CONDITIONS

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Using extensive knowledge from a background in anatomy and physiology, we offer assessment, treatment and rehabilitation for many conditions including:

• Back and Neck Pain
• Sports Injuries
• Shoulder Pain
• Pregnancy related pain
• Nerve pain including Sciatica
• Headaches and Migraines
• Overuse injuries/conditions
• Fractures, dislocations and Post-operative rehabilitation
• Arthritis

Back and Neck Pain

There are many different types of back and neck pain and it can present in many ways, ranging from a mild occasional ache to a severe, constant pain.

The pain may be related to:

• A sudden injury or incident (for example a car accident or a lifting injury)
• Repetitive activity
• Sustained poor posture
• Lack of or increased activity
• Degeneration or disease processes

Pain may be referred into the head, arms or legs from the back and neck.

Sports Injuries

Injuries are common in sport and can be related to:

• direct trauma
• strain
• poor or changed technique/equipment
• repetitive activity
• weakness and/or tightness

Examples of sports injuries are:

• Ligament sprains/injury (for example ‘twisted ankle’)
• Muscle and tendon injury (for example a hamstring tear)
• Joint strains
• Specific conditions such as tennis/golfers elbow, groin strain, ITB tightness

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain may develop due to a variety of reasons and it is very important to have a thorough assessment to establish the cause, the following are some examples:

• Impingement – one of the most common causes of shoulder pain in adults where there is pressure on the muscles of the shoulder when the arm is lifted.
• Instability – this is when the shoulder joint is too loose and is able to slide around too much in the socket. This can follow significant trauma, repetitive micro trauma through repetitive activity or due to a general ligament laxity
• Muscle tears – due to trauma, repetitive activity or wear and tear
• 'Frozen Shoulder' – a condition where the shoulder becomes painful and very stiff with symptoms having a significant affect on activities of daily living
• Muscle imbalance – poor control of the muscles around the shoulder blade and shoulder which can lead to other shoulder or neck problems
• Arthritis – a degenerative disease caused by either wear and tear of the cartilage (Osteoarthritis) or inflammation of one or more joints (Rheumatoid Arthritis)
• Referral from the neck - Shoulder pain isn't always caused by a problem in the shoulder joint. Problems in the neck, for example, can cause pain that is actually felt over the shoulder blade or in the upper outer arm

You may also find you need some support with rehabilitation following a fracture, dislocation or operation.

Pregnancy related pain

Back and pelvic pain is common both during and after pregnancy and is thought to be related to changes in ligament laxity and posture.

Nerve pain including Sciatica

Nerve pain, also called neuralgia, follows the paths of specific nerves. There are many causes of nerve pain:

• direct trauma
• nerve degeneration
• inflammation
• compression
• diseases including many types of arthritis

Headaches and Migraines

Headache is a complex type of pain which may have several causes and can be difficult to treat. Many headaches have some contribution from structures in the upper neck, including joints and muscles, because nerves in the neck are connected to those in the head and face. There is evidence to support Physiotherapy treatment of headache pain if there is involvement of structures in the neck.

Overuse injuries/conditions

Pain related to any repetitive activity:

• Work related (for example use of a computer mouse, operating machinery)
• Sport related (for example ‘tennis elbow’, ‘Achilles tendinopathy’, ‘shin splints’)
• Other hobbies (for example gardening, needlework)
• Posture related

Fractures, dislocations and Post-operative rehabilitation

Rehabilitation and advice following any of the above may facilitate recovery and return to normal activity, examples include:

• Ankle or wrist (colles) fractures following falls
• Shoulder or knee cap (patella) dislocations following sports injuries
• Spinal surgery or joint replacement

Arthritis

A general term given to joint changes and diseases which occur in the body. There are many different types of arthritis, some examples include:

• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Fibromyalgia

This is not an exhaustive list, so please call if you have any further queries as to whether we can help your particular condition or complaint.