As a clinician working with a sports population, I have seen my fair share of what I would call traditional hamstring strains. They are common in sports that involve sudden acceleration and/or deceleration.
These types of problems may appear to be simple to sort out as you listen to the patient history. Pattern recognition is important in the clinical reasoning process – but with that said, attention must be paid to those aspects of the clinical picture that don’t fit the pattern.
It is easy for clinicians to lose sight of one simple fact: the lumbar spine can refer pain throughout the lower extremity and can produce signs and symptoms that can mimic virtually any lower extremity disorder. We can thank our neurological “wiring” for this phenomenon. Understanding the behavior of the system under mechanical loading becomes critical for an accurate mechanical diagnosis, and subsequently an appropriate treatment intervention.
Over the past few months, I have seen quite a number of “hamstring strains” that were really a wolf in sheep’s clothing. They were lumbar spine issues that were mimicking hamstring signs and symptoms.
This is the seventh in a series of RunSmart videos. The series is on-going, with a new video released on a biweekly basis. These videos complement the material presented in the book “RunSmart: A Comprehensive Approach To Injury-Free Running”. The full series of videos can be found here. A transcription of the video will also be available with each post.
For those of you that are interested in a more interactive learning environment, consider attending a RunSmart Level One, Level Two, or Level Three program. Level One focuses on Principles, Level Two on Performance and Training Program Development, and Level Three on Physiotherapy and Running Injury Recovery. CCU credit for physical therapists is available for Level One (3.5 CCU), and is pending for the complete program (13.1 CCU). Further CCU details will follow as they are available. The next Level One program will be offered in Austin on February 25, 2012.
In this video, I will discuss the relationship between the motion of the arms, legs, and how they interact to increase stride frequency. Although most runners tend to attempt to change their stride frequency via thinking about their leg motions, it is far easier to affect stride frequency with the arms.
I hope you enjoy the video series. If you would like me to address any specific aspect of the RunSmart approach, drop me an email or add a comment to this article.
It has been just under 24 years since I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada – otherwise known as the “Harvard of the North” (by everyone except McGill alumni, of course). Yes, that was back in the day when the entry level degree was a Bachelor’s Degree. Oh, those were the days. That is the topic of another upcoming post, but I digress.
I have been fortunate to practice as a physical therapist in both Canada and the United States. Physical therapy, like many other topics of discussion, shares many similarities between Canada and the United States. But there are also a number of professional issues that are very different between the two countries. I will admit, there are times when it really confuses me – how some things can be so different just by simply crossing a geopolitical border.
Here is an international perspective on our profession, with special emphasis on self image and the perception of the profession from the outside looking in.
I have written a series of posts and created a number of podcasts over the years entitled “Consumer’s Guide To Health” (CGH). The long-term goal has always been to promote consumer awareness, provide resources for competent self care strategies, and to gradually shift our system of health and the accepted standards of care towards evidence-based principles. It has also attempted to debunk many health myths.
These myths exists in clinical practice: in the assessment and treatment of patients. They also exist in the coaching and training world, where many training “theories” continue to have little to no relevant sports science at their root.
The live streaming CGH podcasts will resume on January 19, 2012. I will also be focusing a series of episodes and posts specifically on training myths. Here is an abbreviated list of some upcoming topics that will get you thinking:
It is that time of year again – time for people to make New Year’s Resolutions. Most will resolve to become happier and more productive in the coming year. But for many, New Year’s resolutions end up becoming "health resolutions".
At this time of year, you will often hear the refrain of "I am going to lose a little weight” or “I am going to eat healthier”. I am sure we've all made resolutions along those lines, and I am sure that many of us have failed in our attempts.
Many times, we are unsuccessful with our resolutions because of the strategies we use to accomplish our goals. The problem can lie in using the same unsuccessful approach year in and year out. As they say, “if you do what you’ve done, you will get what you’ve got”.
With that in mind, here are three interviews from “Consumer’s Guide To Health” that will help. They examine health resolutions and the basics of both fitness and nutrition. Make 2012 the year when you set reasonable goals and put effective strategies into place to make them a reality.
It is hard to believe that the end of 2011 is upon us. Over the past year, I challenged myself to write more, and more consistently. I managed to accomplish this goal – writing 181 posts and articles (including the piece you are consuming right now). What this amounts to is about 1700 words per week. Prior to 2011, my most productive writing year was 2008 when I posted a mere 72 articles.
Writing has not just been limited to blogging. This spring saw the completion of a book chapter (co-authored with Bridget Clark, PT) entitled “Running Injuries: Etiology And Recovery-Based Treatment” which appears in the recently released third edition of "Clinical Orthopaedic Rehabilitation: An Evidence-Based Approach" by S. Brent Brotzman, MD and Robert C. Manske, PT. In the upcoming year, there are a number of writing projects brewing – both non-fiction and fiction.
The number of readers of this blog has grown significantly over the past year as well. I am always flattered and humbled that you, the reader, have taken the time during your day to stop by this website.
As far as projects go, most notably the Smart Life Project, exciting things are ahead for 2012. This site will become the home of discussion forums and groups related to the Smart Life Project. I hope that you will continue to participate in the discussions that directly affect our system of health in this country and competent self care globally. Together, we can change the world.
With much fanfare, here are my top 13 posts of 2011 (initials in parentheses indicate the category – Rhubarb Diaries or Smart Physio):
This is the sixth in a series of RunSmart videos. The series is on-going, with a new video released on a biweekly basis. These videos complement the material presented in the book “RunSmart: A Comprehensive Approach To Injury-Free Running”. The full series of videos can be found here. A transcription of the video will also be available with each post.
For those of you that are interested in a more interactive learning environment, consider attending a RunSmart Level One, Level Two, or Level Three program. Level One focuses on Principles, Level Two on Performance and Training Program Development, and Level Three on Physiotherapy and Running Injury Recovery. CCU credit for physical therapists is available for Level One (3.5 CCU), and is pending for the complete program (13.1 CCU). Further CCU details will follow as they are available.
In this video, I will discuss what I call the “no fly zone”. There is a tendency for runners to emphasize the aspects of their running gait that are in front of their body, though the propulsive phase of gait is that which is primarily responsible for moving the body forward. The “no fly zone” is the area on the front side of the body which has typically been the focus for arm and leg swing.
I hope you enjoy the video series. If you would like me to address any specific aspect of the RunSmart approach, drop me an email or add a comment to this article.
Allan Besselink, PT, DPT, Ph.D., Dip.MDT has a unique voice in the world of sports, education, and health care. Read more about Allan here.