Mobility Equipment Supplies

Back problems and sports injuries can be stressful to deal with. People suffering from severe pain usually become frustrated because they are forced to take leave from playing or from work. Because back problems and sports injuries are so common, pain relief is obtainable in all different forms. From acupuncture, physiotherapy, to hot and cold therapies, choosing the right method to relieve pain is down to personal preference and deciding on what works best for you.

One means that more and more people are relying on is acupuncture. It is a method that relies on discovering the trigger and pressure points of the body and targeting these with minuscule needles to relieve pressure and treat aches and pains.

If you are wondering if acupuncture will work for you, then you must first know about which injuries this way of treatment is known for curing. A number of pains that are treated with acupuncture consist of pain as the result of inflammation, skin discoloration, redness, and joint motion problems. If you are suffering from any joint or muscle inflammation, you should consider getting acupuncture treatment as soon as possible because the longer you try to endure the pain, the more likely you are to have limited mobility in the affected area.

Pain and injury can have an unforeseen effect on a person’s mental condition if it is left untreated, and can even become a long-term problem. It can cause distress, or depression, as the cause becomes seemingly discouraging, and it starts to have a blow on sleep patterns and every day routine. Acupuncture can help relieve the pain of stressed muscles and sports injuries and can assist with related emotional and mental suffering at the same time.

One item that too many people depend on to treat injuries is painkillers. While these can surely be helpful in the early stages, these often mask the pain and make you use your muscles too much, unaware that it is harmful already. Acupuncture techniques pay attention to your body and labour with it to treat sports injuries efficiently, targeting the core pain even from the first treatment.

Other health problems such as arthritis, back pain, insomnia, and stress can be treated with acupuncture, and it can be used in conjunction with back supports, hot and cold therapy, orthopaedic supports, and sports massage. Try acupuncture treatment and see if this very old method can help relieve the twinge of sports injuries and bring you back to full fitness in a short span of time.

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Over time, our bodies, like the moving parts in an automobile, become subject to wear and tear, most especially if you were into sports during your younger days. Our joints become sore if we try to walk, and sometimes, even getting out of a chair may be a very uncomfortable experience.

Our hips play a key role in our ability to move, even when we are sitting down. If your doctor tells you that you require a hip replacement, it does not mean that you are doomed to an inactive lifestyle. A total hip replacement replaces the acetabulum and the femoral head. Recuperation from this procedure is long term and would need you to undergo physical therapy in order to get back your full mobility. People who are up for a total hip replacement usually have degenerative arthritis of the hip joint owing to age or a previous injury.

A lot of people put off hip replacement surgery. They try to deal with the pain as much as they can, just to avoid surgery.

Surgery is indeed a scary prospect, but the earlier you have it done, the faster your recovery. There are some potential complications with every surgical procedure, such as blood clots or infection. Nevertheless, by listening to your doctor and following proper precautions, you will minimize the dangers.

Unbelievably, people who have had hip replacement surgery typically begin physical therapy immediately after surgery. A therapy usually starts out by doing some exercises in a chair, then gradually moves up to walking and climbing with the use of supportive equipment. Eventually, the patient is encouraged to begin working out without these devices to restore their dexterity. Physical therapy is critical to a person’s recovery and should not be postponed or avoided no matter how rough it is.

High impact activities, including running and any contact sport are discouraged. Swimming is an excellent way to exercise while minimizing risk to the replaced hip. Your attempt to push yourself through the water makes use of your muscles but not the joints. Patients should also be aware of the dangers of infection of any kind.

After surgery and therapy, there is no reason why you cannot return to your normal day-to-day life. With a few precautions, you would be back to your old self and free from pain.

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Yoga has become a familiar part of the health and fitness scene. Nearly 32 million people currently practice yoga. Another 18 million say they plan to try it within the year. Although many people turn to yoga to ease stress and improve overall health, a growing number have specific medical aims and are following the recommendations of their doctors.

