We assess and treat all manner of joint pain and dysfunction. Seeing a physiotherapist is a really good first port of call if you have a problem and many GPs also refer clients to us for a musculo-skeletal assessment and diagnosis.
We can advise you on whether physiotherapy treatment is appropriate for you. If it is, we can provide treatment and, if it is not, we can advise you on what your best next step should be e.g. seeing your GP, another Specialist such as an Orthopaedic Consultant or Rheumatologist or any other options.
The shoulder is a very complex joint to assess and treat. In spite of huge amounts of research and specialists working in the field, there is still no one test that can tell you what structure is causing the problem. Often where the pain appears to be is not where the problem actually is.
Types of shoulder problems we treat are:
Many problems around the shoulder are related to the fine balance of the tendons known as the 'rotator cuff' which work together to maintain the stability of the joint while not compromising on the large movement available in the shoulder.
By using an array of tests and focussing on function, our experienced physiotherapists can diagnose the structure or group of structures at fault and formulate a course of treatment. This almost always includes a muscle 'rebalancing' programme to optimise shoulder function. In cases of muscle tears or underlying injury the aim is to optimise the remaining tendons' function to compensate for any loss. We liase closely with many local Shoulder Consultants in cases where investigations or intervention are required.
Knee problems are often more straightforward to assess and treat than some other joints such as the shoulder and hip but there are still a large number of possible causes and an accurate assessment is vital to constructing an effective programme. A mainstay of all knee treatments is strengthening the knee muscles and identifying any biomechanical problems in the chain either above or below the knee joint that can be contributing to pressure and strain on the knee e.g. muscle imbalance or stiffness in the hip or spine.
Types of knee problems we treat are:
Treatment very much depends on the findings of the assessment and the possible contributing factors identified. Techniques used to treat joint pain can often include the following:
All joint treatments include assessment and treatment of the surrounding muscles where weakness or overuse is identified.
Potential clients and patients often ask us about the types of conditions that we treat and can help with. We have therefore put together some case studies from our files that outline some of the cases that we have been able to help with and offer a flavour of what we do in our clinic.
30 year old architect with hip & low back pain
Treated with spinal mobilisations, spinal manipulation, hamstring stretches and dry needling on his hip.
Four sessions of treatment led to a full recovery.
24 year old professional super-heavy weight boxer with shoulder pain
He was completely pain free during the fight on Saturday and went on to win.
His training programme was adapted after the fight to address the strength defects and muscle imbalance that had contributed to the problem.
31 year old pregnant lady with low back and pelvic pain
After two sessions she was much better and walking again pain free.
28 year old lady amateur power lifter with hip pain
Severe pain and unable to squat fully with weight above 20 kg
Examination showed decreased hip flexion and rotation, very weak gluteal muscles, and poor kinetic control. She was also extremely hypermobile (very flexible). It can take longer to regain power in comparison to normal flexibility.
Treatment worked on the flexibility of her hip with joint mobilisations and stretches, and a progressive strengthening program of loading in squat position with narrow shallow squats-progressing to sumo wide squats.
The physiotherapist also worked closely with the client's powerlifting trainer with regular reviews and discussions of progression and issues.
The progressive loading program was continued for 6 months until the client was able to beat her personal best in full squat position.
10 year old boy with heel pain
Self management strategies with some in-clinic treatments.
After the first week, his symptoms had reduced by 50% and he was re-treated as before.
Then another week of self-management, during which he restarted playing football. Reviewed at the 2 week period with no symptoms and a much smaller heel lump. Some stiffness remained in the calf and the forefoot, so these were re-treated and he was then sent away with an ongoing plan and to call a week later with an update.
A week later, there were no pains on playing football, running and other strenuous activities and the lump was almost non-existent. He was then discharged with an ongoing set of stretches to do, bearing in mind his current growth patterns.
He remained pain-free at the 6 week stage.
71 year old retired solicitor referred following hip replacement
Referred by their orthopaedic consultant 4 weeks following a total hip replacement.
Consisted of a progressive exercise programme to strengthen his hip muscles, some soft tissue work over the operation scar to improve scar mobility.
Some gentle joint mobilisations to help achieve sufficient hip flexion to put on socks comfortably.
