Trigger finger is a condition where there is a size disparity between the flexor tendons and the surrounding pulley system at the first annular pulley (the A1 pulley). This causes the tendon to catch on the pulley as it attempts to glide through unless enough pressure is developed to allow it to forcefully move through the pulley. The exact cause of trigger finger is not always clear, but it is often attributed to overuse injuries or repetitive motions.

The biceps brachii muscle is a multi-joint muscle that spans both the shoulder and the elbow, meaning it has a role in movement at both of these joints. Its main action is elbow flexion (bending the elbow), but it also has many secondary actions such as forearm supination (turning the palm up), and shoulder flexion (raising the arm overhead).

A biceps tendon rupture denotes an injury where the biceps muscle is subjected to excessive loads and detaches from one or more of its proximal attachment sites.

The most common locations for a biceps tendon rupture are at the proximal attachment of the long head (where it connects to the glenoid labrum), and distally where the tendon inserts into the radius.

We get a ton of questions about skiing safely, To ski with confidence, talk with a physiotherapist who specializes in skiing. It should be someone who understands the forces of the sport, and who has personal experience doing it themselves. Your physiotherapist will perform a variety of tests, discuss your activity, and make recommendations. Enjoy your winter season skiing in Vancouver and throughout BC!

Pull-ups are a core training exercise for most climbers. The grip position used in a pull-up has a significant impact on which muscles are being used and therefore being strengthened. Understanding the anatomy and biomechanics of the different variations of the pull-up can help you more specifically target your strength training for specific muscle groups and movement patterns. This is particularly important for athletes with shoulder and/or elbow pain to ensure you are loading the different structures of the arm and shoulder appropriately.

Cervical disc herniation is a common source of cervical radiculopathy which may lead to sensory deficits, motor weakness, and/or radicular pain. The specific signs and symptoms of cervical vary based on which vertebral level is affected. This is because depending on where the herniation occurs, it will lead to compression of a different spinal nerve. The symptoms of cervical disc herniations are unique to each spinal nerve as each one innervates different muscles and areas of the body.

Learn more about neck pain and cervical vertebra health at our Main Street physiotherapy and massage clinic in Vancouver, BC

Flexor Digitorum Profundus (FDP) is a muscle that extends from our elbows, down our forearms, and attaches to the bones of our fingers via its tendons. The FDP muscle is involved in finger flexion (bending/curling our fingers) making it an extremely important muscle for climbing. Our FDP muscles are involved with a variety of climbing grips (crimps, pinches, slopers, jugs, etc.), and developing FDP strength is essential for climbing performance, but it is also one of the most common sources of hand, finger, or forearm pain and injury in climbers.

While the clamshell can be a useful exercise to strengthen the hip abductors, there are certain cases in which it may be contraindicated. One example of a scenario when the clamshell exercise may be counterproductive is in patients with lateral hip pain caused by gluteal tendinopathies.

Belayer’s neck is a term climbers use to describe pain and stiffness in the back of the neck that occurs as a result of looking upwards and belaying for long periods of time. The term belayer’s neck isn’t a single diagnosis, but rather a colloquial term used to describe a wide range of conditions that cause the symptoms belayers often experience at the back of their necks.

Medial epicondylitis, also known as climber’s, golfer’s, or baseball elbow; is an overuse injury of the elbow characterized by pain from the elbow to the rest on the medial side of the elbow. The medial elbow region is prone to overuse injuries in climbing for a couple of reasons.

Physiotherapy will be an extremely important aspect of medial epicondylitis treatment. As climber’s and athletes, the physiotherapists at Elios Health are very familiar with medial epicondylitis and want to help you minimize the impact your symptoms place on your climbing and daily activities.

It’s the time of year for winter sports and snow-packed adventures. “Skier’s Thumb” is one of the most common hand injuries associated with winter sports.

To ensure success as you hit the slopes, read this blog post to learn all about the anatomy, symptoms, causes, and treatment options for Skier’s Thumb.

If you sustain a thumb injury this winter and are in the Greater Vancouver area, consult with us at Elios Health so that you can return to your winter activities safely. With the proper treatment and rehabilitation, we can help get you back to the mountains pain-free as soon as possible.

Oh no, a sprained ankle!

It’s one of the most frustrating times is when you just can’t “walk it off”.

Let’s take a look at what’s going on down there…

The ACL is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee and often affects younger, active individuals who participate in sports. Injuries to the ACL are usually caused by non-contact rotational forces such as sudden changes in direction, rapid stopping, jumping, and landing abnormally.

The Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the key ligaments that act to stabilize the knee joint. The ACL connects your thighbone (femur) to the shin (tibia). Together with the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), the ACL forms a cross-shaped band that prevents excessive forwards or backward movement of the shinbone relative to the thigh, as well as provides the knee with rotational stability.

What is a rotator cuff? What are people always talking about it? In fact, what makes it a “cuff”? Is it like a cuff link?

Ok, we are getting a little out of hand here.

Read on to learn more about the anatomy of the shoulder, and our three favourite exercises to prevent rotator cuff injuries!

Lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow as it is more commonly known, is a painful condition of the elbow caused by overuse. As you may have guessed, tennis and other racquet sports are a common culprit of the injury, however, several other sports such as golf, baseball, martial arts, and rock climbing can also lead to the condition. Non-athletes can be prone to tennis elbow as well, and it is a common occurrence in painters, carpenters, musicians, and plumbers.

Let’s explore the anatomy of the elbow, and ways to address elbow pain.

How do you know if your pain is just something from last weekend's adventure or a sign of something more long-term? In this post we look at signs and symptoms of chronic and acute injuries, and what to do when you think it is something more than leftover stiffness.