Tag: athletic massages

Baker’s Cyst Behind Knee

Baker’s Cyst Behind Knee

A Baker’s cyst (also known as a popliteal cyst) is a fluid filled sac (cyst) behind the knee that causes tightness, pain, or knee stiffness that may worsen when you move your leg around or during physical activities. An accumulation of synovial fluid (which lubricates your knee joint) causes the swelling and bulges to form a cyst at the back of the knee when under pressure. The important steps to treating a Baker’s cyst come in resting the affected leg and treating any potential underlying cause, such as arthritis. If you think you have a Baker’s cyst, it is important you visit your doctor to rule out more serious afflictions, such as a blood clot or arterial obstruction.

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Fractured Patella for Runners – Hairline Fractures

Fractured Patella for Runners – Hairline Fractures

A hairline kneecap fracture is a simple crack in the bone (the patella is still in one piece). Hairline fractures are also known as stress fractures and are rare in the kneecap. They can occur in athletes, such as marathon runners, and may be due to overuse. A stress fracture of the patella may be difficult to see on an X-ray. The main symptom is a pain in the front of the knee that gets worse over time.

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Leg Pain Facts

Leg Pain Facts

Characterized by aches, numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness, leg pain quite often is not caused by a problem in the leg or foot, but rather by a condition in the lower back. In fact, with many low back problems, there is actually little or no low back pain.

Compression or pressure on any of the nerve roots in the low back can cause pain, numbness, or weakness along the different nerves as they travel down through the leg and into the foot. Because the sciatic nerve is commonly affected, leg pain and related symptoms are often generally referred to as sciatica, although medical professionals prefer the term radiculopathy.

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Facts and Massage for Knee Injuries

Facts and Massage for Knee Injuries

The knee is a complicated joint. It moves like a door hinge, allowing a person to bend and straighten their legs so they can sit, squat, jump, and run.

Knee pain is a common complaint that affects people of all ages. Knee pain may be the result of an injury, such as a ruptured ligament or torn cartilage. Medical conditions — including arthritis, gout, and infections — also can cause knee pain.

Many types of minor knee pain respond well to self-care measures. Physical therapy and knee braces also can help relieve knee pain. In some cases, however, your knee may require surgical repair.

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Iliopsoas Pain

Iliopsoas Pain

Iliopsoas tendonitis is characterized by pain and clicking or snapping in the groin or front of the hip. Because the iliopsoas muscle acts as a hip flexor, symptoms are often worse when bending the hip, especially against resistance. The iliopsoas tendon is fairly close to the skin.

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Facts for Athletes on Sports Injury Icing

Facts for Athletes on Sports Injury Icing

Many are familiar with Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s simple advice for treating acute sports injuries, RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). In fact, most individuals have been told to “put ice on it” in some capacity or another for as long as they can remember. Now, almost forty years after its original publication, Dr. Mirkin has caught the sports medicine world by storm with his 2014 retraction. “Almost forty years ago, I coined the term RICE as the treatment for acute sports injuries. Subsequent research shows that rest and ice can actually delay recovery. Mild movements help tissue to heal and the application of cold suppresses the immune responses that start and hasten recovery.”1

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