Pathophysiology: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a common condition, especially amongst office workers and those whose work tasks involve repetitive movements of the wrist. It is characterised by pain, numbness, and tingling (a sensation of pins and needles) in the hand but may also affect the arm. It is caused by a compression of one of the 3 nerves that pass through the wrist (most commonly the median nerve). In most cases, carpal tunnel syndrome is progressive with early diagnosis and treatment essential. If left untreated CTS can worsen, which can lead to nerve damage and a severity of symptoms...

A wry neck is the term given to a presentation of insidious onset of neck pain and stiffness. Wry necks can cause severe pain without any obvious mechanism of injury. You will often have pain on one side of your neck and the inability to turn your neck in one direction. An acute wry neck is used to describe when the condition has come on quickly (commonly overnight). Whilst the cause is relatively unknown, findings suggest the facet joints along the side of the neck can become “locked” causing spasm and pain. Facet joints are found along the back aspect...

Sitting at a desk looking at a computer is something that many of us spend a large chunk of our day doing. In fact, chances are that if you’re reading this right now, you’re doing exactly that. With research showing that prolonged sitting is linked to heart disease, cancers and even dementia, it’s clear that sedentary behaviour isn’t all that great for us. Additionally, if sitting for extended periods forms part of your daily routine, it can leave your muscles tired, tight and achy from lack of use. To alleviate this here are some simple stretches you can do at...

This month I educated the team at Queen Street Physiotherapy on recent research surrounding impingement of the shoulder, also commonly known an impingement syndrome. Impingement of the shoulder is a very common condition in which we see and treat at our Queen Street clinic frequently. Patients often report pain at the top or front of their shoulder which is often exacerbated with overhead movements, placing the hand behind the back and lifting objects. An individual may also experience weakness at the shoulder or pain referring down the arm. Impingement syndrome may arise from direct trauma to the shoulder, such as...