Muscles & Joints

Articles

Carpal tunnel syndrome
Condition

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by the compression of one of the nerves in your hand (the median nerve) that helps you move your thumb. It also gives a particular area of skin the sensation of touch, pain, and temperature - this is the skin over the thumb and parts of the first two fingers. The median nerve runs through something called the carpal tunnel as it navigates through your wrist into your hand. The carpal tunnel, which is a gap formed from the bones in your wrist and a big ligament, can swell up and squash the nerve. This usually causes pins and needles, numbness, and pain in your thumb, index finger, and middle finger, and sufferers typically say symptoms are worse at night. Sometimes, if you’ve suffered from this for a long time, the muscle at the bottom of the thumb loses power as the muscle wastes away. There is no one specific cause of carpal tunnel syndrome, but it is more common in women, the elderly, and during pregnancy or menopause. Swelling of the carpal tunnel can occur from injury to your hand or wrist, joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and from diabetes or obesity. You may be at higher risk if your job or hobby involves a lot of manual work, such as bending the wrist or gripping things for a long time, or using work tools that vibrate, such as a pneumatic drill. It is thought to be more common in pregnancy and menopause as there is often increased water retention, so the tissues in the wrists and hands may be more swollen, causing the carpal tunnel to narrow and put pressure on the nerve.

Baker's cyst
Condition

Baker's cyst

A Baker's cyst is a fluid-filled swelling that develops at the back of the knee. These often cause no problems at all but the larger the cyst, the more likely it is that you may have symptoms from it. The cyst can become inflamed, causing pain in the knee and calf and you might find your knee locks or clicks. For some people, they may get a sharp pain if the cyst bursts, which happens in about 1 in 20 cases. Fluid can then leak into the calf, causing swelling and redness. Baker's cyst is more likely to develop in women than men, and people over the age of 35, although it can affect anyone including children in the 4-7 year old age group.

Psoriatic arthritis elbow
Condition

Psoriatic arthritis elbow

Living with psoriatic arthritis affecting the elbow can be challenging. It brings ongoing pain and discomfort and limits how well you can move your arm. It's crucial to grasp what's going on with this condition, especially if it's affecting your elbow. Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis caused by the body's immune system acting up. It causes swelling and pain in the joints, including the elbow. Interestingly, it's often seen alongside the skin condition psoriasis, showing how it affects not just the joints but the skin, too.

Big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus): symptoms & treatments
Condition

Big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus): symptoms & treatments

Living with discomfort or pain in your big toe can significantly impact your quality of life. Whether hindering your ability to walk, exercise, or even wear particular shoes, big toe arthritis, (medically known as hallux rigidus), can be frustrating and debilitating. However, by delving deeper into understanding this ailment and exploring the available treatment options, you can take proactive steps towards managing your symptoms and regaining control over your mobility. What is big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus)? Big toe arthritis, or hallux rigidus, is a degenerative condition that affects the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, which is the joint at the base of the big toe. A degenerative condition is a medical condition that causes progressive deterioration or breakdown of tissues, organs, or systems within the body over time. This condition is caused by the gradual breakdown of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones within the joint. As the cartilage wears away, the bones may begin to rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Hallux rigidus typically develops over time, often due to repetitive stress on the joint or natural wear and tear associated with ageing. However, it can also be triggered or accelerated by factors such as trauma, injury, or underlying conditions like gout or rheumatoid arthritis. The severity of hallux rigidus can vary widely among individuals, ranging from mild discomfort and stiffness to severe pain and limited mobility. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of this condition is essential for devising an effective management and treatment plan.

Subacromial impingement (shoulder impingement syndrome)
Condition

Subacromial impingement (shoulder impingement syndrome)

Subacromial impingement (also known as shoulder impingement syndrome) is a condition characterized by the painful movement of the shoulder. Pain often occurs when moving the shoulder and arm in specific directions and can be associated with weakness. Subacromial impingement is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. It most commonly affects people aged 30-70, and around one in five people will experience symptoms of subacromial impingement at some time in their lives. Subacromial impingement tends to cause pain that can be felt at the top of the shoulder and can spread down the arm towards the elbow, pain worse when lifting your arm to the side and above your head, and weakness when lifting your arm to the side.

Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
Condition

Repetitive strain injury (RSI)

Repetitive strain injury (also known short as RSI) is very common and is when repetitive movement causes pain due to overuse or strain of muscles, ligaments, or tendons. The symptoms can range from pain and aching to numbness or tingling, and they tend to start and are made worse by doing repetitive movements. It can occur in the areas around different joints or muscles in the body, with the most common areas being the hands, wrists, forearms, shoulders, and neck. Repetitive movements, stress, vibrating work tools, and cold weather can also increase your risk of developing RSI. Common reasons for developing RSI are doing repetitive tasks at work, gaming or using a mouse, playing sports, using a wheelchair, and being a musician. However, not everyone in these categories develops RSI.

