Total Orthocare Blogs

  Healthy bones are very important for the normal functioning of the body and living a normal lifestyle. Our bones form the structure of the body and any pain or discomfort in them can halt our daily functioning. In order to ensure a good bone health we must follow a proper diet that provides all the necessary nutrients. You need sufficient calcium to keep healthy bones and vitamin D to help your bones absorb calcium. If left unchecked then lack of these nutrients can lead to conditions such as rickets and osteoporosis and increase the risk of breaking a bone from a fall later in life. Adults need 700mg of calcium a day. You should be able to get all the calcium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Good sources of calcium include: milk, cheese and other dairy foods green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage and okra soya beans tofu soya drinks with added calcium nuts bread and anything made with fortified flour fish where you eat the bones, such as sardines and pi...

  Sacroiliac joint dysfunction or sacroiliitis are common terms used to describe the pain of the sacroiliac joint. It is usually caused by abnormal motion or misalignment of the sacroiliac joint. Sacroiliac joint syndrome is a significant source of pain in 15% to 30% of people with mechanical low back pain. Sacroiliac joint syndrome is a condition that is difficult to diagnose and the following conditions may be occur: Pain is usually localized over the buttock. Patients usually describe the pain as sharp, dull, achy, stabbing, or shooting pain directly over the affected joint.  Patients can often complain of sharp, stabbing, and/or shooting pain which extends down the posterior thigh usually not beyond the knee.  Pain can frequently mimic and be misdiagnosed as radicular pain. Patients will frequently complain of pain while sitting down, lying on the ipsilateral side of pain, or climbing stairs. Pregnant women have a greater chance to develop sacroiliac joint syndrome. ...

  Image Source: Total Orthocare Fibromyalgia - a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. This is an experience of mine when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Last summer we were moving to our new apartment and were very excited to move to our new apartment and with that we were finishing up the work. Suddenly while lifting a large object, I felt a jolt up my back. I felt a deep pain and was unable to move and thought I should take a rest. I also thought that this pain would go away after a rest. Later that evening I felt a tingling sensation in my lower back as soon as I moved. It has almost been more than 5 hours since my first experience of pain and yet it was the same after this time. I thought of taking a pain relieving medication as it was very uncomfortable to live with that pain. At night it was very difficult for me to have dinner because it was very painful to sit on the table. I was still having the...

  Back pain is something most of us will experience at some stage during our lives and is the most common reason for missed days at work. Back pain affects primarily the lower back and the good news is, that in most cases, the cause of pain is not serious and can be resolved in a few days or weeks. However, some symptoms can be more serious requiring a full assessment and diagnosis by an experienced Physiotherapist. However, before we get on how physiotherapy for back pain helps, let’s understand the causes of back pain. Mechanical Back Pain: The most common cause of back pain, especially lower back pain, is a combination of poor posture and lack of movement, typically seen with people who sit for long periods. This is known as mechanical back pain and is not a serious condition. However, it can be uncomfortable and frustrating to experience a constant ache or pain in your back. Physiotherapy is ideal for treating mechanical back pain. Along with advice on correcting your posture...

  Research suggests 60 to 80% of people experience low back pain during their lifetime with its prevalence being slightly more common in females than males across all age groups. Back pain in women increases significantly with age. Additionally, a middle-aged subject research comparison reported an increased incidence of low back pain in females versus males post menopause age. Here are some possible causes for back pain in women . Menopause and Hormonal Issues: Research suggests that chronic low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal challenges women face during menopause. Around 70% of perimenopausal women will experience symptoms tied to estrogen deficiency, with musculoskeletal pain reported in over half of women in perimenopause. Most studies demonstrate that increasing menopausal symptoms correlates to chronic back pain symptoms. Menstruation or Uterine Dysfunction: Dysmenorrhea, a uterine dysfunction which is the origin of frequent and severe cramping for ...

  Spondylolisthesis (spon + dee + lo + lis + thee + sis) is a condition of the spine whereby one of the vertebra slips forward or backward in relation to the next vertebra. Forward slippage of an upper vertebra on a lower vertebra is referred to as anterolisthesis, while backward slippage is referred to as retrolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis can lead to a deformity of the spine as well as a narrowing of the spinal canal (central spinal stenosis) or compression of the existing nerve roots (foraminal stenosis). Spondylolisthesis is most common in the low back (lumbar spine) but can also occur in the mid to upper back (thoracic spine) and neck (cervical spine). There are five major types of lumbar spondylolisthesis . Dysplastic spondylolisthesis: Dysplastic spondylolisthesis is caused by a defect in the formation of part of the vertebra called the facet that allows it to slip forward. This is a condition that a patient is born with (congenital). Isthmic spondylolisthesis: In isthmic spo...

  Back pain and neck pain are responsible for huge personal and societal costs, and are major causes of work disability. Contrary to traditional thinking, neither back pain nor neck pain is a problem that always resolves itself. Recurrences are usual and their course is very variable. Many researchers have tried to classify back and neck pain and many different methods have been proposed. The most common cause of back ache is known as Mechanical low back pain. The lower back or Lumbar spine is made up of 5 vertebrae which are circular shaped bones separated by a disc which acts like a shock absorber between the bones to cushion the forces generated as we move or put pressure through the spine in bending, lifting and sitting. The least pressure put through the spine is when we lie down flat. This acts as a natural traction to the spine and we are therefore usually a few millimetres taller in the morning than we are by the end of the day. By sitting we increase the pressure in the Lu...