Blog Post Archives - Page 4 of 6 - MP Sports Physicians

Exercise and diabetes type 1, what you should know!

By Dr Mona Shabghareh

In patients with diabetes type one, the Pancreas’ ability to produce insulin is impaired. Therefore, this type of diabetic patients needs insulin replacement therapy to maintain their blood glucose level in the normal range.

It is critical to take a proper dose of insulin to prevent hypo-glycemia or low blood glucose level.

Many researches have shown that moderate levels of exercise can reduce blood glucose levels by multiple mechanisms and this effect is more significant if you exercise for a longer duration. The effect of exercise on blood sugar is additive to the effect of insulin and it can last up to 24 hours.

On the other hand, high intensity exercise may lead to an increase in blood sugar level by increasing stress related hormones such as adrenaline and cortisone. In addition, injuries that may happen during exercise and sport participation can also increase blood glucose levels.

So despite the fact that regular exercise have a lot of health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart and vascular disease, improving your mood, making your bones and muscles stronger and helping you to control your body weight, it can lead to hypo or hyper-glycemia or even be detrimental to your health if you do not know how much and what type of exercise suits you.

The best way to ensure you are doing the correct thing is by consulting with an expert physician.

However, some other helpful tips include;

1. Checking your blood glucose levels before and after an exercise session. It is safe to do exercise only if your blood glucose level is between 6.6-10 mmol/L.

2. Always have some quickly digested carbohydrate (such as fruit juice or barely sugar) available when you are exercising.

3. Eat something 1-2 hours prior to exercise.

4. Avoid dehydration.

5. If you want to inject insulin prior to your exercise session, use a site away from the exercising muscles to inject.

6. Do not drink alcohol after exercise as it dehydrates and lowers blood glucose level.

7. You should adjust your pre-exercise insulin if you are doing strenuous activity for longer than 1 hour.

8. Be aware of the signs of hypo-glycemia and stop if they appear.

9. Avoid exercising in extreme temperatures.

Based on the guidelines from the American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM), you should visit and be evaluated by a Sports Physician or Cardiologist if you are over 35 years old or have had diabetes for a couple of years or want to do any exercise that exceeds the demands of brisk walking.

If you’d like to book an appointment with Dr Mona Shabghareh, please call (03) 9770 2398

September 7, 2020/by MP Sports Physicians

Blog Post

Generalized Hypermobility

When should I be concerned?

Article written by Dr Mona Shabghareh

Basically a hyper mobile joint means a joint that can move easily beyond its normal expected range and having more than two hyper mobile joints is called generalized hyper mobility.

Although having hyper mobile joints is very common especially in young females and it is not usually a big concern, this increased range of movement might also be a sign of a serious disease.

So that is important to know when you should suspect having hyper mobile joints, how to manage it and when you should be concerned about it.

How do I know if I have hyper mobile joints?

There are 5 simple questions which you can use them as a simple screening tool and If you answer yes to two or more than two of these questions, it is very likely that you have hyper-mobile joints.

1. Can you now (or could you ever) place your hands flat on the floor without bending your knees?

2. Can you now (or could you ever) bend your thumb to touch your forearm?

3. As a child did you amuse your friends by contorting your body into strange shapes OR could you do the splits?

4. As a child or teenager did your shoulder or kneecap dislocate on more than one occasion?

5. Do you consider yourself double-jointed?

What should I do if my joints are hyper mobile?

As mentioned earlier, joint Hyper mobility is very common particularly among young females and athletes and if you have hyper mobile joints, it does not necessarily mean that you need special care unless you begin to develop some sign and symptoms.

A not every hyper mobile person becomes symptomatic but some symptoms such as joint pain or swelling, joint dislocation and subluxation, fatigue and muscle cramps are common. In addition, ligament sprains, tendon strains and other musculoskeletal injuries are more common in hyper mobile people. The good news is that many of these symptoms can be improved by strengthening and balance exercises and avoiding excessive stretching. Moreover, we naturally become more stiff as we become older, so many of these symptoms may attenuate later in life. However, there are some possible sequels such as premature degenerative changes in joints because of frequent moving beyond the normal range.

It is also worth mentioning that there is some evidence regarding the increased risk of osteoporosis in hyper mobile people, the reason is still unknown but it is wise to have a healthy diet and active lifestyle to prevent it. Your doctor may also advise you some dietary supplement such as vitamin C and D.

When should I see a Doctor?

There are some signs which could be suggestive of a more serious conditions in a person with hyper mobile joints so if you have any of the below signs, you should consult with a physician specially if you are doing moderate or high intensity exercise or want to start a new exercise program.

1- A first relative suffering from one of the connective tissue disorders such as Marfan or Ehlers danlos syndrome.

2- Disproportionately long arms, legs and fingers or tall and thin body.

3- Flat feet or curved spine.

4- Stretch marks on the skin which are not related to weight gain or loss.

5- Thin or elastic skin which easy get bruised or does not heal well.

5- Sunken or stuck out chest.

6- Heartor vascular problems such as valve disease or Aortic aneurysm.

