Health Tips | Physiotherapy for Women

Taping for treatment

Have you ever been to the physio for a treatment and left all wrapped up like a mummy? Tape. It’s one of the various tools in our arsenal that we sometimes call upon to help a person in their recovery from injury. But we joke of course – no-one ever leaves us with that much sticky stuff on, that they resemble an Egyptian from the afterlife. Although tape can be a life-saver!

Tape has been used as a treatment tool for decades. There are many different types, each designed to aid the body in some way during the recovery period of an injury (anywhere from the onset of injury to return to sport training or match play). It can be used before, during and after activity. It is widely available, relatively cheap and is an excellent tool to use alongside other forms of treatment, including massage, joint mobilisation, needling and exercise therapy. A physiotherapist may even use it on your body even if you are not injured, in order to reduce the risk of one happening.

The reasons a physio may use tape are:

To reduce pain
To stabilise / support a joint
To correct posture and increase awareness of a particular body part
To aid in achieving efficient movement of a body part
To prevent a joint from moving
To reduce the risk of injury or re-injury
To increase feedback to the brain of a particular body part
To increase confidence in a person looking to return to sport / activity
To reduce swelling of a particular body part

Types

There are several different types of tape. Some of the more commonly used types here at Physiotherapy for Women include rigid and kinesiology tape (aka K-tape). Read on to find out a bit more on these types.

Rigid tape

Rigid tape (aka sports or athletic tape) is an inelastic type of tape primarily used to provide stability at a joint. Joints that require stability may be those that move excessively, or where the integrity of the joint has been compromise. Like when you seriously sprain your ankle chasing your children playing tag or when enjoying a social netball match with your girlfriends. In the ankle sprain a ligament can be overstretched or torn, making basic weight bearing activity such as walking very painful. To assist the ligament to heal correctly, tape can be applied in a special pattern which provides a rigid barrier to specific movement which could further damage the ligament. The taping may be soon after the ankle injury (this depends on severity) or when your return to moving quickly and/or when you return to quick movements in a family situation or when back on the court. Rigid tape can provide support to the joint and give a person confidence to start using the joint as it should be, without fear of re-injury. This is usually a temporary treatment though as the aim of the physio and the injured person should always be to return to a pre-injury state, if it’s possible. In the unfortunate event that a person’s injury means they cannot return to a 100% pre-injured state and perform at a high level, tape is a cost-effective way of providing support needed to play, even if at a reduced intensity or level.

Here at Physiotherapy for Women, we are super conscious of what effect tape can have on a person’s skin. Some people are sensitive to the adhesive or glue that is used on the sticky side. And sometimes tape needs to be in place for many days at a time. For this reason, under-wrap was designed. Under-wrap is applied to the skin first to provide a barrier against the glue of the tape. The rigid tape is then placed over the top where its full effects can still be experienced. Your skin care is a priority of ours, so we always use under-wrap before applying rigid tape to an injured body part. We’ve got your back (or you knee)!

Other examples of injury where rigid tape may be used include knee sprains, pregnancy sacroiliac sprain, shoulder dislocations or ligament sprains, or in the treatment of plantar fasciopathy or a dropped foot arch.

Kinesiology tape (K-tape)

K-tape is an elastic type of tape that has several proposed uses. It molds to the counters of the body well and is designed to promote movement, rather than restrict it. K-tape may be applied to a body part to:

Reduce pain and/or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) following exercise
Increase blood flow to, and drainage of fluid away from the body part
Increase awareness of the body part to the patient
To guide effective and efficient movement with minimal to no restriction

The increase of awareness of the affected body part is a particularly useful tool for us as physiotherapists when planning our treatments. After an injury, the intimate connection of the body part and the brain can become foggy. The brain may slightly lose its ability to know exactly where the joint is and what it should be doing. It sounds scarier than it is, but with exercise and rehabilitative treatment, this connection can be regained. K-tape is a great way of assisting with this, as the covering of the skin over the injured area provides extra input to the brain about what is going on at the joint(s). It’s complicated, but pretty cool huh?!

Another fantastic quality of K-tape following injury is its ability to assist the body in ridding fluid or swelling around an injury joint or muscle. The tape is applied in a special way which lifts the top layers of skin away from the underlying muscle to allow for greater flow of fluid… It can speed up the whole process considerably!

Ready for your dressing now?!