According to a study, yoga therapy can reduce pain and improve function in people with chronic low back pain. Chronic low back pain, which usually lasts more than three months, is notoriously difficult to treat. Not surprisingly, it drives many sufferers to turn to alternative and complementary therapies in search of relief. The study is the second of two randomized trials to test a specific form of yoga called Iyengar (pronounced eye-en-gar) yoga, which is based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar, one of the world’s most well-known living yoga teachers.

Most yoga taught and practiced is hatha yoga, which combines classic poses (asanas), controlled breathing, and deep relaxation or meditation. Iyengar is a type of hatha yoga that uses props such as blankets, blocks, benches, and belts to help people perform the poses to the fullest extent possible even if they lack experience or have physical limitations. The emphasis is on precise physical alignment, with trained teachers adjusting everything from the position of the shoulders to the angle of the toes.

Overall, the researchers found that the yoga group showed not only greater improvements in pain and mobility, but also a larger reduction in depression symptoms. In addition, the benefits were seen immediately after the six-month yoga regimen ended, as well as six months later.

The findings do not mean, though, that every style of yoga is right for back-pain sufferers.

People have to remember that this was a therapeutic Iyengar class. It is recommended that people with lower back pain who are interested in trying Iyengar yoga find a certified teacher with the experience to help them adjust the poses to their needs. That means talking with the teacher before starting a class, and keeping him or her posted on how the back problem is faring.

The subjects who participated in the study had been suffering from lower back pain for more than three months. About half took twice-weekly yoga classes for 24 weeks, while the rest were put on a 6-month waiting list while staying with usual care, such as pain medications.

After 24 weeks, the yoga group reported greater improvements in pain and disability, on average, than the comparison group. And while none of the study participants had major depression, the yoga group’s scores on a standard measure of depression symptoms improved to a greater degree than the comparison group’s.

When the researchers evaluated the patients six months later, they found that the yoga group was still faring better, on average.

Nonetheless, for some support products while you are recovering from lower back pain, visit DoAbility UK. They provide an extensive range of back pain products, from brushes to chairs and other equipment.

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You need ten thousand steps a day to meet the guidelines for physical activity to improve health. However, if you are like most people, who find walking painful or you fear your joints might buckle beneath you, each step might as well be a mile.

Your knees and hips are your largest joints. They support your body’s weight and they must work in close coordination to provide the mobility most people take for granted until injury, arthritis, or other problems interfere.

Depending on the cause of your pain, the solution might be a set of exercises designed to strengthen and stretch the muscles that support the joint, taking some of the stress off the joint itself. Minor surgery may also help.

For many people, knee and hip problems become so intractable that the best solution is to replace a worn-out knee or hip with a mechanical joint. In 2003, there were about 902,000 knee replacement and 728,000 hip replacement procedures performed worldwide. The average age at which a person has such surgery is 65 to 70.

Physically, your knees and hips are closely interdependent, located as they are at either end of the thighbone. This proximity means the angle of your hip affects the pressure on your knee. A hip disorder may cause knee pain, and knee disorders can aggravate hip problems.

People live longer than they used to, so joints need to stay strong and healthy through those additional years. Nevertheless, both knees and hips are subject to wear and tear as you age, and you can traumatize them further if you increase your physical activity suddenly.

Medical care has changed in recent years. Doctors used to follow surgery by immobilizing the joint with a plaster cast. Weeks of immobility caused the muscles to weaken and shorten, resulting in long-lasting stiffness and poor function. Today, you can wake up from surgery with your knee already being gently bent and straightened by a machine. In addition, knee and hip replacements have freed thousands of patients from life in a wheelchair or on crutches.

Surgical techniques have also advanced. More surgery is performed through tiny incisions using an arthroscope, often on an outpatient basis. Pain relief has moved away from mind-clouding narcotics toward pain relievers that tackle the twin problems of pain and inflammation.

And finally, prevention has moved to center stage, alongside surgical repair and rehabilitation. More strength training added to your daily exercise routine helps support the joints and protect them from injury.

Water exercises support your weight, reducing stress on your joints. One in five people over age 60 has experienced significant knee pain, and one in seven people over age 60 reports significant hip pain.

