Lower Limb Advice

The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is the knee ligament located on the inner side of the knee joint. It connects the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia). A knee ligament injury is referred to as a sprain, and this knee injury can occur if the knee is twisted or exposed to direct impact. In collision sports such as football or rugby the ligament can be damaged when an opponent applies a force to the outside of the leg, usually just above the knee, and causes the knee to bend inwards. Alternatively the ligament can be damaged if a player’s studs get caught in the ground and the player tries to turn to the side, away from the planted leg. The medial collateral ligament is often damaged at the same time as the anterior collateral ligament due to the similar mechanism of injury.

Runner’s Knee is the common term for Ilio Tibial Band Friction Syndrome (ITBFS). Runner’s knee is a painful overuse knee injury that affects the outer part of the knee. It is common in sports such as running and cycling. Due to the repeated bending and straightening of the knee the ITB can ‘impinge’ or rub on the knee, with the friction leading to inflammation. If the ITB is tight, then the friction is increased and a tight ITB can predispose people to Runner’s Knee. Typically there is pain located on the outside of the knee joint. This pain may radiate up the thigh or down the outer side of the shin and is made worse by running or cycling activities. Often the pain from runner’s knee is only present during Ankle & Foor Painbest approach to take with your treatment. Each client will receive a personalised treatment programme which will likely be made up of a combination of soft tissue therapy, joint mobilisation, electrotherapy, acupuncture and exercise therapy.

Achilles tendon pain is a common complaint among sports people such as runners who repeatedly load the tendon during activity. Broadly speaking the tendon can be painful due to ‘tendinitis’ (meaning inflammation) or tendinosis (degenerative changes). It is a frequent cause of calf and heel pain. Tendinitis is characterised by the signs of inflammation which include redness, heat, swelling and pain. Achilles tendinosis is usually characterised by degeneration of the achilles tendon (situated above the heel to form the lower part of the calf muscles). Achilles tendinosis is a breakdown in the tendon, with structural changes occurring within the tendon without an inflammatory response. This degeneration means that the tendon does not possess its normal strength and may be liable to further injury with continued sporting activity.

A sprained ankle is one of the most common injuries caused by participation in sports. It refers to soft tissue damage around the ankle, usually caused by twisting the ankle inwards or outwards. Because of the position of the bones around the ankle the more common injury is to twist the ankle inward. This injury causes damage to the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. In the case of an outwards injury the damage occurs on the inner side of the ankle. The ligament on the inside of the ankle is called the deltoid ligament and is very strong. It is so strong in fact that the bone on the inside of the ankle can be pulled off (avulsion fracture) before the ligament is damaged. The damage caused by spraining the ankle can cause bleeding within the tissue, leading to swelling and pain.