Ergonomic desk set-up

Do you know how to set up your computer proper at home or your workplace? Was the set-up adjusted or assessed by any health professionals?

First of all, let’s start with the reasons of setting up the workstation. Nowadays, working from home is a common things for lots of office worker. With an unassessed desk set-up, it could lead to incorrect posture and musculoskeletal injuries such as neck, spinal and hip pain.

Here are a few important tips for setting up for workstation.

• Instead of using laptop for extended period of time. Using external monitor, keyboard and mouse enhance your posture.

• Top of monitor should be at your eye level or just below to ease neck and back tension

• Monitor distance should be just about your arm length away to prevent overreaching

• Wrists in a relaxed position. You could add a wrist rest to help with reducing wrist pressure

• Keep your elbows in around 90-100 degrees

• Keep mouse positioned parallel to keyboard

In City of Ryde and North Ryde, there are more than 50% for working population worked at home according to 2021 Census statistics. If you are one of them and unsure about how to set-up your desk or changing your set-up hasn’t improved your pain. You can book an appointment in LifeMotion Physio to help with assess your condition and improve your workstation.

Anterior Cruciate ligament (ACL) injury

ACL injury is one of the common injury that happened during sports. ACL tear or sprain occurs during sudden change in direction, pivoting or landing with knee in twisted position. Generally a “pop” sound is associated with ACL tear.

Symptoms of ACL tear:

• Swelling in knee joint

• Reduced in range of motion

• Knee instability

• Severe pain

• Unable to weight bear

Risk factors:

• Females: research has shown females tends to have a higher rate of ACL injury, which could be caused by difference in body anatomy and hormonal influence

• Participating in certain sports that involves change in direction and pivoting

• Muscles imbalance

• Poor biomechanics of trunk, hip, knee and ankle motion

Diagnosis:

Physiotherapist can help diagnosis ACL tear with specific tests including Lachman test and Anterior Drawer test. To assess severity of tear Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be done and to check if there are other structures involved in the injury.

ACL injury can takes up to 6-12 months for recovery. Progressive exercises and muscles retraining should be given to address risk factors such as muscles imbalance and poor biomechanics to help prevent another ACL injury. LifeMotion Physio is here in North Ryde to help you regain your movement and returning to your active lifestyle.

Ankle sprain

Ankle sprain occur when ankle is twisted, rolled or stretched more than its normal range. This can lead to ligament strain or tear. An avulsion fracture can occurred with ligament injury when a fragment of bone is pulled away at the ligamentous attachment.

Symptoms of ankle sprain tear:

• Swelling in ankle joint

• Pain with weight bearing

• Bruising

• Reduced in range of motion

• Ankle instability

• Clicking or popping sensation

Diagnosis:

Physiotherapist can help diagnosis ankle sprain with specific tests including talar tilt test and anterior drawer test. An ultrasound imaging can assess severity of injury. X-ray imaging can ruled out fracture or avulsion fracture involvement in the injury.

Proper management is important for any ankle injuries. As untreated ankle injury could leads to pain, ankle weakness and ankle instability. This can affect your walking and your sports performance. LifeMotion Physio is here in North Ryde to help you regain your movement and returning to your active lifestyle.

Sports injuries

Millions of people participate in sport and physical activity. In Australia, 9 out of 10 adults perform physical activity at least once, and 6 out 10 adults performed physical activity 3 times a week, according to the Australian Sports Commission’s AusPlay survey in 2022.

Participation in any sport or physical activity could lead to musculoskeletal injury.  There were 3.47 million Australians aged 18+ had an injury in the past 12 months from sports. The highest rate of injury occurred in outdoor team sports followed by Indoor team sport, Motor-related sport and horse-related sport.

Common musculoskeletal injuries in sports are fracture, dislocation, muscle sprain/ strain, ligament strain, tendinitis and bursitis. Untreated musculoskeletal injury could lead to pain and reduced in range of motion in joints. To assist your rehabilitation and journey to get back to the sport you enjoy playing, LifeMotion Physio is here in North Ryde to help you regain your movement and returning to your active lifestyle.