Foot Injuries
Rear Foot Pain Foot Pain – The rear foot consists of the calcaneus and talus bones. The most common cause of rear foot pain is plantar fasciitis, although fat pad contusion and stress fractures of the calcaneus can occur. Plantar Fasciitis The plantar aponeurosis is composed of 3 segments, all arising from the calcaneus. The central, […]
Ankle Injuries
Ankle Pain – The ankle consists of 3 joints : talocrural joint, inferior tibiofibular joint and subtalar joint. Anatomy Talocrural (Ankle) Joint This is a hinge joint formed between the inferior surface of the tibia and superior surface of the talus. The medial and lateral malleoli provide additional articulations and stability to the joint. The […]
Achilles Injuries
Achilles Pain – The Achilles tendon, the thickest and strongest tendon in the human body, is the combined tendon of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Pain in the main body of the tendon (2-3cm above the insertion) appears to respond much better to treatment than pain at the insertion itself. The bursae are also important potential […]
Shin Injuries
Shin pain in athletes generally involves one or more of several pathological processes. Bone Stress A continuum of increased bone damage exists from bone strain to stress reaction and stress fracture. Vascular Insufficiency This includes a reduction in arterial flow or vascular outflow due to venous insufficiency, thrombotic disease or vascular collapse owing to elevated […]
Calf Injuries
Calf Pain is a common presenting complaint and if not managed appropriately, can persist for months or recur, causing frustration to the patient. Most pain stems from injury to the calf muscle, which involves the gastrocnemius and the deeper soleus muscles. These muscles have a joint tendon, the Achilles, which inserts into the calcaneus (heel […]
Medial, Lateral, & Posterior Knee Injuries
Lateral Knee Pain Pain about the lateral knee is a frequent problem, especially among distance runners. The most common conditions tend to be; iliotibial band friction syndrome; lateral meniscus abnormality, degenerative changes or a cyst formation. Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome This condition occurs as a result of friction between the iliotibial band and the underlying […]
Anterior Knee Injuries
Patellofemoral Pain Patellofemoral pain is the preferred term used to describe pain in and around the patella. There are numerous factors that may contribute to the development of such symptoms and can be further categorised as extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic factors concern the load created by the body’s contact with the ground (ground reaction force) and is therefore […]
Acute Knee Injuries
Acute Knee Injuries – The key feature of the knee examination is that each structure that may be injured must be examined. Clues to diagnosis are gleaned from the presence or absence of swelling, assessment of the state of the ligaments and menisci, and range of motion testing. Meniscal Injuries Acute meniscal tears occur when […]
Hamstring Injuries
Hamstring Pain – The hamstring muscle group consists of 3 main muscles : biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus. Epidemiology Hamstring muscle injuries are a common injury in sports that involve high-speed running and kicking, especially football, squash, hockey and rugby. Biomechanics of Hamstring Injury The majority of hamstring muscle injuries occur in the biceps femoris […]
Anterior Thigh Injuries
Anterior Thigh Pain – The two most important aspects of the history of a patient with anterior thigh pain are the exact site of the pain and the mechanism of injury. The site of the pain is usually well localised in cases of contusion or muscle strain. A contusion is likely to be the result […]