7- Lung disease.

8- Sudden collapsing or fainting.

7- Eye problems such as sever near sightedness, dislocated lens, detached retina, glucoma or early cataract.

8- Chronic fatigue or muscle weakness.

If you’d like to book an appointment with Dr Mona Shabghareh, please call (03) 9770 2398.

July 27, 2020/by MP Sports Physicians

Blog Post

Painful Heels

May 18, 2020/by MP Sports Physicians

Blog Post

SCIATICA

Sciatica is an all-encompassing term to describe pain felt in the leg referred from a spinal source.

Technically, it implies involvement of the sciatic nerve or of its nerve roots at the spine.
When this occurs, the pain is described as lancinating, burning and severe. The patient will be able to draw a line with one finger to trace the pain. There may be true numbness or weakness in the distribution of the affected nerve.
In these cases, the pain results from irritation of the spinal nerve, most commonly from a disc protrusion. Interestingly, the pain can often be just as severe with a relatively minor disc injury as it can be with complete nerve compression.
However, there are numerous other structures that can present with leg pain. Generally, the referral pattern will be a little more vague and is unlikely to be linear. Although there may be some alterations in sensation or feelings of pins and needles, there is no demonstrable nerve dysfunction on clinical examination.
Considerations for this diagnosis include gluteal tightness, gluteal tendinopathy, facet joint related pain, sacroiliac joint pain and pain emanating directly from a lumbar disc (without nerve root involvement).
Careful examination will definitely help to differentiate these and it is important to remember that most cases of back related leg pain do not need an MRI scan. Seeing pathology on a scan does not imply causality. In fact, it is rare to see a normal spinal MRI, even in someone with no symptoms. Clinical examination holds much more value.

May 18, 2020/by MP Sports Physicians

Blog Post

MY GP SAYS I CAN’T TAKE ANTI INFLAMMATORIES – IS THIS TRUE?

Anti inflammatories are one of the most effective medication groups for the treatment of musculoskeletal injury and pain.
As with all medications, they do have potential side effects.
As with all medications they can be used safely, but with care.
Issues with anti inflammatories
1. Tummy upset. Prolonged use of these tablets can cause gastritis, reflux and even stomach ulcers. There are some tummy protective versions available if the symptoms are mild. We can also use acid reducing medicine to protect your stomach. Unfortunately, we would not ever recommend using anti inflammatories if you have had a stomach ulcer or have inflammatory bowel disease.
2. Risk of heart attack. This is most marked in males and post menopausal females. The risk is worse if you have other risk factors such as a strong family history, are a smoker, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. There are some anti inflammatories with lower risk, but we do aim to use them for as short a time as possible and not at all if you have other issues.
3. Risk to the kidneys. Because the kidneys metabolise the medication, if they are not functioning well, anti inflammatories can directly damage them further or indirectly damage them through effects on blood pressure and fluid retention.
4. Risk of bleeding. While this is rare, we avoid anti inflammatories before surgery or if you are on any other blood thinning medication.
5. Asthma. Some types of asthma can be worsened by anti inflammatories.

Luckily there are alternatives. Where possible, we use natural options such as supplements. We also have an in depth understanding of the use of topical (cream) compounds to manage pain and alternative medications that will prevent any issues with your other medical conditions and still effectively manage your injury and pain.

April 17, 2020/by MP Sports Physicians

Blog Post

A message from Dr Leesa – Telehealth

Click the link below to view a video message from our practice principal Dr Leesa Huguenin

A message from Dr Leesa (Video link)

March 24, 2020/by MP Sports Physicians

Blog Post

I have arthritis …..or do I?

Most people with pain on the outside of their hip think they have arthritis. Although this is sometimes the case, there are a number of other potential causes, many of which are curable without surgery or prolonged interference with your daily life.

Where else could the pain be coming from?
1. Lower back issues can cause pain on the outside of your hip. This could be a nerve entrapment or disc bulge, but it could also be referred pain from the small joints in your back called facet joints.
2. Another potential source of the pain is the joint between the sacrum and the pelvis. This is called the sacroiliac joint. This joint can suffer in inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. It can also be involved in osteoarthritis and it can suffer with instability. Although it will often present with back pain, most people find it difficult to pinpoint the source.
3. The tendons of the buttock muscles are a very common cause of lateral hip pain. They can develop wear and tear from overload. Most commonly, this is a result of weakness in the muscles. Many people are told that the pain is due to bursitis. It is our belief that bursitis is a secondary issue that occurs as a result of tendon dysfunction.
So, the good news is that you may not need a hip replacement for your hip pain.
The bad news is that it can be difficult to sort out the exact underlying cause of your problem.

Luckily, we are experts at this. We can help you diagnose and manage your problem conservatively.

To book an appointment, call us on (03) 9770 2398

February 25, 2020/by MP Sports Physicians

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ACSEP conference

Great to see the MP Sports Physicians team together at the ACSEP conference last week. Dr Leesa Huguenin presented fellowships to Dr Sachin Khullar and Dr Danielle Hope. Well done!