Treatments

Sports Injuries

Our physiotherapists have experience treating international level athletes across a range of sports including athletics, triathlon, swimming, cycling, kayaking, sailing, cricket, football and running. We can advise coaches as appropriate and refer on to sport-specific physicians as required. Two of our team are experienced athletes who understand the pressures of training and competing.

Asthma

Lisa and Cheryl have undertaken training in the Buteyko Method, a form of breathing exercise proven to assist in the management of asthma. The British Thoracic Society includes Buteyko exercises as a validated form of treatment.

Headaches

Many headaches are caused by the structures in your neck being lightly compressed for extended periods of time. For example, working at computers, driving, or even watching television with your head slightly to one side can cause irritation without you being aware.

Your physiotherapist will ask you detailed questions about the nature of your headache. This is very important to exclude other causes that may need a referral to your G.P. They will then check the movement of your neck, middle back and shoulders and will palpate your muscles and joints to assess the tension and movement.

Treatments for headaches are often very gentle, and many respond well to home exercise programmes which your physiotherapist will give you if appropriate.

Back Problems

The causes of back pain are hugely varied and can affect all age groups- from a sudden sharp onset to ongoing dull aches in the back and or legs. Your physiotherapist will take a detailed history of the onset of your problem, and will want to know about any previous episodes and treatment you may have received. Your movements will be assessed for areas that may be stiff or in some cases moving too much. Your overall posture will be assessed checking for tilts or rotations in the pelvis that may be placing additional strain on your spine. Spinal problems usually require a mixture of treatment techniques addressing both the joints and soft tissues as the causes are rarely just one structure.

You will be given an action plan to follow between treatments to speed your recovery, and advice to help avoid reoccurrence.

Arthritis

Joints affected by osteoarthritis are commonly the hips, knees, low back and neck. These conditions often respond very well to gentle mobilising of the joints, improving the range of movement and reducing pain. This is followed by advice on strengthening and mobility exercises for you to continue at home. Clients will commonly have an initial session followed by review for maintenance perhaps every 3 to 6 months depending on personal requirements. Clients awaiting joint replacement surgery often have sessions prior to their procedure in order to gain as much strength and movement prior to their surgery. All our physiotherapists have worked on orthopaedic wards and are familiar with surgical protocols, liaising with hospital health professionals as required.

Repetitive Strain Injury (R.S.I)

Repetitive strain injuries such as tennis elbow often have complex underlying causes and hence traditionally have been difficult to treat. The physiotherapy approach is to address as many possible causes, directing treatment to both the irritated tissues locally with electrotherapy, but also addressing the underlying causes at the spine, the path of the nerve supplying the affected area and any connecting soft tissues that may be restricting optimal movement. This may involve spinal mobilisation, manipulation and myofascial techniques. Overall postural assessment is very important and advice can be given on optimal workplace ergonomics.

Shoulder Problems

If your shoulder is becoming increasingly painful, and perhaps is bothering you at night, seek help. These problems are much easier to sort out and require less input if dealt with early! Shoulder problems commonly creep on gradually but can progress in some cases to frozen shoulders. Appropriate exercises to rebalance the shoulder and loosen the neck and upper back can work wonders if commenced quickly.

Planar Fasciitis / Tendon Achilles Strain

These problems are repetitive strain injury to the lower limb. If you have tried insoles and stretching but still have your pain, contact us for assessment. In our experience, the causes of these problems are often due to imbalances in the spine that then cause tension in the muscles of the legs and feet. In some cases, stretching can actually aggravate the problem. You will require a detailed postural and spinal assessment. Your physiotherapist will want to look at your footwear and may recommend orthotics. Treatment to correct the imbalances must be followed up with regular exercises at home to optimise recovery.

Sciatica, numbness, tingling

You may have experienced tingling or numbness in your leg or arms and not thought much of it. Although these sensations are often initially not painful, it is an indication that somewhere along the course of the nerve there is pressure developing. This is likely to be where the nerves emerge from the spine, although can be due to the nerve being stretched along its course. Early intervention is recommended and treatment may include spinal mobilisation, soft tissue work to release any tight structures and postural advice.