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Advice

Notes from the OPD.

Straight answers to the questions patients ask most. Pick a topic, read the short answer, open the full note if you want more.

Knee · imaging1 min read

Treat the patient, not the MRI

A finding on a scan is not the same as the cause of your pain.

MRI is very sensitive. In a 2020 study of 230 knees with no pain at all, 97% showed at least one finding such as meniscal change, cartilage wear or bone-marrow signal.

Many findings are simply how a normal knee ages or how an active knee adapts. They don’t all explain pain, and they don’t all need fixing. Your story and examination come first; the scan confirms or refines.

Report sounds alarming? Bring it along. We’ll work out what actually matters for your knee.

Horga et al., Insights into Imaging, 2020

Shoulder · fractures1 min read

Not every shoulder fracture needs surgery

Many heal in a sling with physio at the right time.

“The X-ray may look dramatic, but treatment depends on the fracture’s severity, its displacement and the patient’s function.”

Breaks of the upper arm bone near the shoulder often heal in a sling, followed by timed physiotherapy, especially when the pieces haven’t moved far.

  • How far the fragments shifted
  • Bone quality
  • Your age, health and what you need the shoulder for

Running · prevention1 min read

Run smart: five rules

Build distance slowly, and never try to catch up on missed runs.

  1. Follow a written plan. Beginners on a schedule get hurt less.
  2. Strengthen hips and core. It lowers your injury risk.
  3. No big jumps in distance. Keep weekly increases under about 30%.
  4. Don’t catch up. Missed a day? Don’t double the next run.
  5. Nothing new on race day. Same shoes, same stride.
Build a running warm-up below

Ankle · first aid1 min read

Rolled your ankle?

Protect and raise it for a few days, then start walking. Long rest slows recovery.

Days 1–3: protect it, keep it raised, use a compression bandage and ice for comfort. Then: walk as pain allows and start balance and strength work.

Get it checked if you can’t take four steps, the ankle bones are tender to touch, or it still gives way after a few weeks.

Take the 3-question ankle check

Sport · urgent1 min read

A “pop”, then swelling

Don’t walk it off. A pop with fast swelling needs an examination soon.

A snap or pop, swelling within hours and trouble putting weight on the leg often mean a significant ligament, tendon or bone injury.

In teenagers the growth areas of bone are weaker than ligaments, so a “sprain” can be a fracture through a growth plate.

Rest, ice, and get an examination and X-ray promptly.

Arthroscopy · recovery1 min read

After keyhole surgery

Small cuts, but the repair inside still needs time and physio.

  • Some swelling for a few weeks is normal. Ice, elevation and exercises help.
  • A meniscus trim takes weeks; a ligament reconstruction takes months.
  • Physiotherapy turns a good operation into a good result.
  • Return to sport is decided by strength and control tests, not the calendar.

Bone health1 min read

Bones that last

Load your bones, feed them well, and make your home fall-proof.

  • Weight-bearing and strength exercise: brisk walks, stairs, weights
  • Enough calcium and vitamin D; supplements only if advised
  • No smoking, little alcohol
  • For older adults: good lighting, non-slip mats, regular eye checks

Myth or fact

Things patients often believe.

Tap a card to flip it.

Try it

Check it. Prevent it.

Guidance only, not a diagnosis. If you’re unsure, book a consultation.

Ankle check

Rolled your ankle? Answer three questions.

  1. Could you take four steps on it (even limping) right after the injury, and can you now?

  2. Is the back edge or tip of either ankle bone (the bony bumps) tender when pressed?

  3. Is the bone on the outer edge of the mid-foot, or the bony bump on its inner side, tender when pressed?

Answer all threeYour guidance appears here.

Based on the Ottawa ankle rules, which doctors use to decide when an ankle X-ray is needed.

Knee check

Twisted or knocked your knee? Answer five questions.

  1. Could you take four steps on it (even limping) right after the injury, and can you now?

  2. Can you bend the knee to a right angle, as when sitting on a chair?

  3. Is the kneecap tender when pressed?

  4. Is the bony bump on the outer side, just below the knee, tender when pressed?

  5. Are you 55 or older?

Answer all fiveYour guidance appears here.

Based on the Ottawa knee rules, which doctors use to decide when a knee X-ray is needed after an injury.

Sport warm-up builder

Pick your sport. Get a 5‑move warm-up.

1 / 5

    Around 10 minutes. Football routine based on the FIFA 11+ injury-prevention programme; others on common sports-physio warm-ups. Stop if anything hurts.

    Did you know

    Your skeleton, in numbers

    • 206bones in the adult skeleton
    • 106of them in the hands and feet
    • ~300bones at birth, many fuse as we grow
    • ~10yrsto remodel roughly the whole skeleton

    These notes are general information, not a diagnosis. If you’re worried about an injury, book a consultation.