Arthritis
Condition

Arthritis

Arthritis is a term used to describe pain and inflammation affecting a joint. Any joint in the body can be affected by arthritis but the most commonly affected joints are those of the fingers and thumb, wrist, hip, knee, shoulder, lower back and neck. There are two main types of arthritis: osteoarthritis and inflammatory (rheumatoid) arthritis. What is osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is associated with increasing age – often from the mid-40s onwards - though it is a distinct entity from the changes associated with aging. It’s more common in women, and if you have a family history of the condition. Osteoarthritis is a disease affecting the cartilage layer that covers the ends of bones at a joint which normally functions to provide a smooth surface that allows friction-free joint movement. In osteoarthritis, there is a breakdown of the smooth cartilage layer which then tries to heal itself. There is gradual thinning of the cartilage layer with complete loss eventually. Osteoarthritis is characterized by pain and stiffness that is usually worse with movement and tends to be worst at the end of the day or after intense activity. The joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis are the hands, knees, hips and spine.

Achilles tendon rupture
Condition

Achilles tendon rupture

The Achilles tendon is the large tendon just above your heel that you can feel like a cord when you move your foot up and down. It’s the largest and strongest tendon in the body. If the tendon tears, or snaps then this is called an Achilles tendon rupture. A rupture can be partial or total, depending on whether any of the tendon is still attached.

Costochondritis
Condition

Costochondritis

Costochondritis is the inflammation of the cartilage that connects your ribs to your breast bone (the sternum). Cartilage is a connective tissue that covers the joints and acts as a shock absorber. Costochondritis is a type of chest wall pain that has no clear cause. It usually goes away by itself after a few weeks, with simple pain relief and rest but unfortunately it can also come back again in the future.

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
Condition

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)

The term ‘tennis elbow’ is more correctly known as lateral epicondylitis and is a painful condition affecting the outside part of the elbow. The lateral epicondyle is the bony prominence at the outer part of the base of the humerus or upper arm bone. A similar condition affects the medial epicondyle (the bony prominence at the inner part of the elbow) and is usually called 'golfer's elbow'. What causes tennis elbow? Tennis elbow occurs because of our anatomy. The muscles that straighten out our wrist and fingers anchor onto a small bone at the outer side of the elbow. Repetitive movement under tension of these muscles can irritate the sheath these muscles are contained within and also cause tiny tears of the muscle, too. The subsequent irritation and inflammation then causes all the symptoms and these symptoms are probably related to the poor healing process rather than to any original injury. Who gets tennis and golfer's elbow? Any sport, hobby or work activity in which repetitive arm movement, a type of RSI and muscle overstraining are involved can cause it, with the highest risk involving using a bent elbow while holding a racquet or tool. It also affects people more frequently over the age of 35 and both men and women are affected equally. It is uncommon in people under 30, probably because the healing ability of the tissues is better below that age. How do I know if I have tennis elbow? It usually starts with discomfort on the outer part of the elbow that gradually increases with movement. Pressing on this part is painful as is bending the wrist upwards against pressure. The wrist may feel weak so picking up everyday objects such as books or pans may become difficult. Eventually, the pain travels all along the upper arm and outer part of the forearm and it may get so painful that the arm is held close to the body to prevent it hurting. There is usually tenderness over the lateral epicondyle in tennis elbow, and over the medial epicondyle in golfer's elbow.

Achilles tendinopathy
Condition

Achilles tendinopathy

The Achilles tendon is the large tendon just above your heel that you can feel like a cord when you move your foot up and down. It’s the largest and strongest tendon in the body and is prone to inflammation, causing a painful disorder called Achilles tendinopathy. It’s not well understood why this tendinopathy occurs. One working theory is that micro-tears in the tendon accumulate from overuse, and in trying to repair, this results in pain and swelling, especially where the tendon attaches to the heel bone. Pain is often worse in the morning and improves throughout the day, but as it progresses it can be there all the time and interfere with activities including walking.. Pain may restrict you completely from exercising, but if you do manage to, you may find that pain is worse when you start but gradually eases as you proceed with your workout. Achilles tendinopathy is more common over 30 and in those who suddenly increase their exercise levels. Other contributors include obesity or a lack of strength or flexibility in your leg muscles. Occasionally, the tendon may actually rupture. If you are unsure if you have ruptured your Achilles, have a read through our article.

Disk herniation: causes, symptoms & treatment
Condition

Disk herniation: causes, symptoms & treatment

Disk herniation describes the sudden onset of pain as a result of a problem with an intervertebral disk in the spine. Disk herniation is characterized by the sudden onset of pain that can be severe. Disk herniation can cause pain in the back or neck, numbness, tingling, weakness in arms or legs, muscle spasm, and muscle weakness.

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