Osteoarthritis Knee Pain? Get Relief with Hyaluronic Acid Injections

When you are active your body thrives being in good shape. Being fit is part of a healthy lifestyle, so being on the field or track can make fitness even more enjoyable. But if you suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee, a very common but painful condition for athletes, you know that days spent enjoying your favourite sport can be a little less gratifying with osteoarthritis of the knee dogging you. Osteoarthritis knee pain that bothers you before, during, and after a game, can take a lot of the fun out of it.

What is osteoarthritis of the knee? Osteoarthritis of the knee is a degenerative disease that affects the knee joint, with symptoms ranging from general knee pain, stiffness, decreased range of motion, and muscle weakness. The pain is localized in the knee, making movement difficult.

There are several causes of osteoarthritis knee pain, but the most common often relate to sports. These include trauma to the knee, injuries of the knee joint, a patellar dislocation or patella fracture, or just general wear and tear. Genetic factors can also play a role (i.e. arthritis), as can obesity.

There are a number of different treatment options available for osteoarthritis knee pain sufferers, some are less invasive then others. Hyaluronic acid injections are one of the less invasive forms of treatment of osteoarthritis knee pain. This non-surgical approach to treating osteoarthritis knee pain is fast and effective, resulting in less downtime for recovery and results that get you back in the game that much quicker.

What are hyaluronic acid injections? Also called viscosupplementation injections, hyaluronic acid injection involve the injection of hyaluronic acid into the knee joint. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that is already present in the human body. It works to lubricate the joints, making movement easy and painless. It also provides shock absorption to the knee joint. By injecting hyaluronic acid into the knee joint, hyaluronic acid injections help to promote the production of this substance, making movement more smooth and manageable.

A sports therapy clinic is a great place to seek relief from your osteoarthritis knee pain. Using hyaluronic acid injections in conjunction with other forms of osteoarthritis treatment (massage or physical therapy, custom knee bracing) may speed up your osteoarthritis knee pain recovery time.

Don’t let osteoarthritis knee pain keep you from being fit and enjoying your favourite sports. If you have tried other treatments with little success, hyaluronic acid injections could be the answer to your knee pain.

For more information about hyaluronic acid injections to combat osteoarthritis knee pain, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416-800-0800 or visit www.aesm.ca.

 

Plantar Fasciitis Keeping You Off Your Feet? Sonocur Shockwave Therapy Could Be The Solution

With spring upon us, it's time to get back outside and enjoy our favourite sport. Be it running, volleyball, soccer, or golf - or all of them - exercising pain-free isn't too much to ask. But what if you suffer from plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the tissues at the bottom of the foot. These tissues connect the heel bone to the toes. It occurs when those tissues are overused (overstretched), causing the muscles to tighten and become quite painful.  This is often impacts the most seasoned long-distance runners. Another cause of plantar fasciitis is sudden weight gain (which puts added pressure on the tissues). The pain is often constant, and can even make the simplest tasks, such as walking, very difficult.

If you think that you may have plantar fasciitis there are plantar fasciitis treatments available, including treatment options that don’t involve invasive surgical procedures. Invasive procedures like surgery to remedy plantar fasciitis can keep you off of your feet for weeks. If you suffer from the pain caused by plantar fasciitis, you don’t have to suffer through it. One really great plantar fasciitis treatment is Sonocur shockwave therapy.

What is shockwave therapy? Sonocur shockwave therapy is a high-tech, non-invasive form of treatment delivering low-energy sound waves to the affected area, helping to encourage the growth of new blood vessels and break down scar tissue. The procedure is pain-free, and does not require any anesthesia – just sit back and relax and let the doctor work his or her magic.

A major benefit to electing shockwave therapy as a plantarfasciitis treatment is the amount of time saved.  Instead of requiring extensive downtime, this treatment, covered over a period of weeks, affords immediate relief, letting you get back out there right away - no recovery time needed!

Sonocur therapy isn’t just for plantar fasciitis since it works on way more than just feet. Sonocur shockwave therapy can also help with these other conditions: jumper’s knee and runner’s knee, tendonitis (rotator cuff, biceps, quadriceps, Achilles), tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. Many of these conditions can keep you from the field or the track due to pain caused while trying to partake. Shockwave therapy can get you back out there straight away.

If you are suffering from foot pain, don’t ignore it. Sonocur shockwave therapy is a proven effective plantar fasciitis treatment that will help you get back in the game.

For more information about shockwave therapy, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416-800-0800 or visit www.aesm.ca.

