Exercise-based ACL & knee ligament injury prevention

July 13, 2019 by Sian Smale

In 2018 Arundale, Bizzini, Giordano et al published a CPG reviewing the current injury prevention programs for ACL and knee ligament injuries. The results were extremely positive and state that “there is strong evidence for the benefits of exercise-based knee injury prevention programs, including reduction in risk for all knee injuries and for ACL injuries specifically, with little risk of adverse events and minimal cost” (Arundale, Bizzini, Giordano et al., 2018, p. A7).

TFCC & Ulnar-side wrist injuries

April 30, 2018 by Sian Smale

Ulnar sided wrist pain can be a complex problem to diagnose. The following blog provides a review of the clinical anatomy, pain provocation tests and classification for diagnosis of TFCC injuries in patients with ulnar sided wrist pain.

Breathing pattern disorders - where do they fit in?

February 05, 2018 by Sian Smale

The previous blog introduced why I feel breathing patterns are something we should be spending more time assessing or at least delving into more detail about. This blog looks at the different aspects of assessment - questionning and physical tests - that we can build into clinical practice.

Breathing pattern disorders - do they matter?

January 15, 2018 by Sian Smale

I've been studying a well-regarded textbook; Recognizing and Treating Breathing Disorders. It is incredibly well written and packed with information from multiple clinical domains and approaches. The goal for these next few blogs is to summarise the key learnings from the book and highlight areas of focus for 2018 to improve how I assess and treat breathing disorders in patients presenting to physical therapy in a private practice setting.

You move the way you train

November 12, 2017 by Sian Smale

Shirley Sahrmann, PT, PhD. is a world renowned physical therapist and house hold name in connection with movement system impairment syndromes (MSI). Shirley has been shaping the education system in the States for many decades and continues to be active as a clinician and teacher at Washington University. Recently, I attended her lower quadrant course on MSI of the lumbar spine and the influences of and relationship to the hip. This blog is an overview of the key messages I took away from the course.

Anatomy 101: Anterolateral ligament & rotational stability of the knee

October 13, 2017 by Sian Smale

Over the past four years there has been a resurgence in interest about a small little lateral ligament of the knee known as the anterolateral ligament (ALL). I’m not even sure I remember learning much about it during school, but with the number of ACL reconstructions associated with chronic rotational instability rising, researchers and surgeons have been diverting focus to understand what impact an ALL-deficient knee has on ACL recovery and regaining rotational stability. This blog is a refresher about the anatomy and biomechanical function of the ALL and what we currently know to be true about it’s role in rotational stability of the knee.