Category: Blog

Mastitis and Blocked Milk Ducts – How can Physio help?

Mastitis 
Nearly 1 in 5 breast-feeding women are affected by mastitis. Mastitis is an
inflammatory breast condition that may or may not be associated with infection. A blockage generally occurs when accumulated breast milk is unable to drain from the breast, resulting in thickening of stationary milk and blocking the associated milk ducts.

Symptoms of mastitis can include:

• Symptoms of mastitis can include:
• Small palpable lump that is usually tender and hard
• Redness
• Fever, fatigue, general feeling of being unwell
  
  
  

What can cause a blocked milk duct to occur?

There are several factors that can contribute to increase risk of mastitis including:

• Infrequent, missed or rushed feeds
• Sore or injured nipples
• Infant latching difficulties
• Fatigue, stress and lack of sleep
• Breast compression (EG. Tight clothing, handbags or poorly fitting bras)

How can Physio help?

At Physio on Miller, our physiotherapist will take a detailed history and assess the affected breast to determine the best treatment option. Treatment options include:

• Education – causes, risk factors, improving feeding postures and techniques
• Continue regular breastfeeding on the affected side (if able).
• Heat packs
• Gentle self-massage
• Therapeutic Ultrasound – A therapeutic ultrasound may be used to help open the ducts and increase circulation to improve the flow of milk. By increasing the milk flow, it can reduce pain and swelling. Most women see improvements with ultrasound in the pain and lump size with 2-3 sessions.
• Stay hydrated
• Kinesiology taping
• Gentle stretches and breathing exercises

To see one of our physios call us or book online.

Can Physio Help Tennis Elbow?

So you’ve got a pain in your elbow and you’re wondering if physio can help tennis elbow? You’ve all probably heard of Lateral Epicondylitis also known more commonly as Tennis Elbow. There is a high prevalence of this injury especially in individuals older than 40 years old, as well as those who play racquet sports i.e tennis and squash. It is also common in those who undertake repetitive movements of wrist extension and/or gripping such as painters or carpenters.

Tennis elbow is the most common type of elbow pain people present with, characterised by pain on the outside aspect of the elbow. It can vary from low grade occasional discomfort to high grade continuous pain. Tennis elbow is an overuse injury where the common extensor tendon and the extensor carpi radialis brevis tendons are subjected to repetitive loads causing microtears and pain. It can be very painful and debilitating, affecting your day to day activities which is why it is very important to seek treatment earlier rather than later. If not treated appropriately it can develop into a chronic condition.

Treatment for Tennis Elbow favours conservative management with majority of tennis elbow injuries resolving within 12 months. There is a high recurrence rate if not managed appropriately. The aim of treatment is to initially manage load (relative rest), control inflammation, manage pain and patient education. The next stage is to re-introduce appropriate loads through specific wrist and elbow exercises with the goal to return to pre-
injury strength and function. It is necessary to strengthen above and below the elbow as well as allowing adequate recovery of the area.

Come and visit one of our team members to help you on your road to recovery.

How to improve your hip mobility – Hips don’t lie

As humans we are the most adapted and have potential to be the best movers on the planet. Yes, we cannot jump up a fence like a cat or sprint like a cheetah but we can throw a Frisbee, tie a shoelace and loco mote on 1,2,3 or 4 limbs.
As a species we evolved for long distance migration (walking and running) yet, foot, knee and Achilles ‘over use’ injuries have never been so prevalent. So why is this? Sadly, the majority of us have lost the ability to do everything that our body has evolved to do and, as a society, we take our movement for granted.

The body is a highly adaptable machine. It allows us to move, even with joint restrictions in place, but it is only a matter of time until it begins to break down and you go to see your physiotherapist.
When walking (and running) form follows function. If we lack movement in the lower limb – especially in the hips we begin to compensate. This leads to
increased transmission of force in the joints and ligaments and our doctor or other health care provider diagnoses us with ‘jumpers knee”, Achilles tendonitis or some kind of plantar fasciopathy we are unable to pronouce.

Lower limb and lower back injuries almost always have a hip component. Because we do not regularly use our body for the purpose it has evolved for and the 90° lifestyle that has become the norm, think sitting, prevents us from accessing the full function of our hips.
The many hours we spend sitting causes us to loose hip mobility and in turn hip stability. Our hip flexors and lower back begin to tighten and our pelvis starts to tip forward. This in turn leads to an inability to extend our hip and thus propel us forward in and efficient manner when walking or running. If our hip cannot extend we cannot access the full power of our gluts and then other, less suited muscles take over leading us down the path of over use injuries and metal joints.
It’s not all bad news! To adapt means to “make (something) suitable for a new use or purpose” or “become adjusted to new conditions”. With this in mind it tells us that we merely have to change the conditions to change our destination.
Listed below are a few ideas of how to reclaim your hip movement and prevent yourself from injury. While this list is not exhaustive it is a great start and seeking the advice of a health or movement professional should not be avoided altogether.

1. Reduced the amount of time spent sitting at 90°. Sitting can be divided into optional and non-optional.

Optional:

• E-mails
• Netflix
• Park

Non-optional:

• Car
• Meeting (where everyone sits)
• Work

For those times where sitting is optional think about a different position you could adopt: standing, sitting on the floor, walking etc

2. Offset the amount of time spent sitting with hip extension stretches.
Spend 1 minute in the modified hip flexor stretch for every 1-hour you spend sitting on any given day.

• Kneel on the Left knee.
• Right knee at 90.
• Drive the hips forward and keep
• The core engaged.
• Squeeze the left glut and feel the
• Stretch in the left hip flexor.
• Hold 1 minute – change leg

3. Obtain hip dominance and glut activation in standing – Complete 2 x 5s hold on each leg.

• Stand on the left leg.
• Pull the right knee to the chest using the hands.
• Squeeze the left glut and keep the left knee straight.
• Release the Right knee and hold for 5 seconds.

These are a few ideas for you to reclaim you hip mobility and once you have done the hard work of obtaining it, all you have to do to keep it is to use it.

So you are at a fork in the road – do you want to run yourself to injury or do you want to move yourself to health.  Like with all things health, prevention is better than cure and remember…. Embrace progress, no perfection.