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
- Biomechanical Assessments
- Clinical Pilates Classes
- Core Stability Strengthening for Athletes
- 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 both the acute and chronic stages. Manipulation/mobilisation can be very useful in the acute stages. Research has shown that chronic, long-standing back and neck pain is best managed with an exercise-based program of exercises, and we may use a combination of both to enable our patients to manage their condition. We also see many whiplash injuries. Early advice and management of this condition can prevent long-term problems.
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 (tendonitis) 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 programs 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 program. We see sporting injuries in all age groups. Our work with 13-19 year olds at Millfield School may sometimes be different to those we see in our adult sportsmen and women.
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
- contusions in contact sport
- poor biomechanics, e.g. poor starting postures or muscle balance.
Adolescent Growth Problems
Both Beth and Sara have a wealth of knowledge in the treatment of adolescent conditions. A quarter of our practice time is spent with adolescent patients. Our work in a school that has a high sporting standard means we see many sports injuries in this age group. We also see conditions related to a child's growth spurts, like Osgood Schlatters, Severs disease, Scheummans disease and scoliosis in the back.
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 program for our patients to use.
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
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 programs 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.
Core Stability Strengthening for Athletes
“Core stability” is specific strengthening of the muscles around the torso, in particular the deep muscles that support our spine, lower abdominal muscles and muscles between the shoulder blades. It has been proved to useful to prevent injuries and to prevent or reduce Low Back Pain. We have found that working in small groups being sports specific has had a great impact in reducing injuries in that named sport, particularly in the adolescent age group.
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, nausea, dizziness
- 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.