the arm is out to the side, rotated externally and moved backwards and there is a forwards force on the upper arm, pushing the joint out in its position of vulnerability. A blow to the rear of the arm, a fall on an outstretched hand (FOOSH) and a strong outward rotation plus shoulder abduction can all result in a dislocation.  Read more...