AND
SPORTS INJURIES
PRACTICE
Treatments available at this practice include . . .
Click on treatment for more details
- Manipulative Therapy
- Treatment for Back & Neck Pain (including Whiplash Injuries)
- Physiotherapy for Arthritic Problems
- Physiotherapy for Soft Tissue Conditions
- Physiotherapy for Facial Paralysis and Dizziness
- Sports Injuries
- Adolescent Growth Problems
- Physiotherapy Following Surgery
- Physiotherapy Following Reconstructive Surgery
- Biomechanical Assessments
- Clinical Pilates Classes
- Massage
- Acupuncture
Initial Consultation - £43
Subsequent Treatment - £40
Domiciliary Visits - £60
5 weeks - £55
6 weeks - £66
Manipulative Therapy
Manipulation of joints can be beneficial when there is stiffness and restriction in the joint range of movement. Sometimes we use a quick manipulative technique, other times we use a more gentle form of manipulation - called mobilizations - to encourage the movement back into the joint. Both Beth and Sara are members of the MACP, which is a postgraduate qualification in manipulation.
Treatment for Back & Neck Pain (including Whiplash Injuries)
Back and neck pain can be treated in the both the acute and chronic stages. Manipulation/mobilisation can be very useful in the acute stages together with specific exercises. We also see whiplash injuries. Early advice and management of this condition can prevent long term problems.
At this practice we have a specific interest in chronic pain and offer a programme to help the patient manage their symptoms which combines education, understanding of pain and back mechanics, exercises and acupuncture.
We offer an 8 week programme which combines all these elements and then hope patients will continue to exercise either on their own or with a fitness instructor we know who has an interest in this area to continue their exercise based programme.
Physiotherapy for Arthritic Problems
Osteo arthritis (often called “wear and tear”) can affect many joints in our body, and be very painful and debilitating. Careful assessment of the joint is essential, and then advice on how to manage it is part of the role physiotherapy plays in the management of this condition. For example, altering a persons foot posture can take a lot of the strain off the knee joint and with exercises to strengthen the muscles the condition can be managed well.
Physiotherapy for Soft Tissue Conditions
Frozen shoulder, tennis elbow and teno-synovitis (tendinosis) are all conditions frequently seen by physiotherapists and treated with success. We may use a combination or electrical treatments, manipulation and exercises. In some cases taping the area or supporting it with a brace may be relevant.
Physiotherapy for Facial Paralysis and Dizziness
Management of problems after facial paralysis such as Bell's Palsy or Acoustic Neuroma Surgery is offered here.
We also have programmes for patients suffering from dizziness assessing whether this comes from the cervical spine (neck) or from the ear known as BPPV.(Benign Postural Positional Vertigo).Treatment of this problem with either gentle manipulation or specific manouvres followed up with exercises can be very helpful.
Sports Injuries
At this practice we see people with many different sporting injuries. It is often helpful to be able to access help quickly, and in this day and age people want to be back playing a sport as soon as possible to prevent them losing their fitness. After the initial inflammation has settled it is helpful to have expert advice on a realistic and monitored rehabilitation programme. We see sporting injuries in all age groups. We have a wealth of expertise treating adolescents growth and sporting injuries after working at Millfield school for many years and we work closely with many local sport clubs.
We offer screening programmes for all athletes. This can be helpful in preventing injuries by highlighting any potential problems or muscle imbalances.
Some injuries come on through . . .
- repetition of an action in one direction,
e.g. swimming, tennis, golf - overuse, e.g. runners
- direct blows, e.g. a tackle
- poor biomechanics.
Adolescent Growth Problems
Beth and Sara have worked for many years in a local school with a high sporting standard, seeing sport related injuries in adolescents as well as growth related problems, like Osgood Schlatters, Severs and Scheummans Disease.
There are also problems that come on due to children having poor posture at this age, and in a time of rapid growth with poor muscle tone to support their growing frames it is essential to monitor what they are doing during this period of their life to prevent long term damage. This may mean reducing their sport or finding alternatives for a while so they can remain fit but not do further damage.
