Headaches are common and there are many possible causes. Often they arise from referred pain from the neck or jaw. Headaches can also be a symptom of a wide range of medical conditions. Your physiotherapist will be able to determine when they first assess you whether your headache is from a medical condition or as a result of problem in your muscles, joints or nerves. When muscles are tight or in spasm there are spots within the muscle known as trigger points which when pressed are very tender and can also cause pain in other areas of the body. The majority of these trigger points are not a problem but if they become activated then pain is felt at that point and also in other areas of the body i.e. the head.
Physiotherapists can use techniques such as massage and direct pressure to relieve these activated trigger points and stop the pain there and consequently relieve pain in other areas of the body ie. the head. If the headache is referred by a problem with the nerves or joints of the neck then specific techniques can used to cure the problem. Acupuncture and taping techniques can also be of help. If the problem is from your posture then your physiotherapist can teach you exercises to improve your posture and carry out an assessment of your workstation ie. improve your working posture.
Click here to see other possible causes.
There are many muscles around the spine. These can be strained, torn or just become in spasm trying to protect the spine. Trigger points can develop in muscles in the form of a spasm. These are specific tender spots that develop that give rise to pain and can also cause pain in other areas of the body.
Physiotherapy treatment can work directly on these muscles to release the trigger points and muscle spasm. Exercises can be set to strengthen weak muscles and increase flexibility of tight muscles to prevent the spasm from returning. Underlying joints in the spine may be stiff contributing to the problem and physiotherapy treatments can work directly on these stiff joints. Acupuncture and taping are also useful treatments.
Clinical Pilates is a safe effective form of exercise to help this condition
Often people can adapt certain postures where the chin pokes forwards and the shoulders become rounded. These postures may develop from certain muscles around the neck and upper back and shoulders becoming weak or tight. Sitting at work in front of a desk for long periods can lead to people developing a certain posture. More information can be found through the workstation assessment information.
Osteoporosis can also lead to developing a poor posture. The pain experienced may be aching around the neck and shoulders and tends to become worse when continue in the same posture for a period of time.
Physiotherapy can help by using manual therapy to loosen any stiff joints and muscles. Massage and trigger point release can help muscle pain. Exercises can be set to improve your posture and strengthen muscles than have become weak and stretch muscles that have become tight. If you are sitting at a desk for long periods of time we can come to you and assess your workstation and make the required changes to help you keep a desired position when working. If your posture is changing due to osteoporosis we can provide osteoporosis programmes at home to help this.
Parkinsons UK are working hard to increase public awareness of the signs and symptoms associated with Parkinsons which research has shown to be poor. 73% of British public have been revealed to not be able to recognise symptoms such as fixed facial expressions, tremors or freezing on the spot when trying to walk. Parkinsons UK have been putting up posters of mixed images of everyday tasks that those with Parkinsons find difficult. Parkinsons Awareness in April asked people to put themselves in the shoes of those with Parkinsons by producing videos which can be viewed by clicking here. Physiotherapy and other therapies have been proved to help improve the function of someone with Parkinsons and work on making tasks such as walking and combing hair or making a cup of tea much easier. It is worth clicking here to look at the informative website Parkinsons UK to find out how you can be more aware and be of help to those suffering from Parkinsons.
One person in every 500 has Parkinson’s. That’s about 127,000 people in the UK. Our friends at MH2YH (My House 2 Your House) are soon to attempt a challenge and a half!
They are traveling 537km in just five days as they run, cycle and swim (across the English Channel, no less) from London to Amsterdam. One of the team of 10 men lives in London and one of them lives in Amsterdam, simple. MH2YH was born.
The 2013 team aim to raise £53,000 for Parkinson’s UK, which works to find a cure and improve life for everyone affected by Parkinson’s. Everyone at Physiocomestoyou Ltd wishes them the very best of luck.
Click here to donate
Click here to see how physiotherapy can help Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions.
Click here for more information about Parkinson’s, including symptoms.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is when the immune system goes haywire and attacks the body rather than defending it causing inflammation of the lining of the joints and tendons of the muscles. Affected joints in the body that have the arthritis become swollen, painful and stiff. Morning stiffness on waking is very common. Muscles around the joints often become weaker and doing certain activities of daily living can become more difficult.
We can provide experienced physiotherapists to see you at home and work with you to help manage your condition, just simply chose your London location and we can set up an appointment within 24 hours. The first time the physiotherapist visits they will carry out a thorough assessment which includes looking at your mobility and walking aids, muscle strength, joint movement, posture and function. Following the assessment the physiotherapist will discuss any treatments they can provide and set goals with you to improve your general function and mobility and achieve the maximum potential in your home, work and social life. These treatments can include advice on ice, exercise programmes, massage, taping, acupuncture and mobility programmes.
We can also provide occupational therapists to come to your home. They help people to regain the ability to carry out activities that have purpose and meaning to them and become or remain as independent as possible. Some of the services they can offer include:
- Home assessments including modifications such as rearranging furniture, building ramps, widening doorways, grab bars, special toilet seats etc
- Wheelchair assessments
- Splinting
For more information click here or contact us on 0207 884 0374
The medial collateral ligament runs down the inside of the knee and connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (leg bone). This ligament can be sprained or torn. The sprain can be grade I where a few fibers of the ligament have been stretched. Grade II sprain means a large number of ligament fibers have be stretched and a grade III sprain is a complete tear of the ligament.
Physiotherapy can help by treating to stop any stiffness of the knee happening and encourage healing of the ligament. Exercises will be set to encourage strength and stability around the knee. If your physiotherapist feels the ligament sprain is severe enough to require a medical review we can recommend top London knee consultants who you can see. A brace may be required to fully protect the ligament and allow healing.
This is when the sciatic nerve exiting from the spine is compressed and leads to a severe, often sharp, throbbing or burning pain down the back of the legs. Sometimes pins and needles, weakness or numbness in the legs can also be felt.
It may be another condition that is causing your pain – click here to view the other causes.
Our physiotherapists can assess you and recommend and carry out the best possible treatment. If we feel that you could benefit from a review by one of the best back specialists in London we can organise this for you.
Physiotherapy treatments that can help include, exercises, massage, advice, manual therapy and acupuncture. Clinical Pilates is a safe effective form of exercise to help this condition.
Osteoarthritis is the process of degeneration of the joints which occurs over time and leads to wearing down of the joint surfaces. There are several joints in the neck that can be affected. There are 7 different cervical vertebrae in the neck known as C1 through to C7. The process of degeneration can start earlier in some people. Common symptoms include stiffness and pain.
Physiotherapy can help with manual therapy techniques and setting exercises to help increase the strength around the joints and improving your flexibility. Acupuncture can also provide pain relief.
There are many other causes of neck pain. Click here to see them.
Fractures of other parts of the ankle will tend to cause pain throughout the ankle and a lot of swelling. If you have injured your ankle and have a lot of swelling and pain and standing on the leg is difficult with or without pain we advise you seek urgent medical attention to confirm if you have sustained a fracture to the ankle. If the bones are out of line you may require surgery to realign them. We can recommend top London foot and ankle consultants to you to see you as soon as possible. If you do have a fracture it is likely you will have to have the ankle joint fixed in a cast or boot for a period of time. Physiotherapy is important during this time to maintain strength in the rest of the leg. Following removal of the cast or boot physiotherapy is vital to regain full movement, strength and stability around the ankle and help you return to activities you were doing before the fracture.
If you experienced an ankle fracture a while ago and never completed any exercises or rehabilitation then it would be wise to have physiotherapy assessment to see if the full strength and movement of your ankle can be restored.
There are a many other causes of ankle pain – click here to see them
