What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis means porous bones. It is a progressive bone disease in which a loss of bone mass and density may potentially lead to fracture. It can affect all age groups and both males and females. Women are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis than men, mainly due to the rapid decline in oestrogen levels after the menopause.

Bone is a living tissue that is constantly being absorbed and rebuilt. As we get older more bone is naturally lost than is replaced. However In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced even further. The structure of bone begins to deteriorate and the amount and variety of proteins in bone are altered. This causes bone to become more fragile and more at risk of fracture through a minor fall or bump. The spine, hip and wrist are most commonly involved.

What are the symptoms of osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is often referred to as the silent disease as it may not be diagnosed until a fracture has occurred. Fractures due to osteoporosis can lead to changes in posture (such as developing a stoop in your back), muscle weakness, loss of height and bone deformity of the spine.

Some people may experience pain in their bones and muscles, particularly in their backs. If you do experience any such symptoms and have some of the risk factors of osteoporosis it is important to talk to your GP.

The list of risk factors is extensive. Here are some of the more commonly associated risk factors:

Low back pain continues to be a topical issue within society and one which all of us can relate to. Undoubtedly each of us have either suffered with low back pain ourselves or know someone who does.

While for some it can be an acute episode that resolves over a short period of time for others it becomes an ongoing issue that may develop into a much greater problem, that of chronic low back pain.

We recently listened to a very interesting podcast by Dr. Kieran O’Sullivan, from the University of Limerick, on chronic low back pain. He discusses how we as Chartered Physiotherapists can improve our approach in the care of these patients suffering low back pain.

Some highlights from the podcast include:

By the time someone with chronic (around 3 months or more) low back pain attends the physiotherapist he or she may already have been in contact with several healthcare practitioners and undergone extensive diagnostic testing. Each of these practitioners may have had a slightly different explanation as to the cause of this person’s pain.

Although sometimes used interchangably the titles 'Physiotherapist' and 'physical therapist' are actually quite distinct from each other. Inspired by a recent question from one of our clients I will share some details that should help to explain what the difference is between a Chartered Physiotherapist and a physical therapist.

Definition - Physiotherapist

Physiotherapy is a health profession concerned with helping to restore well-being to people following injury, pain or disability. Using knowledge from our extensive scientific and clinical background Chartered Physiotherapists can help to assess, diagnose and treat conditions and illnesses that affect people of all ages and social groups.

Chartered Physiotherapists use manual therapy including manipulation, mobilisation and massage as well as alternative modalities including electrotherapy and acupuncture. The Chartered Physiotherapist also utilises prescriptive exercise as a rehabilitative tool to help patients achieve their full potential. While traditionally, physiotherapy was regarded as rehabilitative and mainly hospital-based, the profession has expanded greatly into other health care areas. We have invaluable expertise to offer in educational and preventative roles in the community, the workplace and in private practice.

Definition - Physical Therapist

The Institute of Physical Therapy and Applied Science Limited defines Physical Therapy as a holistic approach based on the manual treatment of soft tissue, i.e., muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia.

A combination of medical intervention and lifestyle modifications are needed in order to offer a cure for a repetitive strain injury (RSI).

RSI, also referred to as upper limb work related disorder, is a general term used to describe pain of muscles, nerves and tendons caused by repetitive movement and overuse (National Health Service). It most frequently occurs in those who work with computers or in repetitive manual labour. This condition mostly affects parts of the upper body including the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrists and forearm.

With Wimbledon fever well under way and a particularly injury prone year among the top seeded players I thought it might be interesting to have a look at the most common tennis relates sports injuries. Research has shown that there are 54 injuries per 1000 games played (Pluim et al 2006). Among the most common injuries are a sprained ankle, shoulder strain, calf strain, tennis elbow and back injuries. 

Let’s take a closer look at the sprained ankle.

The sprained ankle is highly common in both the elite and the recreational sportsperson. The sudden sprinting, side movements and change of direction as required in tennis can cause the ankle to twist, particularly if the player is becoming fatigued or are playing on a slippery surface. The likes of Andy Murray and Roger Federer will wear ankle braces during matches in order to reduce the risk of such injuries.

Headaches are among the most commonly treated problems in medical practice. 

In this post Paula Morgan reviews - “Myofascial Trigger Points and Their Relationship to Headache Clinical Parameters in Chronic Tension Type Headache”

As the cold winter sets in some of you may find that those knees have become a little bit achy. The term arthritis is often mentioned when such aches and pains begin to surface over time. This is a condition that we treat regularly here at Mount Merrion Physiotherapy. Let’s look at a bit more detail into the meaning of the term 'osteoarthritis'.

From Novak Djokovic to Mario Balotelli the use of multi-coloured tape in the professional sports field had become increasingly popular. This leads to the question is this just a new fad or an effective evidence based treatment technique that can also be used with the amateur sports person.