Hypermobility (increased joint mobility) is another condition that needs careful management.
Physiotherapy Following Surgery
With surgery more readily available for arthritic joints, people are having knee and hip replacements more frequently these days. Usually patients are discharged with good advice on how to exercise the appropriate joint following surgery. We are happy to see anyone who feels they are not progressing as well as they would wish or just need more reassurance that they are managing it well.
Surgery following shoulder reconstruction, or decompression is usually needed to regain full range of movement and strength. Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction in the knee joint is now done more regularly and on much younger patients. We are used to providing the rehabilitation for this type of surgery and have a very comprehensive programme for our patients to use.
Physiotherapy for Reconstructive Surgery
Reconstructive surgery following mastectomies or neck surgery can benefit from specific techniques of gentle massage and fascial release of the underlying tissues particularly if there has been radiotherapy or chemotherapy involved in their treatment adding further changes in their tissues.
- Restriction of movement
- Pain
- Poor sensation
- Poor body awareness because of numbness
- Loss of confidence
At Street Physiotherapy we offer specific massage, stretching techniques and exercises to help restore normal joint movement, flexibility in the muscles and tissues around the operated site, as well as helping the circulation and recovery of the affected area. This work can be beneficial before you have your reconstruction as well as post reconstruction at a later stage once the tissues have healed.
Biomechanical Assessments
We offer these for all age groups but in particular for the younger person. We have found that doing a full assessment of a person's posture, noting their joint range, muscle strength and length and how they move in general can be very useful, in particular for those people doing a sport to a high level where they are putting in many hours of training a day.
Sports that are very repetitive in one direction, e.g. swimming, golf, or those that use one side of the body more strongly than the other, e.g. tennis, squash, hockey, can over a period of time lead to injury. Targeting tight muscles or making sure that the muscle balance is kept equal by picking up these differences before they become an injury, is all part of managing a successful sports person and being pro-active in preventing injury.
Clinical Pilates Classes
Beth and Sara are both recognised Clinical Pilates Instructors.
Pilates exercises are gentle and subtle and have been found to be very helpful in the management of long standing problems, in particular low back pain. The exercises help to improve muscle strength around the spine, improving posture and body awareness. Sports persons also find it helpful to prevent injury and enhance performance.
At this practice we run 12 classes a week. We have classes for all age groups and abilities. There are a maximum of 5 people in a class so that the exercises can be tailored to individual needs. They are fun and very popular. We use a variety of equipment using a combination of mat work, swiss ball , over ball, cylinder and theraband exercises.
The practice also offers individually tailored programmes on a 1:1 basis if people prefer. Here we would use much the same equipment as in a class with the added use of a Pilates Reformer which is a specialised machine designed to exercise almost every muscle in the body.
Massage
A qualified masseur also offers sport and
soft tissue massage at the practice.
Contact: Jackie Ashdown on 07795 414669.
Acupuncture
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is one of the oldest recorded forms of medicine having been used for over 3,000 years in China. The traditional Chinese view is that Qi (energy) flows freely when the body is in a healthy state. If there is a problem, energy stagnates. The stimulation of appropriate acupuncture points, frees this stagnation.
Will it hurt?
This is the most common question asked when needles are used. When inserted, the fine needles give rise to a sensation which should only be a temporary mild discomfort at the most. At times a more intense sensation is experienced. This is thought to indicate the movement of energy at the acupuncture point.
Conditions that may be helped by acupuncture
- Pain
- Acute/chronic injuries
- Sport injuries
- Back and neck pain
- Headaches
- Muscle and joint problems
It is often worth trying acupuncture for conditions that have not responded well to orthodox medicine.
Sara is a member of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP). She underwent acupuncture training at post-graduate level and is in the unique position of being able to combine acupuncture with other therapeutic treatment methods.
Please ask at the practice if you require more information.