Conditions

• » Back and neck pain
• » Sciatica
• » Hip and knee pain
• » Tennis elbow
• » Frozen shoulder
• » Wrist and hand dysfunction
• » Sports injuries
• » Sprains and Strains
• » Repetitive Strain injury
• » Tendonitis

• » Pre and Post Surgical Rehabilitation
• » Arthritis and Joint Pain
• » Capsulitis
• » Bursitis
• » Fasciitis
• » Fractures
• » Accidents / Trauma / Whiplash
• » Fitness, flexibility and strengthening
• » Posture correction
• » Pre and Post Natal

Back and neck pain

Spinal pain is extremely common and over 80% of people will experience disabling symptoms during their lives

There are many causes of spinal pain which can also refer into the arms, legs, chest, abdomen and head

Commonly spinal discs and/or facet joints can cause these symptoms and poor posture is often a factor. Many people's lifestyles also leave them susceptible to back and neck pain and a key part of physiotherapy is to address this to prevent future recurrence

A wide range of treatment techniques are used to resolve the symptoms and prevent them returning. These include; mobilisation, manipulation, exercises, acupuncture, posture correction, core stability retraining and electrotherapy

Our aim is to leave you in control of your symptoms so that they do not return once your physiotherapy treatment is complete

Sciatica

Sciatica is a relatively common condition which results from irritation of the sciatic nerve running down the back of the leg

Our physiotherapists can accurately diagnose the cause of this irritation and employ a range of techniques to resolve the symptoms. These include manual mobilisation/manipulation, soft tissue release, exercises, acupuncture and electrotherapy.

It is our aim to prevent the symptoms returning and we will provide core strengthening, postural analysis and lifestyle advice to compliment your treatment

Hip and knee pain

Hips and knees are frequently injured areas of the body. Both the joints and surrounding soft tissues can be affected.

Sports injuries, arthritis, muscle imbalance, developmental problems or simple overuse can cause a variety of problems to occur

Physiotherapists are experts at assessing and diagnosing problems affecting these areas. From this, an effective treatment plan and remedial measures can be devised

In most cases this will resolve the symptoms. However, if further intervention is required, your physiotherapist can arrange this

Tennis elbow

Lateral epicondylitis or 'Tennis elbow' is a painful condition affecting the outside of the elbow joint. (Medial epicondylitis, or pain on the inside of the elbow is known as 'Golfers elbow')

Despite its name, it is rarely a condition suffered by tennis players due to their strength and conditioning in this area. More often, tennis elbow is experienced following a sudden increase in activities involving gripping e.g. gardening

The pain associated with tennis elbow is caused by inflammation where a tendon in the forearm inserts into the bone. In chronic cases this can form scar tissue and even calcify into a hard lump

It is therefore important to seek early physiotherapy intervention, where stretches, massage, ultrasound and strengthening exercises can all be used to great benefit alongside other similar techniques. Acupuncture is also commonly used with great success by our Physiotherapists in the treatment of Tennis Elbow.

Frozen shoulder

The medical name for 'Frozen shoulder' is adhesive capsulitis. This describes the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint 'sticking' to the bony surfaces and causing severe pain and stiffness

The exact cause is unknown, but can occur after trauma or spontaneously. It is more common in people with diabetes but, again, the reason for this isn't known

Frozen shoulders have three phases – pain, stiffness and 'thawing'. In some cases a full recovery can take many months but, with correct physiotherapy, a full recovery can usually be expected

Wrist and hand dysfunction

A wide range of tendon, ligament, nerve, and bony problems can affect the wrists and hands

These can be very disabling as we use our hands for nearly every activity of daily living

Arthritis, carpal tunnel, tendonitis and post-fracture dysfunction are amongst the most common. All of which can be significantly helped or cured with physiotherapy

Sports injuries

Our physiotherapists have extensive experience in treating a wide variety of sports related injuries from recreational to elite level

Rapid intervention leads to a faster recovery and return to sport, therefore we advise injuries are assessed as soon as possible by a qualified physiotherapist

The acronym RICE (rest ice compress and elevate) often applies after initial injury to prevent worsening of the symptoms. This is a good initial course of action prior to being properly assessed and commencing treatment specific to the injury.

Sprains and strains

Sprains and strains typically affect ligaments and muscles or tendons and can occur from a variety of causes

Sprains are ligament injuries caused by twisting or severe stretching of joints. They can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. The joint may become painful swollen and stiff

Strains are excessive stretches or tears affecting muscles or tendons (which connect muscles to bones) and are often referred to as pulled muscles. These are usually caused by a forceful muscle contraction such as heavy lifting jumping or throwing

Strains can result in pain swelling and bruising and difficulty in using the injured area

Physiotherapy seeks to reduce pain and swelling was restoring range of movement and function as quickly as possible

Repetitive strain injuries

These are a collection of injuries that occur due to repeated stressful activity. However, even minorly stressful activities e.g. typing, writing or playing computer games can cause injury if repeated enough

Tendons are typically affected, but also other structures such as nerves can be involved which leads to more complicated presentations

It is always best to seek early treatment to prevent further complications arising. Physiotherapy seeks to both resolve the symptoms and address the underlying causes by altering working ergonomics, etc. In most cases, early treatment leads to a full recovery.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis simply means inflammation of a tendon. Tendons connect muscles to bones and therefore these can occur at all over the body. This is most commonly due to overuse rather than sudden injury or trauma

