The pelvic floor is integral for continence, and plays a significant role in the function of the lower back. But it’s an area often overlooked or ignored. Sometimes that’s because we assume our symptoms are normal, and just something we have to get on with. Other times it’s because we don’t know who can help. …
Osteoporosis is a diagnosis of reduced bone density, meaning you have a higher likelihood of breaking bones. This happens when the usual process of the body breaking down old bone overtakes the speed of rebuilding. Bones are not completely solid- they’re full of tiny holes. But when density reduces, the holes grow bigger. It’s more …
Osgood Schlatters disease (OSD) is a common ailment in adolescents, causing pain and swelling just below the knee cap (patella). “Disease” makes it sound more scary than it is: it’s much more of a mechanical issue and can typically be managed with lifestyle changes. Basics of Osgood Schlatters Before we finish growing, our bones have …
Your baby’s developmental milestones are key for tracking their progress in early life. As a result, they can cause parental anxiety when they appear later than expected. For some of the physical milestones, like learning to roll over, sit up, and crawl, there are things you can do to help. Practice Makes Perfect Like progressing …
Piriformis syndrome is a neuromuscular condition that occurs when the piriformis muscle, located deep in the buttock, compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve. This can lead to pain, numbness, and tingling along the back of the leg and into the foot, causing the symptoms of sciatica. This is, indeed, a form of sciatica. But understanding …
Arthritic pain is a common problem that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. It causes significant discomfort and reduced quality of life. “Arthritis” is a group of conditions that involve inflammation of the joints, leading to pain, stiffness, and swelling. Among these conditions, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common, but other forms …
The word “neuralgia” literally means “nerve pain”, but we use the term more specifically. Although sciatica is pain and other symptoms in the sciatic nerve, we wouldn’t call it a neuralgia. Sciatica involves compression or irritation of a nerve, rather than the damage or inflammation causing neuraglic pain. These problems can be caused by infection, …
Muscle cramps can be excruciating, but annoyingly, most seem to come on for no reason. We know that some groups of people are more likely to suffer from them, namely: Although we often attribute cramps to an “electrolyte imbalance”, this is rarely the real cause. There may be a link with dehydration, but cramps can …
Sports injuries are common causes of muscle strains and ligament sprains. Fortunately, minor injuries are within your osteopath’s remit. Many of these boil down to a repetitive strain injury- soft tissue injuries in the shoulder as a result of repeated throwing, for example. Rotator cuff tears or strains would be an example of this. Other …
Sciatica is a common cause of pain the the leg. Pain is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back into the buttock, back of the thigh, then onwards down the calf and into the foot. Symptoms do not always appear along the whole length of the nerve. Often they …