Do you experience:

• Pain in the knee that increases with activity and gets better with rest
• Knee joint swelling
• Feeling of warmth in the joint
• Stiffness in the knee, especially in the morning or when you have been sitting for a while.
• Decreased mobility of the knee making it difficult to get in and out of chairs, cars, use of stairs and walking.
• Creaking or a crackly sound that is heard when the knee moves.

Osteoarthritis is commonly known as “wear-and-tear arthritis and is a condition in which the natural cushioning between joints and cartilage wears away. When this happens the bones of the joints rub more closely against one another with less of the shock absorbing benefits of cartilage. The rubbing results in pain, swelling, stiffness, decreased mobility and sometimes the formation of bone spurs.

Who gets Osteoarthritis of the knee?

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. While it can occur even in young people the chance of developing osteoarthritis rises after the age of 45. According to the Arthritis Foundation, more than 2.2 million of Australians have osteoarthritis with the knee being one of the most commonly affected area. Women are more likely to have osteoarthritis than men.

What Causes Knee Osteoarthritis?

The most common cause of osteoarthritis of the knee is age. Almost everyone will eventually develop some degree of osteoarthritis. However, several factors increase the risk of developing arthritis at an earlier age.

• Age- the ability of cartilage to heal decreases as a person gets older.
• Weight- Increases pressure on all the joints, especially the knees. Every kilogram of weight you gain increases the extra stress placed on the knees.
• Heredity- this includes genetic mutations that might make a person more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee. It may also be due to inherited abnormalities in the shape of the bones that surround the joint.
• Gender. Women aged 55 and older are more likely than men to develop osteoarthritis of the knee.
• Repetitive stress injuries. These are usually a result of the type of job a person has. Occupations that include a lot of squatting or lifting heavy weight are more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee due to constant pressure placed on the joint.
• Athletics- Athletes involved in soccer, tennis or long-distance running may be at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.
• It is important to note that regular moderate exercise strengthens joints and can decrease the risk of OA. In fact, weak muscles around the knee can lead to osteoarthritis.
• Other illnesses- People with rheumatoid arthritis are also more likely to develop osteoarthritis. People with certain metabolic disorders such as iron overload or excess growth hormone also run a higher risk of osteoarthritis.

How is Osteoarthritis of the knee diagnosed?

• Physical assessment
• X-rays- Can show bone and cartilage damage as well as the presence of bone spurs
• MRI scans

How is Osteoarthritis of the knee treated?

The primary goal of treatment is to relieve the pain and improve mobility. The treatment plan includes a combination of the following:

• Weight Loss
• Exercises
• Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs
• Cortisone Injections of cortisone or hyaluronic acid into the knees
• The use of braces
• Physiotherapy- to Educate and teach exercises to strengthen muscles and increase joint flexibility.
• Surgery- when other treatments do not work. Surgery is a good option.

Why be in pain any longer? Make an appointment today with one of the friendly physiotherapist’s at Take Control Active Rehabilitation today.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

The impact:
CVD is Australia’s and the worlds number 1 killer. One in six Australians are affected by CVD, someone you know or you yourself may have been touched by CVD.
Frighteningly, in recent years the number of people dying or suffering disability from CVD has been increasing for the first time in over 30 years. This is in part due to the increasing prevalence of ‘lifestyle diseases’ such as obesity and diabetes – major risk factors for CVD

The Risk:
CVD can affect anyone – man, woman, young, old – and over 90 per cent of Australians have at least one of its risk factors.
The risk factors that can be managed include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, inactivity, obesity, diabetes, poor nutrition and excessive intake of alcohol.
Making lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet and participating in regular physical activity can prevent up to 80 per cent of premature CVD, stroke and diabetes

How can we help:
At Take Control Active Rehab we offer a variety of fitness solutions to assist in modifying lifestyle factors contributing to the onset of CVD. From individualised programs to group exercise classes we have all your needs covered here. If you are a person who prefers to be independent and likes to exercise in the comfort of your own home, we have the technology to provide you with a comprehensive program you can achieve at home!!

Our physiotherapists have expertise and backgrounds in Sport and Exercise Science, so why not give us a call and start your journey on the way to better health!

Physiotherapy can involve a number of different treatment and preventative approaches, depending on the specific problems you’re experiencing.

The three main approaches a physiotherapist may use are: Education and Advice Movement and Exercise and Manual Therapy.

Book an appointment at Take Control today. Call us on 9570 7800 today!

Are you looking for strength and stability to fix an injury? Do you want to feel fitter, stronger and healthier? Our clinical pilates programmes are for you!

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The classes can be done either in a small group or individualised sessions. All classes are run by a fully qualified physiotherapist to ensure your pilates is tailored to YOU⠀

“How much exercise do I really need to do?” – A question that many of us ask

This great article provides the answer to this question and the ways exercise can be incorporated into our daily routines.

The video within this article provides 7 tips which are really important to ensure you don’t burn-out and lose interest in your exercise routine.

To read the article CLICK HERE

At pre-natal classes one of the burning questions many women in their first pregnancy ask is “How soon after the birth of my baby can I return to my exercise routine?”. 

As a Women’s Health Physiotherapist, this is one of the hardest questions to answer. So I don’t. There is no answer.

Taking into consideration the effects of the pregnancy on your body, the type of delivery, pre-pregnancy fitness levels, post-natal expectations and your support network here are a few points to help you make a plan.

Tips for returning to Sport after you have had your baby:

• give yourself time!
• wait for your 6 week check up before starting any group exercise classes
• start reconnecting with your pelvic floor within 2 days of the delivery
• aim to build strength slowly over a 16 week period
• have a post-natal Pelvic Floor and Abdominal check before returning to high impact and higher intensity exercise
• don’t expect your body to return to it’s “normal” pre-pregnancy state
• accept that you will have a new normal, a new routine and have to make new goals with your new body and baby

For further help and guidance please CLICK HERE or contact us at Take Control Active Rehab and make an appointment with our Women’s Health Physiotherapist.

A must watch to understand how the right Physio advice and exercise prescription can provide a solution to tendon pain despite degenerative changes.

A positive Biopsychosocial solution . A multidimensional approach is what we are good at as Sports Physios

The interaction between the Athlete’s body and the sporting equipment used in cycling is highly complex and influenced by many variables including the anthropometric measurements of the cyclist, their flexibility,cycle specific strength and even neural mobility.

Optimising Bike Set Up to Maximise Cycling Performance and Minimise Overuse Injuries.pdf

Dynamic motor control of the lumbo/pelvic/hip region involves complex movement patterns and interrelated kinematics of many joints.

Retraining the Virtual Body – Dynamic Control vs. Stiffness.pdf