Gardening, DIY or participation in sport are common activities that can result in tendonitis, alongside repetitive activities at work

Pain and swelling are common features of tendonitis. Physiotherapy may include massage, electrotherapy, strapping, exercises and activity advice in order to return to full function as soon as possible

Pre-and post surgical rehabilitation

Following surgery, it is extremely important to have the correct rehabilitation to restore range of movement, strength, balance, etc

However, physiotherapy pre-surgery can be of huge benefit too. Put simply, the better you are before surgery, the better you recover afterwards. This can speed your rehabilitation and result in a faster return to normal activity

Physiotherapists are experts in pre-and post surgery rehabilitation and will be able to guide you through the entire process whilst answering any questions you may have

Arthritis and joint pain

Arthritis literally means inflammation of a joint. There are several types of arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and traumatic.

Osteoarthritis is commonly referred to as 'wear and tear' and it is often assumed that only surgery can help. However, physiotherapy can offer significant benefit in reducing pain and improving joint range and function.

Physiotherapists can use mobilisation, acupuncture, exercises and electrotherapy to greatly improve all arthritic symptoms. This enables sufferers to enjoy a better quality of life and, in some cases, avoid the need for surgery altogether

Capsulitis

Many joints in the body e.g. knees, hips and shoulders are surrounded by a joint capsule which acts as an envelope to contain the joints natural 'oil'.

However sometimes this capsule can become inflamed, causing pain and reducing the joints range of movement. This can occur spontaneously or following trauma.

Physiotherapy aims to reduce swelling and restore normal range of motion to the joint. Electrotherapy, mobilisation and stretches are commonly employed, alongside a tailored home exercise programme

Bursitis

Bursae our little 'bags' of fluid which typically sit between bones and tendons to help them move smoothly over one another

Due to trauma or overuse, these can become inflamed and lead to an often very painful condition known as bursitis. Reducing the information as soon as possible is key to successful treatment

Early physiotherapy is therefore recommended to achieve this and restore normal function rapidly. Icing, electrotherapy, joint mobilisation and posture correction are frequently used by physiotherapists

Fasciitis

Fascia is a connective tissue within the body, often forming thick bands which give the body additional support

To common problems associated with fascia are ITB syndrome and planter fasciitis ('Policeman's heel'). These can produce significant pain around the hips, knees and feet which can severely affect a persons function especially with regard to sports

Physiotherapists often use soft tissue release techniques, strapping, exercises and activity modification to cure problems relating to fascia and usually a full recovery can be expected

Fractures

A fracture is the medical term for a broken bone. Bones can break in many different ways from small 'chips' to major 'shatters' and this is dependent on the mechanism of injury and the physical condition of the patient (especially their age)

Typically, when a fracture occurs there are other associated injuries to ligaments, muscles and joints.

Therefore, once the fracture has healed, physiotherapy is necessary to return to normal function without residual problems

Shin splints

Shin splints is a relatively common condition that often affects runners but can occur in a wide range of people.

It is often caused by muscle imbalance and over-pronation (flat feet). This causes a muscle named to be a list posteriorly to pole and inflame its bony insertion and leads to significant pain, especially with impact activities

Physiotherapy focuses on correcting foot posture, strengthening and stretching muscles and localised treatment to calm the symptoms. In most cases a sufferer is able to return to all activities with no pain

Accidents trauma / whiplash

Road traffic accidents or indeed certain sports can result in minor or severe traumatic injuries. Often, low speed collisions can result in more severe injuries which can affect multiple structures in the body especially the nerves

Whiplash syndrome (where there is rapid forced flexion and extension of the neck) is particularly notorious, resulting in severe neck/head/arm pain and restriction

Physiotherapy techniques can reduce pain, increase range of movement and restore normal function. Once again, early treatment is recommended

Fitness, flexibility and strengthening

At Backtogether Physiotherapy, our physiotherapists have extensive experience of working in the fitness and sports industries. Most physiotherapy treatments also include patient specific exercises to help speed your recovery and prevent recurrence of symptoms

Core strength and balance are particularly important and our team offer individual and group Pilates classes to specifically improve these

Devising tailored fitness programs to individuals will help them develop strength flexibility and performance

This is also key in preventing injuries and prolonging function well into your later years

Posture correction

Poor posture is a huge factor in causing musculoskeletal pain. This is because it places undue stresses and strains on the body, but particularly the spine

Modern life, with working postures, an ageing population and increasing use of laptops and mobile devices has made posture one of the biggest contributing factors to pain

Physiotherapists can analyse, adjust and advise on posture in the home, workplace and in cars. Using a variety of aids, strapping or taping and exercises, postural issues can be resolved and pain subsequently abolished

Pre-and Post Natal

During and after your pregnancy various problems can occur, commonly back pain SIJ dysfunction and pubic synthesis dysfunction.

Diastasis recti (separation of your abdominal muscles) can also affect women after pregnancy more commonly in those on their second or more pregnancy.

Physiotherapy can help to reduce pain, improve stability and strength, offer advice and support during pregnancy and help to rehabilitate the post partum mother.