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Pain is a symptom common to many foot conditions, and pain medications are a good solution for most types of foot pain. You can also try other approaches before resorting to pain relievers. For example, you can try an ice pack or a warm foot soak before reaching for the pain pills.

In general, if your skin feels warm to the touch, apply ice. Do not apply warmth to an inflamed area because it will only increase the blood flow and make the inflammation worse.

If your feet are tired and sore and your skin feels normal or cool to the touch, try soaking your feet in a warm bath to relax and soothe them. Pharmacies sell gel packs that you can either freeze or heat in the microwave, and apply to your feet. You can also try foot massage. Gently rubbing sore muscles and joints can often provide needed relief. However, do not massage a foot that is inflamed or injured.

When it comes to pharmaceutical treatment, there are a number of different options. Some medications are topical, which is applied on the skin. Others are systemic; these are usually taken in pill form.

Analgesics
This class of medications encompasses pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), which relieve pain without relieving inflammation. People who drink regularly are discouraged to take acetaminophen because alcohol can combine with this drug and cause liver damage.

Topical analgesics
Topical pain medications are available in lotion, cream, or gel form. They are spread on the skin and penetrate inward to relieve some forms of mild foot pain. Some topical preparations, such as those containing menthol, eucalyptus oil, or turpentine oil, reduce pain by distracting the nerves with a different type of sensation.

Another group delivers salicylates (the same ingredient as in aspirin) through the skin.

A third group counters a chemical known as substance P, which is a neurotransmitter that appears to transmit pain signals to the brain. These creams contain a derivative of a natural ingredient found in cayenne pepper. For that reason, they may burn or sting when first used.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are available both with and without a prescription. Popular over-the-counter NSAIDs include aspirin (Bayer, Bufferin), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). If you are taking an NSAID solely to relieve pain, take a low dosage for a limited amount of time, usually until the pain is gone. If you have a condition that involves inflammation as well as pain, such as Achilles’ tendinitis or a sprain, your doctor may advise you to take an NSAID at a higher dose and for a longer period, sometimes as much as several weeks. This is because you can feel the pain-relieving effects of NSAIDs almost immediately, but you do not experience the full anti-inflammatory effects until a sufficient amount of the medication builds up in your bloodstream. Be aware that NSAID medications have a variety of side effects, so it is important to discuss your personal health risks with your doctor when considering regular use.

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Arthritis pain can be frustrating.

Nagging and crippling arthritis pain can continue day after day.

How much happier would you be if you could stop your arthritis pain right now and feel great all day?

Knowing the nature of the disease can really bring you the right answers.

Arthritis comprises over 100 different diseases and conditions. The word arthritis means, “joint inflammation.” When joints are inflamed, it causes pain and usually limits movement of the joints that are affected. For many people, arthritis pain has a large impact on their lives.

Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability. It limits everyday activities such as walking, dressing, and bathing for more than 32 million people all over the world. Each year, the condition results in 1.5 million hospitalizations and 72 million outpatient visits.

Arthritis is not just an old person’s disease. Nearly two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than 65 years including nearly 600,000 children. This disease affects children and people of all racial and ethnic groups, but is more common among women and older adults.

Arthritis can affect different parts of the body. Two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the joint lining becomes inflamed as part of the body’s immune system activity. RA is one of the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women. It is two to three times more common in women than in men and generally strikes between the ages of 20 and 50. Both sides of the body are usually affected at the same time. Symptoms of RA differ from person to person but can generally include:

· Joint tenderness, warmth, and swelling.

· Pain and stiffness lasting for more than 1 hour in the morning or after a long rest.

· Joint inflammation in the wrist and finger joints closest to the hand.

· Fatigue, an occasional fever, and a general sense of not feeling well.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. It is a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers the ends of bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against bone. OA commonly affects the joints of the fingers, knees, hips, and spine. It is more common in older people because they have been using their joints longer. Using the joints to do the same task over and over or simply using them over time can make osteoarthritis worse.

