Tag Archive for: Knee Injuries

Biking Injuries and How to Avoid Them

Most biking injuries occur as a result of an accident – falling off the bike, or as a result of repeated movements over time. Superficial soft tissue injuries and musculoskeletal trauma are the most common injuries.

Many problems are linked to poor posture on the bike, poor bike fit, and over training.

Although some injuries are impossible to avoid, there are some things every cyclist can do to prevent injuries. Here is a list of the most common and what you can do to avoid them.

Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles tendonitis is an overuse injury caused by inflammation.  (This is not an Achilles tendon rupture, which requires immediate medical attention).

  • Reduce you training and use ice, ibuprofen and massage to calm the inflammation
  • Make sure to re asses your bike’s fit specifically the height of your bike seat.  Having your seat too high keeps your foot flexed, causing constant contraction of the calf muscles.

Muscle Tightness

If you are an avid rider, you may not be aware that your calves and hamstrings are too tight.  A hamstring ‘strain’ occurs when the muscle is loaded either quite heavily, or repetitively, or both.

  • Tightness can lead to tearing so always warm up before you get on the bike
  • Stretch so your muscles are flexible
  • Rest the strained muscle

Low Back Pain

Riding for long periods of time, especially if the bike doesn’t fit you properly will lead to lower back pain by forcing supporting muscles to compensate for weaken muscles.

  • Make sure that you participate in year round core strengthening exercises
  • Make sure your back is in the right position for the specific frame of your bicycle

Neck Pain

Neck pain is caused by tightness in the muscle that starts at the base of the skull and runs along the sides of the neck all the way to the shoulders.   This pain can be caused by an incorrect bike fit, or tensing the shoulder muscles while holding the head in an extended position for long periods of time.

  • Make sure your bike fits you
  • Shortening the stem and moving the seat forward will place your body in a more upright position,
  • Allow the neck and back to be in a more neutral position.
  • Keeping your grip loose on the handlebars will help to avoid tight shoulder muscles

Knee Pain

Your knees can be irritated by the repeated motion of cycling, especially if you try and do too much too quickly, or your bike set-up isn’t quite right. The repetitive motion of pedaling your bike without sufficient leg strength can potentially bring on knee pain and injuries.

These are changes in equipment or a position on the bike that the body’s not used to, including:

  • Check the seat height and seat setback
  • Length of cranks
  • Cleat position
  • Strength training is crucial for keeping your cycling knees pain-free

Riding a bike is a  great low-impact exercise; you just have to have the right equipment and engage in the exercise correctly.

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Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome a.k.a Runner’s Knee

sore_0Runner’s knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome is a common biomechanical problem that can affect anyone who is involved in activities that requires on-going knee bending, such as walking, biking, or running.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome can result from:

  • Overuse. Repeated overstretching of the muscles and tendons of the knee
  • Trauma to the knee by a fall or blow
  • Misalignment. If any of the bones are slightly misaligned excessive stress is placed on the cartilage of the kneecap.
  • Worn cartilage in the knee joint
  • Leg length discrepancies
  • If you suffer from over pronation, fallen arches or high arches

Minor to moderate cases of runner’s knee should heal with minimum treatment and minimal down time.

  • Rest the knee. Try to avoid putting weight on your knee for a few days
  • Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling. Do this for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days
  • Compress your knee by using an elastic bandage, athletic tape, or a soft brace
  • Elevate your knee whenever you’re sitting or lying down
  • Use anti-inflammatory medication
  • Practice stretching and strengthening exercises
  • Use orthotics to support your arches

Chiropractic and Physiotherapy can treat runner’s knee with manual manipulations and modalities to get you back to your regular routine as quickly as possible.

  • Deep Tissue Laser Therapy – accelerates the body’s own natural healing process
  • Graston Technique – soft tissue treatment that breaks down scar tissue
  • Therapeutic Ultrasound – increases circulation to help the healing process and decreases pain.
  • K-Taping – designed for muscle, ligament and tendon pain relief and support
  • TENS Therapy – a non-invasive nerve stimulation intended to reduce both acute and chronic pain
  • Shockwave Therapy – a non-surgical treatment of soft tissue, bone, and joint pain

How to prevent runner’s knee:

  • Use custom orthotics in all your footwear
  • Wear runners with good shock absorption and quality construction, and replace them often
  • Avoid running on surfaces like concrete or asphalt
  • Stay in shape and maintain a healthy weight
  • Weak thigh muscles, tight hamstring and calf muscles can put extra stress on the knee; so stretch, stretch, stretch
  • Tape your knee while exercising, if you’ve had runner’s knee before.

