Management of patellar tendinopathy in athletes
Dr Abdulhamit Tayfur and Dr Beyza Tayfur
Patellar tendinopathy (PT) is a painful musculoskeletal condition that particularly affects athletes participating in jumping sports. Symptoms of PT are difficult to manage, affect sports and physical activity participation, and may even become a career-ending problem for professional athletes. The recovery rate of PT is low with a high recurrence rate. It is important to manage the physiotherapy programme in order to improve athletes’ compromised sports participation. Therefore, we aim to present available evidence to guide clinicians in key elements of management of PT in athletes.
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Neuroplastic pain: the cause is fear, the solution is safety
Irralee Andrzejowska
Neuroplastic (nociplastic) pain is arguably the most prevalent yet under-recognised cause of chronic or persistent pain. This article explores the nature of neuroplastic pain from a mind-body perspective: a perceived danger signal fuelled by fear from unresolved stress, trauma and learned neural circuits in the brain, coupled with chronic fear physiology in the body. Recovery is possible when chronic pain is recognised as a software problem requiring neuroplastic strategies to reestablish a felt sense of safety in the mind and body, rather than a hardware problem requiring physical interventions, such as drugs, surgery, injections and manual therapy. This article aims to raise awareness and curiosity about this evidence-based approach in order to inspire more therapists to seek further training to improve outcomes for the many patients suffering with chronic pain.
Electroencephalography neurofeedback in chronic pain management
Riya Biswas, Christine Ozolins and Jon Graham
Electroencephalography (EEG) neurofeedback is a non-invasive approach that aims to alleviate chronic pain by modulating brain activity patterns associated with pain perception and processing of noxious stimuli. This article explores the potential of EEG neurofeedback as a complementary treatment for chronic pain conditions and related comorbidities. Integrating neurofeedback in physiotherapy, specifically home-based EEG neurofeedback due to its accessibility and cost-effectiveness, offers a new opportunity for clinicians and patients. As neurofeedback’s utility in physiotherapy gains recognition, its role in enhancing neuromodulation, and providing comprehensive pain management becomes increasingly relevant. This approach opens the door for personalised and more effective physiotherapy interventions.
Join the persistent pain party with pain reprocessing therapy
Drew Coverdale
Innovation brings opportunity, and this article outlines a paradigm-shifting space where a complete recovery from persistent pain is possible. Physiotherapists already hold an important role in this area and new developments provide an ideal structured pathway to improving the work they already deliver.
The importance of lymph node palpation in musculoskeletal pathology
Solomon Abrahams and Megan Wallenius
Lymph node palpation is a clinical skill not normally used by physiotherapists, yet it can be essential in ruling out red and yellow flags and be diagnostic in musculoskeletal disease. Elevated and tender lymph nodes, most commonly located in the regions of the neck, supraclavicular, shoulder, groin and knee, may indicate infection, aggressive inflammation, auto-immune disease, and either localised or systemic cancers. Lymph node palpation can, therefore, aid the early detection, monitoring and management of musculoskeletal diseases, and clinicians should consider performing this examination and interpreting its findings, as early detection of abnormalities is crucial, especially in cases of malignancy or infection where timely intervention can be key to improving patient outcomes.