It depends completely on the type of injury and where you are in the recovery process as to which type of tape we choose to use on you. We will always discuss with you the benefits of tape so you can make an informed decision with us for your treatment and plan going forward. And don’t worry, we will avoid turning you into a mummy (often less is more with taping). If you are worried about skin reactions we can trial small patches of several different tapes on your skin before doing a big taping of a body area.

If you’re keen to learn more, or find out if tape can benefit your recovery, just ask next time you are in for a treatment with us.

Women living with diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic condition that affects the body’s ability to breakdown (or metabolise) the food we eat into energy, for use by the trillions of cells that make up the human form. Diabetes is a global problem, and while it affects both men and women, there is one type that affects women only – gestational diabetes. Last year, over 460 million people were living with a DM diagnosis worldwide. In the next decade, this figure is expected to rise to approximately 580 million people. The disease comes at a great cost to healthcare services, and to life. In 2019 alone, global healthcare costs for DM reached $760 billion, and a total of 4.2 million people died from complications of this disease. The key to living with this disease, as with all diseases, is to understand the disease and how it affects the body.

Diabetes in-depth

The main characteristic of DM is high blood sugar (aka hyperglycaemia). Sugar in the form of glucose is the body’s primary source of energy. The body gets glucose by breaking down carbohydrates from foods we eat (i.e. breads, grains, fruits and vegetables). Glucose is then distributed to all of the cells around the body via the blood. In order for our cells to reap the benefit of glucose, they require the help of a hormone called insulin to grab the glucose and take it into the cell. We get insulin from the pancreas, an organ found tucked away behind our stomach. In DM, there is a problem with the production of insulin in the pancreas. It either is not produced at all, or not enough good quality, usable insulin is produced. Without insulin, glucose in the bloodstream builds up and up, the body is not able to get the energy it needs, and this is a huge problem.

Types of DM

There are three main types of DM:

DM type 1: This form of the disease is caused by an autoimmune response of the body. In simple terms, the body’s defence system sends in the cavalry and destroys the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. People with DM1 are required to inject a synthetic form of insulin regularly throughout the day using either a needle or pump mechanism.

DM type 2: By far the most common form of DM. One of three mechanisms exist… 1) The pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. 2) The insulin produced is ineffective. 3) The cells of the body do not respond to insulin in the correct way. In many cases, DM2 can be managed effectively by making lifestyle changes and without the need to have to inject synthetic insulin. However, some people require medication and may eventually need the help of insulin injections to effectively manage the condition.

Gestational DM: Ladies… this one is just for us! Gestational DM may develop during pregnancy. The good news is that most cases will automatically resolve once your little bub is born. In this form, the blame doesn’t lie with the pancreas not producing insulin. Instead, hormones produced by the placenta during pregnancy block the effect of insulin, and the cells are not able to take up glucose. The pancreas will try to produce more insulin to fight the effect of these hormones, but as pregnancy progresses, hormone production ramps up and your poor little pancreas is sometimes unable to keep up. The result is gestational DM.

Signs and symptoms

Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can lead to the development of immediate symptoms including:

Excessive thirst and hunger
Increased urination
Tiredness and fatigue
Headaches

Over a prolonged period, if blood sugar levels are poorly managed, it can result in damage to blood vessels throughout the body. Common long-term effects of uncontrolled diabetes include:

Damage to nerves that affect the limbs, including the hands and feet
Kidney disease and failure
Blindness
Heart attack
Stroke
Ulceration of the skin that take a long time (or are unable) to heal
Skin infections
Weight and mood changes

During pregnancy, the mothers blood sugar levels are closely monitored, especially if the mother is at high risk of developing gestational DM. Those at greater risk include overweight, older women, and those with a family history of DM. Uncontrolled gestational diabetes can lead to a baby with a high birth weight, and needing help to stabilise their own blood sugar levels immediately following birth.

Our role

Although much of the diagnosis and medical management of DM will be handled by your doctor, we as physiotherapists have a very important role to play. Exercise is a key player in the management of type 2 diabetics especially. Exercise helps to improve how efficient your insulin works, which helps you to control your blood sugar levels. Exercise will also help with weight management, reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke. If implemented in a controlled way, there is good evidence suggesting exercise, as well as a super clean and controlled diet, can reduce the impact, delay and even prevent the onset of DM type 2. As well as helping you implement a healthier lifestyle overall, we can also help in the following ways:

Screening your body for signs of nerve and blood vessel related problems
Educating you on what to look out for regarding skin issues
Screening you for associated conditions, including frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletal problems
Reminding you to get your eyes tested
Screening and monitoring for signs of depression (which is strongly associated with DM)

Our main goal, whether you are pregnant or otherwise, is to encourage you to be active on a daily basis and provide education on what is important to you from an individual perspective. If you need some help to get your head around diabetes, and especially the role of exercise for its management, then please get in touch today.