As with any injury, contact your doctor or health care practitioner to be diagnosed and to create a treatment plan that’s right for you.

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How to Properly Size Your Bike

How to Properly Size Your BikeIn order to enjoy cycling without injury; the choice of bike, proper frame size, and adjustments of the handlebar, seat and pedals can play a huge part; so size does matter when choosing a bike.

Here’s how to tell if the bike is truly right for you, and specific points on how you can fine tune the seat and handlebars to make it perfectly comfortable for you.

Frame Size:

The first step is getting the right size bike, so stand over the frame with both feet flat on the ground. A properly-sized road bike frame will allow an inch or two clearance between the top tube of the frame and your crotch. A mountain bike should aim for twice this distance.

Seat Height:

Your seat height should be set to a height that allows your leg to extend until it is almost completely straight when you are sitting on the seat. There should be only a slight bend to the knee when your foot is on the pedal in the bottom position.  A common mistake is for people to think that they should be able to sit on their seat touch the ground.  For maximum comfort, you want your seat to be level.

Handlebar Position
The goal of handlebar height adjustment is to find the position where you can ride comfortably without putting strain on your back, shoulders or wrists

Your handlebars should be at least as high as your seat, or even above it, so you can ride upright. If your handlebars are lower than your seat you’ll be pushed into your handlebars, and you’ll place more stress on your wrists, arms, neck, and back.

Making sure your bike fits is of utmost importance to cycling injury free.

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Knee Injuries

Knee InjuriesThe knee is a complex joint with many components, making it vulnerable to a variety of injuries.

The knee is made up of the lower end of the thighbone (femur),  which rotates on the upper end of the shinbone (tibia), and the knee cap (patella), which slides in a groove on the end of the femur.

The knee also contains large ligaments, which help control motion by connecting bones and by bracing the joint against abnormal types of motion.  The meniscus, is another component of the knee and is a wedge of soft cartilage between the femur and tibia that serves to cushion the knee  during motion.

Types of Knee Injuries:

ACL injury – Changing direction rapidly, slowing down when running, and landing from a jump may cause tears in the ACL.

MCL injury  – Usually caused by a direct blow to the outside of the knee. These types of injuries often occur during contact sports.

PCL injury  – Often injured when a person receives a blow to the front of the knee

Torn cartilage/mensicus  –  The mensicus is cartilage that is attached to the knee’s ligaments and acts like a shock absorber. Tears in the meniscus can occur when twisting, pivoting,  or decelerating.

Treatment of Knee Injuries:

A common method used to treat mild injuries is R.I.C.E., which stands for “rest, ice, compression, and elevation.” Rest the knee by staying off it .  Apply ice to control swelling. Use a compressive bandage applied snugly, but loosely enough so that it does not cause pain. Finally, keep the knee elevated.

Seek treatment as soon as possible if:

  • there is almost immediate swelling in the knee
  • the bones appear deformed
  • there is inability to bear weight
  • the pain is intolerable
  • there is loss of sensation below the injury site
  • the foot and ankle turn cold

At Diversified Health, our health care practitioners have many treatment options, such as Laser Therapy, Ultrasound, eToims, and Shockwave therapy for knee injuries.  A Rehab program will also be created specifically for you and will include strengthening exercises, joint mobilizations, myofascial work which will include the muscles surrounding the knee.

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Leg Pain & Treatment Options | Chiropractic Victoria BC

Leg Pain & Treatment Options | Chiropractic Victoria BCLeg pain can range from a mild irritation to an unbearable pain that makes it difficult to complete any day-to-day activities. Leg pain can take many different forms, from a dull ache to searing pain. Other symptoms that may also occur are a pins-and-needle sensation, numbness or weakness.