Get Ready for the 2013 Canadian Running Series Foundation Charity Challenge with Active Release Technique Therapy

Sunday April 21st marks the 10^th anniversary of the Canadian Running Series Foundation Charity Challenge, supporting such charities as the Canadian Cancer Foundation, the Asperger’s Society of Ontario and Kids Up Front.  This 10km run attracts participants from across the province that competes for their favourite charity, many of them dressing up as part of the costume contest. You’d better get ready!

Whether you're a runner who competes in marathons on a regular basis or just like to take a quick jog around the park every day, you know that running can sometimes lead to injuries that put pressure on your body and make your routine uncomfortable. Even worse, if left untreated, such aches, pains, sprains and strains can end up taking you out of commission for extended periods of time. If these minor injuries are keeping you off of the track, it might be time to get some relief.

Active Release Technique therapy is a specialized form of massage therapy that uses advanced massage techniques to treat a number of sports related (and even some un-related) aches and pains. It is a soft tissue system/movement based technique of massage that works to treat problems associated with muscles, ligaments and nerves. Headaches, carpel tunnel syndrome, shoulder and back pain and knee problems are just some of the conditions that Active Release Technique can treat. This form of therapy can also help you deal with issues such as weakness in your muscles and an inhibited range of motion, which, although perhaps not painful, can make your run less enjoyable as it can restrict you.

So how does Active Release therapy work? Using over 500 unique movements, your trained massage therapist will work with you to deal with the pain caused by overuse or a sports injury. Using different motions, and applying hand pressure to the affected areas, your massage therapist will work to remove or break up the fibrous adhesions that can tighten muscles and increase blood flow and release trapped nerves. Together, this will help increase movement and ease pain caused by overuse or other sports related injuries.

Remember: a running injury clinic at a sports therapy clinic is also a smart way to avoid these injuries before they occur. Having a pre-season assessment done will help notify you of problem areas and how to deal with them. Running can be hard on your body, and so prep is just as important as treatment.

If you're getting ready to run in the CRS Charity Challenge, or just want to get some relief from your sports related aches and pains, visiting a sports therapy clinic for an Active Release Technique massage could be the solution.

To learn more about how Active Technique Release can help ease your sports aches and pains, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416-800-0800 or visit www.aesm.ca

Don’t Let Sports Sprains and Strains Ruin Your Ultimate Frisbee Game

As the last vestiges of winter finally melt away, many of us are ready for those warm days outside enjoying out favourite sports. If you are an ultimate frisbee player, spring signals you’re the move from indoor arenas to outside onto the field. A game that combines different elements of football, soccer and basketball, ultimate frisbee continues to grow in popularity, with leagues in every major city in the country!

But no matter the season, ultimate frisbee can lead to some painful sprains and strains that can bench even the best players. Rather than putting up with aches and pains or letting them keep you from participating, head to a sports injury clinic and address related problems before the warm weather hits!

What kinds of sprains and strains are we talking about? Like any sport, ultimate frisbee contains a level of risk as far as injuries. The combination of running flat-out and sometimes unavoidable contact can lead to sprains and strains on various parts of the body.  The most common are ankle and knee sprains. Either of these can take you off of the field for an extended period of time. After all, if you can’t run, you are probably not going to be much help to anyone on the team!

Sprains and strains to the ankle and knee can vary in severity, so it stands to reason the intensity of treatment also varies. Ignoring injuries like these is a very bad idea – and could leave you as a permanent fixture on the sidelines. A sports injury clinic that caters to sports related injuries can assess each individual injury as need be and recommend the best treatment plan to get you back on the field as soon as possible.

What types of treatment does a sports injury clinic use to treat sprains and strains? If the sprain is in the knee for example, a custom brace can work to stabilize the knee, balancing out the weight and reducing the stress on the knee joint and area. This can make it much easier to compete and help keep further injuries at bay.

Other common injuries as a result of ultimate frisbee include torn ACL’s. If you are running, pivoting and diving to catch the frisbee you are vulnerable to tearing your ACL. A sports injury clinic can deal with these injuries too. Using various massage techniques a physical therapist can reduce the swelling and inflammation from a minor injury and reduce the pain, getting you back out on the field in no time.

If you play ultimate frisbee but find yourself suffering from sprains and strains or any sports related injury as a result, visit a sports injury clinic for an assessment and treatment, customized to meet your individual needs. Professional expertise can restore you to your normal level of activity by reducing and managing your injury/pain.

For more information about sports sprains and strains and how a sports injury clinic can help, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416-800-0800 or visit www.aesm.ca