Specialist in Neck, Back & Sports Injuries

Do you have a biceps rupture?

The biceps muscle is located in the front of your upper arm. It is attached to the bones of the shoulder and elbow by tendons — strong cords of fibrous tissue that attach muscles to bones. Tears of the biceps tendon at the elbow are uncommon. They are most often caused by a sudden injury and tend to result in greater arm weakness than injuries to the biceps tendon at the shoulder.

Once torn, the biceps tendon will not grow back to the bone and heal. Other arm muscles make it possible to bend the elbow fairly well without the biceps tendon. However, they cannot fulfill all the functions of the elbow, especially the motion of rotating the forearm from palm down to palm up. This motion is called supination.

If you tear the biceps tendon at the shoulder, you may lose some strength in your arm and have pain when you forcefully turn your arm from palm down to palm up.

Many people can still function with a biceps tendon tear, and only need simple treatments to relieve symptoms. If symptoms cannot be relieved by nonsurgical treatments, or if a patient requires complete recovery of strength, surgery to repair the torn tendon may be required.

On our Instagram page (@rainhamphysiotherapycentre) we have a video that showcases a few exercises which can be used to try and restore normal movement to the upper arm. We do however recommend seeing a physiotherapist before any exercise is carried out to confirm the injury and severity of the injury.

Feel free to call us at Rainham Physiotherapy Centre on 01634 377638 to book in for a consultation on any issues you may have.

Do you suffer from RSI?

What is RSI?

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is a general term used to describe the pain felt in muscles, nerves and tendons caused by repetitive movement and overuse.

It’s also known as work-related upper limb disorder, or non-specific upper limb pain.

The condition mostly affects parts of the upper body, such as the:

  • forearms and elbows
  • wrists and hands
  • neck and shoulders

We will focus on the wrist on this post.

Symptoms of RSI

The symptoms of RSI can range from mild to severe and usually develop gradually. They often include:

  • pain, aching or tenderness
  • stiffness
  • throbbing
  • tingling or numbness
  • weakness
  • cramp

At first, you might only notice symptoms when you’re carrying out a particular repetitive action.

But without treatment, the symptoms of RSI may eventually become constant and cause longer periods of pain. You may also get swelling in the affected area, which can last for several

What causes RSI?

RSI is related to the overuse of muscles and tendons in the upper body.

Certain things are thought to increase the risk of RSI, including:

  • repetitive activities
  • doing a high-intensity activity for a long time without rest
  • poor posture or activities that involve working in an awkward position

Cold temperatures and vibrating equipment are also thought to increase the risk of getting RSI and can make the symptoms worse. Stress can also be a contributing factor.

If you feel you have RSI, book in for an initial consultation by calling us at Rainham physiotherapy centre on 01634 377 638.

Is this why you’re not losing weight?

FOCUS ON NEAT FOR FATLOSS!

 

When it comes to fat loss, it’s paramount to focus on calories. In order for any fat loss to take place, you need to burn more calories than you consume on a daily basis.

With that in mind everyone’s first response is usually, do cardio at the gym and eat less… Perfect right?! Yes, quite honestly this is a great place to start but where some fall short with this is they don’t focus on any other movement throughout the day and don’t realise the possible effects on their energy levels in doing this.

Adding cardio and dropping calories is fantastic but if you used to perform 13000 steps a day and now it’s dropped to 4000 because you massively lack energy that’s a big drop in calories burnt through your NEAT ( non exercise activity thermogenesis ). 10000 steps a day causes people on average to burn 400-500 calories. If your daily steps drop dramatically because you burnt 300 calories on the treadmill for 20 minutes, then you’re worse off.

I’m not saying cut the gym out of your routine, it’s amazing for your overall health, but make sure you keep active throughout the whole day to really maximise your fat loss results!

Shoulder pain rehabilitation

SHOULDER PAIN REHAB

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Rotator cuff injuries are the most common shoulder injuries and occur most often in people who repeatedly perform overhead motions in their jobs or sports. Examples include painters, carpenters, and people who play baseball or tennis.

The risk of rotator cuff injury also increases with age.

Many people recover from mild rotator cuff injury with physical therapy exercises like the ones we’re performing above, which improve flexibility and strength of the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint.

Sometimes, rotator cuff tears may occur as a result of a single injury. In those circumstances, physiotherapy care should be provided as soon as possible. Extensive rotator cuff tears may require surgical repair, transfer of alternative tendons or joint replacement.

The pain associated with a rotator cuff injury may:

  • Be described as a dull ache deep in the shoulder
  • Disturb sleep, particularly if you lie on the affected shoulder
  • Make it difficult to comb your hair or reach behind your back
  • Be accompanied by arm weakness

If you feel like you’re suffering from a rotator cuff injury, contacts us here at rainham physiotherapy centre on 01634 377638 to enquire about booking in for a session.

Setting SMART Goals For Success

The method of SMART goals is one of the most effective tools used by high achievers to reach any of their goals consistently.

The “SMART” model of goal setting:

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Achievable

R = Relevant

T = Time-bounded

Once your fitness goals are SMART, break down each goal into a specific, clear tasks and activities needed to accomplish your goals. It’s important to periodically review your goals and make adjustments if necessary. Goal setting for your fitness goals is an essential tool for success.

An example of SMART goal setting is, if you want to lose weight for a holiday, don’t just state that you want to lose weight, get smart with it. 

How much weight do you specifically want to lose?

What are you going to measure? Just weight lost or are you going to measure calories+exercise too.

Now is it achievable? 1-2lbs of fat loss per week is a good target, much more than that and it starts to become unachievable to sustain.

Next, is everything you’re tracking and doing relevant to your goal? Make sure you’re focusing on the important areas!

And lastly make it time-bound. If you have a holiday then that’s one time frame to have but you can also set smaller weekly/monthly goals which are time-bound to help you stay on track and keep focus.

Implement these goals and track them consistently and you’ll be sure to find success in whichever fitness goal you may have!