Visser & Ball Physiotherapy

06/03/2026

28/02/2026

Welcome MARCH 2026!

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success." – Albert Schweitzer

26/02/2026

It’s National Milk Tart Day!

Not officially prescribed… but highly recommended TODAY for low mood, long weeks, and tight shoulders. 😄🍰

21/02/2026

The Pendulum exercise for the shoulder is a passive mobility drill widely used in early rehabilitation for painful or stiff shoulders. Biomechanically, it is designed to create gentle joint motion with minimal active muscle contraction around the glenohumeral joint. The body position — trunk flexed forward with the opposite arm supported — allows gravity and trunk sway to generate movement instead of shoulder effort.

In this movement, the arm hangs vertically, creating a traction effect at the shoulder joint due to gravity or a light weight in the hand. Small circular or side-to-side trunk motions produce oscillations at the shoulder. Because the rotator cuff and deltoid remain relatively relaxed, joint compression stays low while capsular and synovial tissues experience mild rhythmic motion. This helps maintain joint nutrition and reduces stiffness without provoking high load.

From a joint mechanics perspective, the pendulum creates low-amplitude distraction and glide within the glenohumeral joint. The humeral head experiences subtle positional changes rather than forceful rotation. This reduces pain sensitivity while preventing adhesions and capsular tightening. The movement also promotes synovial fluid distribution, which supports cartilage health and lubrication.

Neuromuscularly, the exercise works through reflex relaxation. With the shoulder muscles mostly unloaded, protective guarding decreases and pain-free motion becomes possible. The rhythmical swinging also provides proprioceptive input that helps normalize motor control after injury or inflammation.

Functionally, pendulum drills are ideal in early stages of shoulder rehab, post-injury, or post-immobilization phases. They restore safe motion, reduce joint congestion, and prepare the shoulder for later active range and strengthening — all through controlled, gravity-assisted biomechanics.

01/02/2026

“In February, there is everything to hope for and nothing to regret.”

– Patience Strong, (Thoughts for Every Day (1941))

29/01/2026

https://share.google/q0A3xzfZzvdxjLRMg

28/01/2026

Tendon Vs Ligament ✅

🦴 TENDON

→ Connects muscle to bone
→ Made of dense, parallel collagen fibers (very strong, low elasticity)
→ Transfers force generated by muscle contraction to bone
→ Enables movement at joints
→ Poor blood supply → heals slowly when injured
→ Examples: Achilles tendon, biceps tendon

🦴 LIGAMENT

→ Connects bone to bone
→ Made of collagen fibers with slight elasticity
→ Provides joint stability and alignment
→ Prevents excessive or abnormal joint movement
→ More elastic than tendons, but still strong
→ Examples: ACL, PCL, medial collateral ligament

⭐ KEY DIFFERENCE TO REMEMBER

→ Tendon = Movement (muscle pulls bone)
→ Ligament = Stability (bone holds bone)

24/12/2025

Joy to the world! Wishing you a Christmas filled with love and laughter 🙌🏻🌲

26/11/2025

Term of the Day: Degenerative Disc Disease

Synonyms:
Disc degeneration, lumbar disc disease, cervical disc disease, intervertebral disc degeneration, spondylosis (when associated with bony changes), age-related disc wear.

What it means (in plain English):

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) refers to the natural aging and wear of the discs that sit between the bones (vertebrae) of the spine. Despite the dramatic name, it’s not really a “disease” — it’s part of the normal aging process.

Discs act as shock absorbers. Over time, they lose water content, become less flexible, and can develop small tears or bulges. These changes may or may not cause pain. When they do, it’s typically mechanical in nature — worsened by bending, lifting, or sitting, and eased by movement or lying down.

DDD is common — almost everyone over 40 has some degree of it visible on an MRI, even if they have no symptoms.

Natural history:
Degenerative disc changes progress slowly and don’t always lead to pain or disability. In many people, pain episodes improve with time as the disc stiffens and inflammation settles. The body often adapts — nearby joints and muscles take on more of the load.

Only a small subset of patients develop chronic pain or nerve irritation from associated changes (like herniation or narrowing around nerve roots). The spine, despite its wear, remains remarkably resilient and adaptable.

Concepts of treatment:
Treatment is aimed at improving function and reducing pain, not “fixing” the disc.

Stay active: Movement nourishes the spine and prevents stiffness.

Exercise-based rehabilitation: Core and trunk strengthening improve spinal support.

Education and reassurance: Degeneration does not equal damage — it’s part of normal life.

Symptom management: Anti-inflammatory medications, heat, manual therapy, and short-term rest during flare-ups can help.

Interventional options: In selected cases, targeted injections or surgery may help, especially when nerve compression is clear and persistent.

Degenerative disc disease is best thought of as spinal aging, not spinal failure — a normal biological process that can coexist with a healthy, active life.

16/10/2025

08/09/2025