It is really frustrating when you experience a setback in your rehab and your injury flares up.

It is especially common to have flare-ups when you're recovering from tendon injuries like patellar tendonitis or Achilles tendonitis.

It is also normal to then worry that you've made your injury worse.

In this episode, Maryke explains why injury flare-ups happen, why it doesn't always mean that you've made your injury worse, and how to deal with a flare-up.

🌟 Need help with an injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

Chapters in this episode:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:51 Why injury flare-ups happen

00:05:05 Have I made my injury worse?

00:08:50 What to do in case of a flare-up

00:13:36 How we can help

Does taking beetroot juice benefit sports performance?

In this episode, sports physio Maryke Louw takes a look at one of the latest supplements to be sold to athletes and what the people in the white lab coats have found out about it.

👉 BEET IT - the beetroot juice product that was used in the research quoted in this video.

If you buy anything via this link, we might get a small commission at no cost to you.

🌟 Need help with an injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

📚Chapters in this episode:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:42 Why might beetroot juice help performance?

00:01:46 Research on athletes

00:03:03 Negative side effects of beetroot juice

00:05:02 Dosage and timing

00:07:44 How we can help

In this episode, sports physio Maryke Louw explains the very specific circumstances in which a knee brace for a meniscus tear can be useful.

She discusses the three types of knee brace for a meniscus tear and highlights some danger signs that tell you to remove your brace immediately.

👉 Examples of the types of braces discussed in the video:

✅ Soft knee braces:

- Modvel

- Exous Bodygear

- Dr. Brace

✅ OA Pro unloader brace for inside or outside of the knee

✅ Unloader braces for inside of the knee:

- Forfaveor (choose left or right knee)

- 360 Relief (choose left or right knee)

✅ Unloader brace for outside of the knee:

- Orthomen (choose left or right knee)

✅ Hinged support braces. This will depend on what type of ligament injury you have in addition to your meniscus injury:

- MCL tears (YouTube)

- LCL tears (YouTube)

If you buy anything via these links, we might get a small commission at no cost to you.

🌟 Need more help with an injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

📽️ Other episodes in our Meniscus Tear Series:

▶️ Treatment for Medial Meniscus Tears

▶️ Treatment for Lateral Meniscus Tears

▶️ Exercises for Meniscus Tears

▶️ Meniscus Tears - Swimming Tips

📚Chapters in this episode:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:39 Who needs a brace?

00:03:39 Soft knee braces

00:05:30 Unloader braces

00:07:33 Hinged support braces

00:08:28 When to remove the brace immediately

00:09:40 How we can help

Swimming can be a brilliant way to maintain some fitness when you've got a torn meniscus, but you can actually make it worse by doing the wrong things in the pool. In this episode, Maryke shares some tips on how you can swim without aggravating your meniscus injury.

🌟 Need more help with your injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

📽️ Other episodes in our Meniscus Tear Series:

▶️ Treatment for Medial Meniscus Tears

▶️ Treatment for Lateral Meniscus Tears

▶️ Exercises for Meniscus Tears

▶️ Best Knee Braces for Meniscus Tears

Chapters in this episode:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:39 Meniscus tear overview

00:01:51 How to swim with a meniscus tear

00:03:27 How we can help

In this episode, Maryke demonstrates some of the most common exercises used for treating meniscus tears. The video is divided into early-stage rehab exercises (for when your knee is still very painful and swollen) and later-stage exercises.

👉 Note: These exercises might not be right for you. Please consult a physiotherapist to check whether they are appropriate for your level of fitness and your injury.

🌟 Need help with an injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

📽️ Other episodes in our Meniscus Tear Series:

▶️ Treatment for Medial Meniscus Tears

▶️ Treatment for Lateral Meniscus Tears

▶️ Swimming with a Meniscus Tear

▶️ Best Knee Braces for Meniscus Tears

📚Chapters in this episode:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:30 General rehab guidelines

00:05:59 EARLY-STAGE REHAB EXERCISES FOR MENISCUS TEARS

00:07:08 Knee flexion/extension

00:09:27 End range extension

00:11:47 Extension over towel roll

00:15:04 Knee extension in chair

00:17:21 Hamstring curls

00:18:58 Calf raises

00:20:33 Hamstring stretch

00:23:16 Calf stretch

00:24:59 LATER-STAGE REHAB EXERCISES FOR MENISCUS TEARS

00:29:09 How rehab progression works

00:30:42 Squat progressions

00:30:44 – 1. Isometric wall sits

00:33:34 – 2. Box squats

00:36:00 – 3. Free squats

00:37:29 – 4. Add weight

00:38:57 – 5. Single-leg box squats

00:41:53 Bridge progressions

00:41:56 – 1. Isometric floor bridges

00:43:39 – 2. Move feet further

00:44:28 – 3. Isometric high bridges

00:46:00 – 4. Marching high bridges

00:48:14 – 5. Single-leg high bridges

00:50:19 Balance progressions

00:50:20 – 1. Single-leg balance

00:52:51 – 2. Moving head

00:54:15 – 3. Bent-knee deadlift

00:55:06 – 4. Straight-leg deadlift

00:57:35 – 5. Unstable surface

00:58:09 How we can help

In this episode, Maryke discusses lateral meniscus tears.