Leg pain can be caused by a problem in the leg, but often it starts with a problem in the lower back, where the sciatic nerve originates, and then travels down,  along the path of the nerve. For this reason, if you have leg/foot pain, or leg/foot weakness or numbness, you should have a health care practitioner include an examination of the lower back.

When a nerve root in the lower spine is irritated (sciatica) you can experience a searing pain that starts in the lower back area and radiates down to the leg. Sciatic pain can be a constant or intermittent pain, and for many people this pain can be excruciating and debilitating. Spinal decompression treatments can bring relief for this type of back pain.

Numbness can be another symptom of leg ”pain” and is frequently caused by a pinched nerve.  Numbness coming from a low back problem can interfere with movement, balance, level of fatigue and can be a symptom of something more serious such as MS or a stroke. Both chiropractic and physiotherapy can treat a pinched nerve.

If you sit or stand for long periods of time and you have leg pain, you might suffer from positional leg pain (spinal stenosis/facet joint, which is a problem of anatomy in the low back) this pain can usually be relieved by simply changing your positions.  You can also alleviate these symptoms by bending over, or with gentle stretching.

Other causes of leg pain can be due to either over-pronation/under-pronation of the foot; which can cause added stress on your leg and back muscles. A gait scan of your feet will diagnosis if you are a candidate for orthotics.

The types of leg pain experienced can vary widely from patient to patient, so it is important that you seek a diagnosis from a trusted health care practitioner.

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Size Matters When Choosing a Bike | Victoria Walk in Clinic

In order to enjoy cycling without injury; the choice of bike, proper frame size, and adjustments of the handlebar, seat and pedals can play a huge part; so size does matter when choosing a bike.

Here’s how to tell if the bike is truly right for you, and specific points on how you can fine tune the seat and handlebars to make it perfectly comfortable for you.

Frame Size:

The first step is getting the right size bike, so stand over the frame with both feet flat on the ground. A properly-sized road bike frame will allow an inch or two clearance between the top tube of the frame and your crotch. A mountain bike should aim for twice this distance.

Seat Height:

Your seat height should be set to a height that allows your leg to extend until it is almost completely straight when you are sitting on the seat. There should be only a slight bend to the knee when your foot is on the pedal in the bottom position.  A common mistake is for people to think that they should be able to sit on their seat touch the ground.  For maximum comfort, you want your seat to be level.

Handlebar Position
The goal of handlebar height adjustment is to find the position where you can ride comfortably without putting strain on your back, shoulders or wrists

Your handlebars should be at least as high as your seat, or even above it, so you can ride upright. If your handlebars are lower than your seat you’ll be pushed into your handlebars, and you’ll place more stress on your wrists, arms, neck, and back.

Making sure your bike fits is of utmost importance to cycling injury free.

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Knee Pain

Knee pain is a common complaint that affects people of all ages. A few reasons one may be experiencing knee pain include: a sudden increase in one’s training or activity schedule, the commencement of a new sport or activity, a change in footwear, improper training technique, or muscle imbalances and/or alignment issues.

Understanding what is causing your knee pain is the first step in treating it, and there are many possible causes of mechanical knee pain which include:

patello-femoral syndrome, patellar fracture, bursitis, Ilio-tibial band friction syndrome, patellar or quadriceps tendinopathy, ligament injuries/sprains, Meniscal injuries/tears, Osteoarthritis, Osgood-Schlatter’s disease,  Loose Bodies, etc…

 Knee pain is one of the most common cycling injuries. The most common cause of knee pain in cyclists in ilio-tibial band (IT band) syndrome. The IT band is a thick band of fibrous tissue that runs down the outside of the upper leg from the hip area to the knee. Pain usually results when the IT band becomes too tight and therefore rubs over the bony prominences of the knee. The IT band has direct attachments to the tensor fascia latae (TFL) muscle, which runs down along the outer front of the thigh/hip area and acts to help flex and abduct the hip. This muscle, which is used consistently in cycling, often becomes shortened and/or tight, thereby increasing tension on the IT band and contributing to knee and/or hip pain.

 As injury can often be a problem of overuse, or misuse, it is important to avoid the temptation to do too much (especially if just starting out with a new sport/activity, or commencing a training season). To avoid misuse of muscles, and prevent injury, it is important to ensure appropriate training technique and equipment fit (ie: bike fit).  With cycling, it is important to add in a stretching program for your lower extremities to help maintain a healthy and appropriate muscle length while training.

