As physiotherapists who work with a large “health & fitness” demographic, we frequently see sporting, fitness & gym related injuries. These injuries can occur due to a multitude of reasons including over training, poor technique, lifting too heavy, etc. Need help?
As physiotherapists that work with a large “fitness freak” demographic, we frequently see sporting and gym related injuries. These injuries can occur due to a multitude of factors including poor technique, lifting too heavy, overuse or structural abnormalities. As fitness freaks ourselves, we completely empathise with the debilitating effects these injuries can have on a person, physically and mentally. Today’s article will outline a few of the most common injuries we see coming from a gym environment.
One of the most common injuries we see at the practice is a disc herniation. A disc herniation is the displacement of intervertebral disc material outside the margins of the vertebral body. The disc material can encroach on structures around the vertebra causing pain. Pain can be localized to the back at the level of the herniation. It can also refer to other parts of the body, such as in the glutes and down the leg for a disc herniated in the lower back. There are four types of herniated discs, increasing in severity these include; disc bulge, protrusion, extrusion and sequestration. Disc herniations are commonly caused by frequent and prolonged flexing of the spine.
Another common cause of back pain is sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction. The SIJ is located between the base of the spine (the sacrum) and the pelvis. Pain is often felt in the lower back and can radiate into the groin, hip and occasionally down the leg. Pain from this joint can occur due to hypermobility. Hypermobility can occur (particularly after pregnancy) due to lax ligamentous structures and weakened muscles of the deep core and pelvic floor. Pain can also arise due to hypomobility or stiffness. This can occur due to an increased close packed position of the SIJ, tight muscles or other pathologies such as ankylosing spondylitis.
A sub acromial impingement is the compression of structures between the acromion and the head of the humerus causing pain. Some of these structures may include the subacromial bursa (a fluid sac that helps tendons slide over bony prominences with minimal friction) and the tendon of the rotator cuff muscles (muscles that assists in shoulder stabilization during various shoulder movements). Symptoms are often felt in the shoulder, particularly when the shoulder is elevated above 90 degrees. There are generally two causes of a subacromial impingement. The first is structural changes to the subacromial area such as bone growth or inflammation, the second is because of shoulder instability and or muscle imbalance.
Finally, rotator cuff tears are becoming increasingly more prevalent in gym frequenters and are often related to subacromial impingements. A sub acromial impingement may predispose an individual to a rotator cuff tear. The rotator cuff is made up of 4 muscles; the supraspinatis, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor. The key role of the rotator cuff is to center the head of the humerus in the glenoid (shoulder socket) during shoulder movements. The most common muscle torn is the supraspinatus. Symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include weakness, clicking and or pain when raising the arm above shoulder height, behind the head or behind the back. The pain is most frequently localized to the shoulder, but occasionally extends to the elbow. A tear can occur due to direct trauma, biomechanical or structural insufficiencies.
All of the conditions outlined have treatment options and often a good prognosis. Contact us at PROHEALTH PHYSIO to assist in the rehabilitation of your injury and get back to being the best version of yourself.