👉 She looks at what the research says about surgery for lateral meniscus tears vs. conservative treatment and also what conservative treatment for lateral meniscus tears entails.

👉 Finally, she discusses how long the recovery process for lateral meniscus tears might be.

👉 Get some ice packs or bags for pain relief on your knee:

- Ice packs for knee injuries

- Multi-purpose reusable ice bag

If you buy something, we might a small commission at no cost to you.

🌟 Need more help with an injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

📽️ Other episodes in the Meniscus Tear Series:

▶️ Treatment for Medial Meniscus Tears

▶️ Exercises for Meniscus Tears

▶️ Swimming with a Meniscus Tear

▶️ Best Knee Braces for Meniscus Tears

📚 Chapters in this episode:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:56 Anatomy

00:02:38 How does a lateral meniscus tear happen?

00:03:00 Lateral meniscus tear symptoms

00:04:26 Does a lateral meniscus tear require surgery?

00:06:56 Lateral meniscus tear treatment - conservative approach

00:14:04 Lateral meniscus tear recovery time

00:15:07 How we can help

In this episode, Maryke explains what happens when you have a medial meniscus tear, how long recovery takes, and what type of treatment is the most effective for meniscus tears.

She also provides a detailed description of what exercises you have to do as part of your recovery from a meniscus tear and how to progress your programme over time.

📽️ Other episodes in the Meniscus Tear Series:

▶️ Treatment for Lateral Meniscus Tears

▶️ Exercises for Meniscus Tears

▶️ Swimming with a Meniscus Tear

▶️ Best Knee Braces for Meniscus Tears

🌟Need help with your injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

Chapters in this episode:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:07 Anatomy of the meniscus

00:03:00 Mechanism of meniscus injuries

00:04:25 Can a meniscus tear heal?

00:06:44 Treatment options for a torn meniscus

00:10:11 Recovery times for meniscus tears

00:11:55 General advice on meniscus tears

00:14:06 Rehab for a torn meniscus

In this episode, sports physio Maryke Louw demonstrates glute and core exercises that are easy on the knees. These exercises will help you build your glutes and core when you have “bad” knees or knee pain that is preventing you from placing direct pressure on them.

She has chosen low-impact exercises that don’t use your knees and don’t require you to kneel on them. You can pick and choose from them to create your perfect knee-friendly glute and core workout.

👉 Exercise equipment mentioned in this video:

✅Exercise ball

✅Set of five resistance bands

✅ or visit the TheraBand Store on Amazon

If you buy something, we might get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

📽️ Other videos you may find useful:

▶️Clamshell Exercise Demo - Benefits, Progressions, Why It Might Hurt (YouTube)

▶️Glute Bridge Exercise: 4 Progressions + Benefits (YouTube)

🌟Need more help with an injury? You’re welcome toconsult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

📚Chapters in this video:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:28 Isometric crunch

00:03:56 Isometric curl-down

00:06:15 Russian twist

00:08:14 Ball rotations

00:10:30 Prone leg lifts

00:12:35 Side leg lifts

00:17:01 Clams

00:20:15 Glute bridges

00:23:50 How we can help

In this episode, we look at scientific research to get an idea of the pros and cons of carbon plate running shoes. Do they really make you run faster and if so, how much faster? What about the risk of injury? And is there a "best brand" of carbon plate running shoe?

👉 Here are Amazon links to the carbon plate running shoes tested in the research study that I discuss in the video. I linked to the overall models because the model versions change so fast that the current ones will soon be outdated.

✅Nike Alphafly

✅Asics Metaspeed Sky

✅Nike Vaporfly

✅Saucony Endorphin Pro

✅New Balance RC Elite

✅Hoka Rocket X

✅Brooks Hyperion Elite

👉 If you buy something, we might get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

🌟Need more help with an injury? You’re welcome toconsult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

📚Chapters in this video:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:53 How are carbon plate running shoes supposed work?

00:01:27 So ... do they really work?

00:07:00 Injury risk of carbon plate running shoes

00:10:32 Battle of the brands!

00:11:35 My advice on carbon plate running shoes

00:12:31 Injured? We can help

In this episode, Maryke explains how you can decide whether it is OK (for your specific case of IT band syndrome) to continue running and when it might not be. She also discusses changes to your running style that may help your recovery, and why a walk-run programme is the best for getting back to running once you've had iliotibial band syndrome.

🌟Need help with an injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.

👉 Other IT band episodes in the series:

- ⁠Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Recovery Times⁠

- ⁠Exercises for Iliotibial (IT) Band Syndrome⁠

- ⁠Stretches for IT Band Syndrome

- Foam Rolling Your IT Band - Dos & Dont's

Chapters:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:44 Can you run with IT band syndrome?

00:01:12 When might it be OK to continue running?

00:02:56 When might it be better not to run?

00:04:15 Running style factors that may influence IT band syndrome

00:09:22 Why a run-walk programme is a good idea

00:10:39 How we can help