 In order to determine the cause of one’s knee pain, a comprehensive examination of the knee is completed and the appropriate treatment plan is outlined.

Treatment for knee pain can include:

1)    Electrotherapy such as ultrasound to decrease swelling, pain, speed up cell turn over and thus enhance healing and recovery.

2)    Interferential current may be used to decrease swelling or joint effusion, decrease pain, and speed up recovery.

3)    Heat may be used to decrease pain and increase range of motion

4)    Ice may be used to decrease inflammation and pain

5)    Soft tissue work to improve circulation, break up adhesions, decrease muscle tightness or tension, decrease pain

6)    Joint mobilizations to increase range of motion, decrease stiffness, increase circulation, and decrease pain

7)    Passive stretching to increase muscle length

8)    Taping to improve muscle function or joint alignment and decrease pain

9)    Comprehensive exercise program to correct for muscle imbalances, increase flexibility, improve strength / stability / proprioception.

 Below are a few exercises to help prevent knee injuries:

  1. Glute med strengthening – use theraband or stretchy tubing tied around ankles. In standing with legs straight and core contracted, side step (with straight legs) to left against the resistance of the band around the ankles. Continue for a minimum of 15 steps or until fatigue and then return to the starting point by side stepping to the right as above.
  2. Double leg or single leg squat, either on a BOSU or on the ground with a stability ball against the wall (your back leaning against the stability ball).
  3. Hamstring, Hip flexor stretching, and IT band rolling on foam roller

Remember to follow the PRICE principle if you believe you’ve sustained an acute knee injury, until you’ve been assessed from your health care practitioner.

P – Protect: Avoid anything that could cause further harm/injury or increase pain

R – Rest: Discontinue any and all physical activity as much as possible

I – Ice: Apply ice, 15-20 min max, 3-4 times/day

C – Compression: Wrap the injured area with a tensor bandage etc applying pressure around the area (to help decrease swelling and inflammation)

E – Elevation: Sit or lie with the limb or injured area elevated

Written by Jessica McCartie M.P.T.

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Jumpers Knee Treatment

Jumpers knee treatment Jumpers knee treatment is just one of many knee injury treatments offered at Diversified Health. Anyone can be a victim of a knee injury; whether you are a professional athlete, a weekend warrior or  just doing your day-to-day activities. The knee joint is unique in that it carries body weight at the same time as it provides flexibility and mobility and this construction predisposes the joint to risk of injury from sudden movement and repeated wear and tear.

What can cause knee injuries:

• Ligament Sprains – Overstretching  ligaments are bands of strong tissue that stabilize the knee joint together.

• Cartilage Tears – Pressure from twisting and turning during weight-bearing exercise

• Tendon Strains – This is an overuse injury commonly caused by repeated jumping or “jumpers knee”

• Footwear –ill fitting footwear can affect the way you walk and can place stress on the muscles and tendons around the knee joint.

• Frequency/intensity of activity – Any change such as jogging or playing tennis on a different surface can affect the knee joint.

Treatments for knee pain:

A health care practitioner at Diversified Health Clinic will assess your knee to determine the source of the problem and to develop an individual treatment program.  Depending upon the type and degree of injury, the program may include practices such as Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Chiropractic and Physiotherapy.

Treatments can include manual adjustments, and modalities such as cold laser, shockwave therapy, ultrasound, graston technique or neuro-mechanical adjusting tool.

Returning to activity:

At Diversified Health Clinic we can provide a program to help prevent re-injury as you return to normal activities, including stretching exercises to regain flexibility around the joint and strength training to build up the muscle in the Rehab Gym.

Another element of the rehabilitation program is to retrain balance and coordination. A knee injury involves more than just stress and strain to the soft tissue. It also affects the tiny receptors in the muscles, ligaments and tendons that ‘tell’ you where your knee is positioned. These receptors send signals to correct balance and shift weight.

Whether you require a jumpers knee treatment or a sprain/strain treatment, Diversified Health Clinic will provide you with numerous options that will include exercise programs that will help you strengthen your muscles and get you back participating in the activities you love.

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