Keeping The Ageing Population in Singapore Strong As healthcare specialists here in Singapore, we careread more
Yay! We Fixed him! Very kind words from a world class motivation speaker! Thank you Christian Chua.
“HE FIXED ME!” “I hurt my shoulder several months ago while lifting a heavy suitcase. It felt like a muscle had torn. After resting the shoulder for a few days, the pain subsided but I soon realized that my movement had been restricted. I could not straighten my right arm, could not reach for the remote control behind my pillow, could not do pull-ups and had difficulty putting on my suit.
I approached Darek Lam from BMJ to help me fix my shoulder. He patiently explained that when the wound healed, a few sets of muscles fused together. It wasn’t going to be a simple one-session treatment. He showed me photographs and videos which allowed me to fully understand my situation. Throughout the 10 over sessions, he put so much effort into fixing my shoulder, and after every session, you could see the improvement.
You don’t usually see me endorse any establishment unless I am sure of it. This is because I believe a lot of you trust me and would take my recommendation. There are Chiropractors out there who would ask you to go for treatment which you don’t need. Darek is an honest Physiotherapist who collaborates with many doctors and surgeons. They trust him and so do I. He upgrades his skills and knowledge by investing in workshops and course overseas every year.
He has a Clinic at Kovan and Marine Parade.
You would spend money to maintain your car, why wouldn’t you spend money to fix your own body?”
Using orthotics in pain relief and movement modification in rehabilitation is widespread. To use an orthotic properly, it needs to be well-fitted to you. Your physiotherapist will first identify modifiable variables in your movement and recommend specific types of supportive orthotics that will help with your pain. Typically used as insoles in shoes, a foot orthotic is meant to retrain your foot muscles to hold your foot arch up whilst performing activities such as walking, running or jumping. Your physiotherapist will fine-tune the support with additional pads if necessary.
Rehabilitation can be done before or after surgery! Contrary to popular belief that the physiotherapist’s role will only start after surgery, studies have found that doing pre-operative rehabilitation, a.k.a. Prehab, improves your post-operative outcomes! Your physiotherapist will customise your exercise programme and work with you to strengthen specific groups of muscles that may be affected due to surgery and facilitate the return of your muscle strength.
Ergonomics assessment is a great way to prevent injuries at home or at work. Occupational hazards such as long hours of sitting or repetitive bending down for a particular task can lead to musculoskeletal pain. Your physiotherapist will assess your workplace environment (such as workstation layout, body posture, etc.) and equipment and identify potential factors that may cause injury or discomfort. Based on these findings, recommendations will be made to create a safer environment for you to work in and reduce your risk of injury or pain.
Running gait analysis is an observational study performed with slow-motion video on a treadmill. Your physiotherapist will analyse your running pattern and identify any issues in your trunk, hip, knee, or foot. These issues may include muscular imbalances, poor posture, or poor foot mechanics. Thereafter, they will tailor specific treatments and exercises to improve your running efficiency and prevent further injury and pain.
This treatment technique involves your physiotherapist carefully examining and observing your posture and movement patterns. The goal is to achieve symmetry in our body as we perform our tasks and understand the influence of different body parts on a movement. This technique often identifies muscle imbalances and weaknesses, leading to compensatory movements that could lead to pain or discomfort. After identifying the issues, specific treatment plans that incorporate exercises, manual therapy, or taping may be used to guide recovery.
Taping is a form of treatment whereby a stretchy or rigid fabric is applied to the skin over the affected body part. This tape serves as a support or feedback mechanism, occasionally applying a force to the body to facilitate movement. There are many different types of tape on the market for various purposes. It is important to note that the tape does not ‘fix’ your problem, and you should get proper treatment for the area.
Cryotherapy is a treatment technique that involves exposing the treated body part to cold temperatures for a short time.
typically 10–15 minutes. Many types of cryotherapies are available but are commonly applied at home via an icepack. It is a standard treatment modality typically used for acute injuries, post-operative swelling and pain management, and post-exercise or competition soreness. While generally considered safe, it may cause skin irritation and tissue damage if not applied properly. Please consult your physiotherapist if you need clarification.
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training uses a specialised pressure cuff secured around the limb to be trained. The purpose of the cuff is to limit the venous return of blood from the limb, resulting in changes in the body’s hormonal composition. This will increase the number of growth factors in the blood, promoting healing and muscle tissue growth in the isolated region. It is generally used to treat weakness in post-surgical cases.
Exercise testing is an objective measure that physiotherapists use to accurately determine if a patient is suitable for progressing to the next level of rehabilitation. There are a multitude of tests that can be performed, and they will be carefully selected based on your condition. If any issues are spotted during the test or substantial differences need to be corrected, your physiotherapist will curate a specialised exercise programme for you.
Sports massage is a type of hands-on treatment that improves an athlete’s ability to return quickly to physical activity after intensive training. This treatment aims to release muscle tightness, improve range of motion, and improve flexibility. Your sports massage therapist will use various techniques, such as deep tissue massage and stretching, in conjunction with warm or cold packs to enhance the effect of the massage. Sports massage is suitable for people of different sporting levels, from amateurs to professionals, and people in physically demanding jobs.
Clinical Pilates is a form of exercise therapy adapted from traditional Pilates and targeted at improving posture, balance, and strength. It is typically used as a tool for injured patients suffering from back pain, neck pain, and other joint injuries, such as the shoulder and knee. These exercises are performed on a mat or specialised equipment such as a reformer and are tailored to improve body awareness and the alignment, control, and stability of the injured body part.
Dry needling is a treatment technique where thin, sterile needles are inserted into specific points in the body to relieve pain and muscle tension. These points are carefully identified by your physiotherapist and treated to induce a ‘twitch’ response in the tissues. This quick contraction of the muscles results in a reflex relaxation of the tense muscles, allowing blood flow to be restored and the muscle to return to its normal length, resulting in pain relief.
Radial Shockwave Therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses mechanical waves delivered through a probe through the skin. The waves travel in a “radial’ fashion and can be used to target deep scar tissue. Scarring is part of our body’s healing process and needs to be dealt with for full recovery. Shockwave is ideal for targeting this deeper scar tissue.
Our physiotherapists usually perform this treatment carefully, which is recommended at 3 to 5 sessions a week.
Manual therapy is a form of hands-on treatment used to diagnose, treat, and improve stiff muscles and joints.
BMJ physiotherapists use this technique to target tight muscles and fascia, which includes various techniques such as fascia release therapy, trigger point release, pin and stretch release, joint mobilisation, and high-velocity thrust manipulation.
When used by our experienced physiotherapists, these techniques can help increase joint mobility, improve movement, and help our overall posture alignment. The improvement is often instant, with immediate results. Most importantly, we will teach you similar home techniques to target the tight muscles and fascia at home.