How important are you to yourself?

Hello readers! We trust everyone had a superb festive season. Now that the fun and frolics are over for another year, it’s back to the routine of everyday life… This may mean many of life’s stresses that disappeared temporarily during the Christmas carnage will rear their head again. This can be a bit of a shock to the system and before you know it, you’re immersed in work, family, keeping your home clean and slaving over the hob. But what about you? Where do YOU fit in to all of this? It’s easy to get caught up in life and forget about number one. Here at Physiotherapy for Women, we always ask the question ‘How important are you to yourself?’. Let’s discuss why this is important and what you can do to ensure you make 2020 more about you.

note with positive care message Self-care is a vital part of life. We know it’s a bit of a cliché, but if you don’t look after yourself first, how can you look after others, or work, or do anything? You’d be surprised how little time many of our patients spend looking after themselves. It often takes being in pain for someone to realise that something has to give, and change is needed. It’s also regularly the case that someone is stressed, exhausted and moving poorly (and not enough too!), which all play a role in why they have pain. And this is where we ask the questions about self-awareness and attitudes towards themselves.

Let’s give you an example… A working mum comes to us for help with neck and shoulder pain. She has two children, one at school, one at daycare, and her and her partner work a job each. The week is full of running around organising the kid’s drop-offs and pick-ups, working, cooking, cleaning and washing. Weekends are full of kids sports and visiting relatives. Sound familiar? Where is the time for anything else? For many it’s a source of stress in itself. Being time poor is a huge factor in why people fail to look after themselves and end up in pain (and stay there). For this working mum, her pain is now affecting her ability to ‘do’ life. The really hard thing is, something has to give if the cycle is to be broken and for her pain to become a thing of the past. She needs to prioritise self-care and learn that it is OK to spend time on herself. It is pivotal that she does, so she can get back on track ‘doing’ life.

As her physiotherapist, our primary goal is to get her out of pain. Our second goal is to keep her out of pain. And this is where advice on lifestyle, exercise and moving well (and often) comes into play. One of the hardest jobs we have as a physio is educating people on how to change their lives, so they can work towards preventing injury rather than waiting for it to happen and then seeking help. In the case of the working mum, it involves helping her change her attitude towards self-care to ensure she is running at 100%, so she can give everything she needs to her family and work. Some of the topics we might discuss with her and suggest changes to may include:

Exercise — a must for all humans. Our important bodily functions rely on us moving regularly. Try taking a walk in the evening once the kids are in bed (get your partner/family member/friend to watch over them). It will allow you to unwind from the days’ events whilst giving your body some valuable movement. Alternatively, reserve one evening in the week or weekend to attend a yoga or pilates class. Or think about what you can do at home (incidental exercise while doing mundane tasks, or a nightly 20 minutes of exercise in the lounge room or on the deck!)
Diet — a sticking point for time-poor people, but eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and other nutritious foods will keep your energy levels pumping and ready for everything. Diets high in fast or nutrient poor food will leave you sluggish and tired. Try packing your own healthy lunch and snacks, when you pack your child’s lunchbox!
Meditation or mindfulness — a great way to have you time. It only requires 10-15 minutes a day and is a fantastic way to unwind and clear the mind. It takes practice but can be very beneficial to easing stress. We can advise on where to get started.
Keep a gratitude diary — every morning when you wake up, immediately write down 5 things you are grateful for. While you can pop it in the ‘notes’ section on your phone, try opting for a pad and paper on your bedside table. It helps give you focus on what’s important to you. This is great motivation for keeping yourself healthy, happy and grateful.

There are many other areas we may discuss with you. We won’t pretend it’s easy to make these changes, but we are here to help guide you through all of it one bit at a time. Our main message here is that whilst we appreciate you have many responsibilities and important things in your life, we would like you to make YOU a high priority. Yes, this is us telling you to read that book, take that bath and take up that hobby you’ve always wanted to! Be important to yourself and make 2020 a year for self-care.