Younger people can also get osteoarthritis. Athletes are at risk because they use their joints so much. People who have jobs that require the same movement repeatedly are also at risk. Injuries to a joint increase the risk of arthritis in the joint later on. Excess weight can accelerate arthritis in the knees, hips, and spine.

The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is pain in the affected joints after repetitive use. Joint pain is usually worse later in the day. There can be swelling, warmth, and creaking of the affected joints. Symptoms of OA may greatly vary. Some patients can be debilitated by their symptoms. On the other hand, others may have remarkably few symptoms in spite of dramatic degeneration of the joints apparent on x-rays. Still, symptoms also can be intermittent.

What are the causes of arthritis?

Primary OA is mostly related to aging. With aging, the water content of the cartilage increases and the protein makeup of cartilage degenerates. Repetitive use of the joints over the years irritates and inflames the cartilage, causing joint pain and swelling. Eventually, cartilage begins to degenerate by flaking or forming tiny crevasses. Inflammation of the cartilage can also stimulate new bone outgrowths to form around the joints.

Sometimes osteoarthritis follows an injury to a joint. For example, a young person might hurt his knee badly playing soccer. Then, years after the knee has apparently healed, he might get arthritis in his knee joint.

RA is an autoimmune disease. This means the body’s natural immune system does not operate, as it should. It attacks healthy joint tissue, initiating a process of inflammation and joint damage. RA is a type of chronic arthritis that occurs in joints on both sides of the body, such as hands, knees, or wrists. This symmetry helps distinguish RA from other types of arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs most frequently in the 30 to 50 age group, although it can start at any age.

Other conditions can also cause arthritis. Some include:

· Gout, in which crystals build up in the joints. It usually affects the big toe.

· Lupus, in which the body’s defense system can harm the joints, heart, kidneys, skin, and other organs.

· Viral hepatitis, in which an infection of the liver can cause arthritis.

What can you do about it?

Some people may worry that arthritis means they will not be able to work or take care of their children and their family. Others think that you just have to accept things like arthritis.

While there is not yet a cure for arthritis, much can be done today to reduce pain and boost joint function. Learning how to manage pain over the long term is essential to maintaining a good quality of life. There are things you can do to keep the damage from getting worse. They might also make you feel better. Here are some simple things to do:

· Lose weight, if you are overweight.

· Exercise regularly for short periods. Going for a walk every day will help, too.

· Use canes and other special devices to protect your joints.

· Avoid lifting heavy things.

· Don’t pull on objects. To move something, push it.

· Use heat or cold compress to reduce pain or stiffness.

The pain and disability that accompany arthritis can be decreased through early diagnosis and appropriate management. Therefore, if you have persistent symptoms lasting more than several days, go see your doctor. The doctor will examine you and may take X rays of your bones or joints to decide if you have arthritis and what kind you have.

After the doctor knows what kind of arthritis you have, he or she will talk with you about the best way to treat it. The doctor may give you a prescription for medicine that will help with the pain, stiffness, and inflammation.

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Tissues inside a space in the wrist called the carpal tunnel can sometimes swell, pinching a nerve and causing the painful condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome. There is a feeling of numbness, tingling and pain in the index finger and first finger of the affected hand, and also weakness in the thumb.

Middle-aged and pregnant women are the principal sufferers, especially those who use their fingers a lot, such as housewives, pianists, and chronic computer users. The condition is often worse at night, when the pain and tingling may spread up the forearm and interrupt sleep. Hanging the affected arm – or arms – over the side of the bed sometimes brings relief; a splint on the wrist may also help.

Without treatment, the symptoms will gradually worsen over the months or years. Anyone developing the symptoms should see a doctor before using any alternative treatment.

A doctor will usually prescribe painkillers – or, if the condition is particularly troublesome, inject the wrist with cortisone to reduce the tissue swelling. In severe cases, he may recommend a minor operation to relieve the compression.

It is always best to use hand mobility aids that have been successful in preventing hand wrist pain. For more information, visit DoAbility today.

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There are several high risk occupations associated with a painful back. If you fall into any of them, take extra care.