Advice given on management of the ankle swelling.
Attended for 4 sessions in total, back to full normal function with reduced swelling left ankle and able to complete a two hour walk with no ill-effects.
63 year old primary school teacher with foot pain
Swelling resolved in knees and toe. Residual but improving toe stiffness. Back to normal exercise routine.
51 year old professional violinist musician with shoulder and neck pain
Diagnosis: Rotator cuff strain of the shoulder aggravating early degenerative changes in the neck.
Worked on soft tissue work around the shoulder, spinal joint mobilisations and a home programme of stretches and strengthening exercises.
Pain started to improve following the 2nd treatment session and by treatment no. 5 the main problem was neck stiffness after playing.
Taping techniques to improve postural awareness while playing were helpful in improving the spinal stiffness and patient was given a revised gym programme to build up her shoulder and core strength.
No further problems with the shoulder.
58 year old amateur musician with hand pain
Client was shown a range of stretches for the upper limb and some hand strengthening exercises. Her Pilates class was covering shoulder girdle strengthening.
Reviewed after 3 weeks when all was much better and hand muscle strength tests were improved.
She did not require any further treatment.
33 year old, right handed cyclist seen following shoulder surgery
Mainly exercise programme to regain full movement and early strengthening within the limits of pain.
Lots of work on improving the shoulder girdle strength and stability to counteract the dominant chest muscles.
Attended for 5 sessions in total until back to full function and normal exercise.
70 year old woman with chronic lower back/leg pain due to arthritis
A 70-year old woman with chronic lower back and leg pain due to degenerative changes (arthritis) in her spine attended for treatment.
She was recommended to try Clinical Pilates in a bid to try and avoid surgery.
She completed a 6-week programme of Clinical Pilates and then continued with a tailor-made home exercise programme.
She became pain-free and reported that her mobility had improved significantly.
36 year old woman with middle/low back pain after childbirth
A 36-year-old woman developed middle and low back pain following the birth of her first child.
She attended for 4 sessions of one-to-one Clinical Pilates.
She noticed such a profound change in her back pain that she decided to enrol in a local Pilates group class for the ongoing benefits that she felt it gave her.
Clinic note: Post-pregnancy low back pain is very common due to weakness developing in the core abdominal muscles during pregnancy. This is compounded by an increase in lifting and ‘leaning over’ type activities once the baby arrives. It is generally safe to start Pilates after 6 weeks.
43 year old with neck/back pain after long periods in front of computer
A 43-year-old man presented with longstanding neck and upper back pain which he felt was related to long hours spent sitting at a computer for his work.
Assessment showed weakness of his neck and upper back muscles.
He enrolled on a 6-week Clinical Pilates course carried out on a one-to-one basis here at the clinic.
The main focus was to strengthen the body’s natural corset muscles to help support the neck and back during prolonged hours sitting at a desk.
The results were fantastic and he now has very little pain and an ongoing home-maintenance exercise plan.
26 year old office worker with migraines, neck and shoulder pain
She was treated with a combination of soft and deep tissue massage and mobilisations to her shoulders in side-lying position. She was also advised to take regular breaks when working on the computer and engage in regular yoga practice to monitor stress levels
This client is finding a regular massage session helpful and feels better after every session. She is now able to manage her work related stresses and experiences fewer spells of migraines than before.
29 year-old runner with knee pain
A keen runner who was preparing for the marathon attended the clinic complaining of knee pain following increasing his running distance.
On examination, the source of the pain was found to be under the kneecap. Tightness of the thigh muscles and poor leg control were also identified as possible contributing factors.
During the appointment, the client was treated with soft tissue release and stretches. He was given home exercises to help improve his leg control while running. He was also advised on how much running load he could undertake on the following days and how he could optimise his training in preparation for the event.
Taking everything on board, he successfully completed the marathon he was scheduled for and was planning to continue his stretches and home exercises to prevent recurrence.
"I just wanted to say thank you for your help my knees are so much better now."
Sandra
Not sure if physio is right for you? Book a 15 min call for FREE with one of our physiotherapists.
For self-paying physiotherapy and massage therapy only. Minimum 12 hours advance booking.
Keep in touch
Established in 1998