Muscle strain is a common injury that can be treated most of the time at home and often affects the knees, feet, legs, or back. Do I have muscle strain? You probably have muscle strain if you can’t put weight on the injury or even use the injured area normally and you feel: Pain Muscle weakness and inability to use the injured area. Swelling or bruising of the affected area muscle spasms What should I do if I have muscle strain? For the first two days, follow these steps to reduce swelling and support injury: Rest and stop doing any exercise, but be sure to move the affected area constantly. The physiotherapist may put you on a program of some light exercises appropriate for your condition. Avoid putting any weight on the injury, but try to walk as naturally as possible. Apply ice or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel on the injury for 20 minutes and repeat this step every 2 to 3 hours. Wrap a bandage around the injury to support it. Elevate the place of injury on the pillow as much as possible. Also, avoid hot baths or exposing the affected area to heat, alcohol, and massage for the first two days to help prevent swelling. How long does it take to recover? You may gradually return to normal life if the pain settles. Some severe cases take months to recover again, while most cases improve after two weeks. However, you should avoid strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks to avoid the risk of further damage. It is best to refer to the doctor to determine when you can return to sports based on the speed of your recovery, not in days or weeks because the recovery rate varies from person to person. Often you will be able to exercise again when the injured area regains its strength compared to the uninjured area, such as: Flex the injury site without pain. Jogging without limping. Jump on the affected area without feeling any pain. Factors affecting healing Recovery usually takes six to eight weeks. However, you may experience discomfort and swelling for a longer time. Following these tips will give your ankle a better chance of healing: Use meditation and deep breathing techniques to relieve stress. Sleep from 6 to 9 hours Ensure that you have a balanced diet and take vitamin D, as it helps reduce joint pain. Quit smoking because it causes musculoskeletal pain and delayed recovery.

Your kid enjoys exercising, but recently the pain in his heels has prevented him from doing so? Sever’s disease might be the cause, especially if your kid is nearing puberty! Let’s look more closely into Sever’s disease. This illness is characterized by swelling and irritation in the heel, particularly in the growth plate because it is weaker and more sensitive than the rest of the bones, but there is no need to worry; following the doctor’s instructions will usually help the disease disappear within a few months without causing permanent problems. Is your child vulnerable to Sever’s disease? Sever’s disease most often affects kids who play sports that involve running or jumping, especially on hard surfaces such as basketball and gymnastics and occurs between the ages of 9 and 14 years old. Sever’s disease occurs during the growth spurt of puberty because the bones, muscles, and tendons grow at a different rate, making the muscles and tendons more likely to stretch, causing the growth plate in the heel to stretch. However, Sever’s disease can often occur as a result of prolonged standing due to constant pressure on the heel. Furthermore, several factors may cause Sever disease, such as: Flat feet injury Being overweight High body mass index So, what are the symptoms of Sever’s disease? If your kid is at high risk, check if he/she has these symptoms: Pain in one or both ankles Swelling and redness in the heels Foot stiffness when waking up Limping or walking on tiptoes Pain when pressing the heel on both sides Symptoms may also worsen during or after exercise and then the condition improves with rest. Treatment for Sever’s disease If your kid has Sever’s disease, the doctor may recommend some or all of the following: Rest which includes reducing or even avoiding all activities that cause pain, simple exercises such as walking and swimming can be recommended. Put ice in a washcloth on the heels every 1-2 hours for 15 minutes each time. Use an analgesic/pain reliever such as Ibuprofen. Use shoe inserts to reduce pressure on the heel. Wear open shoes from the back so as not to irritate the heel. Wrap a medical bandage or wear a compression stocking. Physical therapy or a home exercise program to help stretch and strengthen. Your doctor may use a leg cast for about a week if: Symptoms are severe. Symptoms do not improve after a few weeks of rest and treatment. What happens after the recovery? When the activity is not causing any pain, kids can return to all of the sports and activities they used to do following recovery, which can take two weeks to two months. Some steps can also help your kid prevent re-occurrence of Sever disease, such as: Wear appropriate athletic shoes that have a cushioned sole Avoid heavy or high-heeled shoes Stretching before and after activity and sports Placing a towel with ice on the heels for 15 minutes after exercising Use of special shoe inserts Lose weight if he is overweight Usually, after age 15, your kid will not have Sever’s disease again.

The toes, especially the big toe, help us move and maintain balance, so pain, no matter how little, affects our mobility, making the hallux rigidus a source of severe discomfort due to the pain and joint stiffness it causes as a result of the erosion of the joint surfaces. Sometimes only the upper part of the joint is affected and the rest of the joint is intact, while other times it causes the entire joint to erode. Causes of Hallux Rigidus When walking, the major joint of the big toe is subjected to enormous stress; with each step, it bears a force equal to double the body’s weight! Hallux rigidus might also be the result of a previous injury or another medical condition, such as gout. Symptoms Pain in the big toe when walking or even while at rest. Stiffness and loss of the ability to turn the big toe upwards, sometimes so hard that it cannot be laid flat on the floor. A bony protrusion (bone growth) that may appear above the joint to rub against the shoe. Pain in the ball of the foot or in its outer edges as a result of walking on the side of the foot to avoid the pain of the big toe. Deformation of the toes. Treatment The severity of the case determines treatment. For example, simple treatment methods will help ease the symptoms in the early cases, such as: Wear suitable shoes with a wide toe room and a harder sole to minimize friction across the joint. Use medical insoles which can help improve foot function and reduce pain. Take pain relievers such as Paracetamol. Weight loss If you are overweight, this will reduce the pressure on the foot. A healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. Other treatment methods may include: Treatment by injection (steroid) into the joint to help reduce pain and inflammation Surgery- if other treatments fail. After Hallux Rigidus surgery? The surgery normally takes approximately an hour, and you should avoid moving it as much as possible for two weeks. If you feel pain, the doctor will prescribe some painkillers for you To avoid foot swelling, rest with your foot lifted on a chair or the end of a sofa at first. About two weeks after the surgery, you will return to the clinic to remove the stitches. Your doctor may ask you to wear a surgical shoe so that the bones can heal safely You will frequently require rehabilitation treatment before returning to your favorite activities.