Manual Workers
About 22 percent of miners, furniture removers, construction workers, dockers, and other manual workers are regular sufferers.

Nurses
About 17 percent of nurses, who regularly have to lift bedridden patients, and carry and bend in their work, are stricken each year.

Office Workers
Those who use computers most of the time are prone because they often use badly designed chairs that do not give enough support to the small of the back, and so encourage them to slouch.

Drivers
Long-distance truck drivers, tractor drivers, and those who spend a lot of time behind the wheel are liable to get lower back pain due to poor posture and the vibration they experience in their vehicles.

Housewives and Mothers
Bending to make beds, cleaning, lifting and carrying babies and small children frequently cause back problems. Many women start getting back pain during pregnancy.

Athletes
Any sport that involves vigorous activity, like in the case of football, tennis, or basketball, or one that makes great use of a particular set of muscles, like in weightlifting or golf, can put undue strain on the back.

The Elderly
The older you are, the less supple your joints and muscles are likely to be. Back pain and stiffness may result – and there is a risk of osteoporosis developing.

Previous Sufferers
If your back has already pained you, it is liable to go again. Exercise and good posture help strengthen the spine and prevent recurring trouble.

Nevertheless, DoAbility has an extensive line of mobility products that can help these people manage all types of back pain. Visit www.DoAbility.co.uk today.

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There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, all involving some disorder or inflammation of the joints. Two of the most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, which affect millions of people worldwide. A third common form is gout, caused by crystals of uric acid collecting in the sufferer’s joints.

The causes of arthritis are largely unknown, but various factors such as heredity, injury, and stress on the joints may play a part. Many therapists believe that certain forms may be associated with a breakdown of the immune system – possibly triggered off by an allergy or by virus infections.

A wholefood, largely vegetarian diet with plenty of salads and lightly cooked vegetables is recommended. Cut out foods, such as dairy products, that can cause allergies. However, modest amounts such as one or two eggs a week and a little fish or chicken every second day may do no harm.

Avoid red meat and white flour products. Use goat’s milk and the cheese and yoghurt made from it, instead of cow’s milk and its products. Avoid acid fruits such as lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and strawberries, as well as rhubarb, spinach, tomatoes, salt, sugar, tea, coffee, alcohol, and products containing food additives. Drinking raw fruit and vegetable juices may also help. For cases of acute inflammation, two to four cups of celery juice, and one cup each of carrot, cucumber, and beetroot juice daily are recommended.

Remedies also include a warming lotion made from glycerine and cayenne pepper, and hot poultices and compresses of pounded fresh ginger, powdered sulphur or green clay. Another lotion may be made by mixing one part cayenne to four parts olive oil and eight parts spirit of camphor.

Cider vinegar, honey, and cod liver oil are traditional cures. Try 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar in a glass of water with a little honey, first thing in the morning and again at every meal; or take 2 teaspoons of cod liver oil for five days before going to bed. Some sufferers also claim to have been helped by copper bracelets.

Swimming and bathing take the weight off joints and warm water relaxes muscles and relieves pain. Sea water is believed to be particularly beneficial, as are seaweed baths. You can buy dried seaweed for this purpose sold as bladderwrack at major chemists, health food shops, or herbalists. An Epsom salts bath may also help – simply add 3-4 tablespoons to a hot bath.

Two general homeopathic remedies are Ruta and Rhus tox. The second is also claimed to be a specific remedy for pains that become worse after resting and in damp weather, and are relieved somewhat by continuous activity. For very painful joints that hurt if moved, try Bryonia, and after an injury, Arnica. If pain is eased by pressure and cold, and increased by heat or movement, Bryonia may help. Pulsatilla is used when pains seem to move from joint to joint, when neck and shoulders “crack” on movement, and when legs feel heavy in daytime and ache at night. When symptoms tend to worsen in a hot and stuffy atmosphere, gentle movement and pressure can give relief.

DoAbility has various mobility products that can help ease the pain and difficulty of arthritis in your everyday lives. You can visit their website: www.DoAbility.co.uk.

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