Parsonage-Turner syndrome — also called brachial neuritis, brachial neuralgia or neuralgic amyotrophy — is a neurological disorder that causes severe pain followed by lasting damage to the nerves and muscles. It usually affects the nerves of the brachial plexus in the shoulder, though any nerve can be involved. We think the immune system triggers [...]
Diastasis recti is the abnormal separation of the rectus ("six-pack") muscles of the abdominal wall. It's best known in women after childbirth, but men and athletes get it too — and it's often missed in them. In men, it typically follows heavy lifting, straining, or weight gain rather than pregnancy. So what is diastasis [...]
CrossFit participants are easy to spot: a lean, fit, enthusiastic group of like-minded fitness devotees who work hard. But CrossFit is considered to carry a higher injury rate than some other exercise programmes. So what are the common CrossFit injuries, and how do we prevent them? What is CrossFit? CrossFit is a high-intensity exercise [...]
A torn pec muscle is a relatively common injury in bodybuilders and gym enthusiasts. We also see torn chest muscles in contact sports such as rugby or after a fall while skiing. Finding the location of the pec tear is essential to treating the injury well. So what is a torn pec muscle, and [...]
Sudden calf pain during sport is often a pulled calf muscle—a calf tear, also called a calf strain or tennis leg —common in active people. But calf pain has other causes too, some serious: an Achilles tendon tear, a blood clot, a blood vessel aneurysm, or a Baker's cyst. So a pulled calf muscle [...]
A Baker's cyst, also called a popliteal cyst, arises from the knee joint and causes a lump at the back of the knee. We usually confirm the diagnosis by seeing a Baker's cyst on ultrasound. Sometimes a Baker's cyst drainage is needed to relieve pressure at the back of the knee, but is drainage [...]
