PT Talks

Driving problems Driving complications are one of the leading causes of road traffic accidents (RTAs) worldwide. Many people experience low back pain and leg weakness during driving. These complications can have a lot of reasons. Usually, they prove to be fatal. Driving Complications: Some commonly reported complications are;  Leg weakness leg pain low back pain - LBP Upper back or Shoulder pain Neck stiffness Vision problems Swollen feet Numbness in legs Disc-related issues such as herniated disc lumbo-pelvis hip complex problems. The intensity of symptoms increases as you sit behind the wheel for long periods. So they can range from mild to moderate.  Causes: These symptoms can arise from a lot of causes. The leading cause of all is not following the ergonomics of driving. Some of the others are; Bad posture while driving. Neurological conditions Bumpy roads - A person experiences ups and downs while driving on a bumpy road - in that excessive force is exerted on the body contributi

Sciatica is nerve pain that radiates along the course of the sciatic nerve i.e. from the lower back to buttocks, legs, and feet. It is a common neurogenic disorder affecting 50% of people, especially women during pregnancy - due to pressure on the sciatic nerve from the developing uterus.  What is Sciatica? Sciatica is a condition in which the sciatic nerve or any of its roots or branches are compressed resulting in sharp shooting pain in the leg, lower back, and buttock. It usually affects one side. Sciatic Nerve: The sciatic nerve is the longest and the thickest nerve in the body. It is a branch of the sacral plexus which arises from L4, L5, S1, S2, and S3 nerve roots. At the popliteal fossa, this nerve bifurcates into; Common peroneal nerve and tibial nerve. Each sciatic nerve supplies each leg.  Causes and Symptoms: The main cause of Sciatica is the pinched nerve (nerve compression) due to injury, herniated disc, piriformis syndrome, spondylolisthesis, arthritis of the vertebral co

Knee Pain  Let's crack the term osteoarthritis. Osteo refers to the bone & arthritis is inflammation of (arthrosis) joint.  Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint disease in adults nowadays. It affects weight-bearing joints such as hips and knees and causes stiffness and pain in affected joints. It is usually age-related and progresses with age. Osteoarthritis is common in females (post-menopause) as it is related to estrogen deficiency. Types of Osteoarthritis It can be systemic , involving all joints, and localized , involving one joint.  There are 2 main types of osteoarthritis; Primary Osteoarthritis or Idiopathic OA . This is the most common type of OA. Primary OA is when there is no known predisposing factor. It primarily affects the Spine, hips, great toes, fingers, and knees. 95% of cases of OA are idiopathic. Some contributing factors are Genetics, Age-related cartilage degeneration, trauma, or injury due to mechanical stress.   Secondary Osteoarthritis. When th

  If you feel like you are done with your aching back, we may have the solution to your problem! Low back pain is the most significant cause of disability globally. Every 9 out of 10 people you meet daily suffer from LBP- Low Back Pain. Women generally suffer more from this condition than men. Almost everyone has experienced LBP at least once in their life. What is Low Back Pain? As the low back, also known as the Lumbar region, is the area of the spine just below the ribcage so this pain may be defined as; "Any pain or discomfort in the lumbar region of the spine associated with muscular tension or stiffness in the low back area with or without leg pain." LBP can be a result of injury to a muscle or tendon in your back, falls, diseases, bad posture, or some other health conditions. Is My Back Pain Acute or Chronic?  If your pain lasts up to or less than 4 weeks   and comes on suddenly   then it is Acute LBP .   If it lasts from 4 to 12 weeks then it is Sub-acute .  While ch