Traumatic meniscal tears are most common in younger people below the age of 30. They tend to occur in sports like football and rugby which involve making sudden twisting movements with the knee bent. The force of this on the knee can cause the meniscus – which cushions the bones of the knee and prevents them from rubbing together – to tear. Symptoms of traumatic meniscal tears The result is pain and swelling, with patients often unable to put weight on the affected knee. If the meniscal tissues become displaced, the knee may lock in a bent position or there may be a painful clicking sensation ..read more

Between the bones and surrounding soft tissues (tendons and muscles) are the bursae. Each bursa is a thin fluid-filled sac which is there to cushion and lubricate the soft tissues, helping the bones and soft tissues to glide over each other without friction. Sometimes the bursae can become inflamed – a condition known as bursitis. At the same time you may also develop tendinitis, which is inflammation in the tendons. Bursitis and tendinitis can affect any part of the body but are most common near the large joints, including the knee and hip. Causes of bursitis Inflammation of the bursae and te ..read more

A thin rim of cartilage, called the labrum, lines the hip socket, protecting it and preventing the bones from rubbing against each other when you move. This soft lining helps the bones in your hip joint to move smoothly and holds the bones in place without causing them to touch. About hip labral tears You can damage the labral cartilage that protects your hip socket, causing it to become torn. Some of the most common causes of hip labral tears are outlined below. Depending on how severely torn the labrum is, you may experience a dull ache or sharp stabbing pain which may be worse when moving o ..read more

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is one of the most common knee injuries. The bones of the knee joint are connected by ligaments which help to hold them together and keep the knee stable. There are four main ligaments in your knee – those on the outside of the joint (the medial collateral ligament and the lateral collateral ligament) and those inside the joint (the anterior cruciate ligament at the front and the posterior cruciate ligament at the back). The cruciate ligaments control the way the knee bends. The anterior cruciate ligament, which runs diagonally across the knee, allows y ..read more

Hip pain or injury can bring your Summer sporting schedule to a sudden and premature halt. But, while you can’t always avoid collisions and falls, there are things you can do to minimise your chances of developing pain or sustaining an injury while playing sport. In this article we’ll look at some of the common hip injuries we treat in the clinic, how they are treated and whether there is anything you can do to prevent them… Pulled muscles A pulled muscle is a muscle that has been overstretched or torn. This type of injury can occur frequently during sports and may affect the hip and groin, al ..read more

If you are experiencing pain around the kneecap (patella), you may have runner’s knee. This is the term given to a range of conditions which share similar symptoms, including: anterior knee pain syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, patellofemoral misalignment and chondromalacia patella. While running is a common cause of runner’s knee, it can occur following any activity that places the knee under repeated stress, including jumping, skiing, walking, cycling and high impact sports. Women are more at risk than men and the condition particularly affects those who are overweight and aged 50 or over ..read more

A band of tissue extending from the outside of your knee to the outside of your hip is called the Iliotibial Band. If the Iliotibial Band becomes very tight it may start to rub against the outer edge of your thighbone causing a condition called Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome. This is typically an overuse injury that may be triggered by pushing yourself too hard when walking, running or cycling. However, in some cases it is due to knee trauma or surgery which leaves the knee vulnerable to overuse injuries even during normal activity. Iliotibial Band Syndrome differs from Patellofemoral Pain Synd ..read more

One of the outcomes of the Covid-19 pandemic is that more people than ever before have taken up running as a hobby. As sports go, it’s easy to see why running is so popular. You don’t need to join a gym or buy expensive equipment (although you do need a good pair of running shoes), you can do it on your own or with other people and it gets you out in the fresh air which is good for your physical and mental health. However, the downside to running is that injuries are common. And, while it’s normal to expect minor aches and pains as you build up your fitness and stamina, sustaining a serious in ..read more

It’s logical when you think about it that getting a diagnosis is the vital first step to effective treatment. After all, how can you hope to treat an injury without knowing precisely what it is? Yet, it’s amazing how many cycling-related injuries we see (particularly at this time of year) that have gone undiagnosed and may have worsened as a result. How cycling injuries are diagnosed Diagnosing a cycling injury normally begins with a physical examination and a discussion of symptoms and how and when they first started. In some cases, you may be referred for diagnostic imaging. X-ray may be use ..read more

It’s getting close to the start of rugby season and with many players being less active in recent months due to Covid-19 restrictions, extra care needs to be taken to minimise the risk of injury. If you do get injured, when should you get a diagnosis and seek treatment? Rugby Injuries: Players at Risk Study Finds A study by researchers at Durham University, published in the journal Sports Medicine, found that both elite and amateur rugby players are at risk of recurrent injuries and could face long-term problems. Sport and exercises scientists who carried out the research called on rugby autho ..read more