Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Musculoskeletal physiotherapy is the treatment of disease or injury relating the muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Treatment involves reducing pain, increasing movement and restoring function, to get you back to your daily or sporting activities as quickly as possible. Musculoskeletal complaints can be acute or chronic, ranging from ankle sprains to back pain or osteoarthritis, and can also include long term conditions such as joint hypermobility and fibromyalgia.

Our skilled team of physiotherapists will thoroughly assess you, to diagnose the underlying cause for your pain. Next, they will provide treatment to help relieve pain and restore movement, which can be achieved through massage, joint mobilisation, acupuncture, electrotherapy, exercise rehabilitation and many more. Following treatment, you and your physiotherapist will discuss your goals and come up with a plan of how to achieve them together. You will be prescribed a personalised home exercise programme, alongside education and advice on management strategies and how to prevent future recurrences.

Common MSK Injuries

Neck:

The neck, or cervical spine, consists of 7 stacked bones called vertebrae, supported by muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves. It is strong and flexible, designed to support the head and its movements, protect the spinal cord, and to facilitate blood flow to the brain. Irritation of the cervical spine structures can cause neck pain and stiffness, which may radiate to the head or down the shoulder.
Causes of neck pain may include: poor sleeping posture, prolonged positions (such as long periods of desk work or slouching), overuse from repetitive motions, trauma (for example whiplash following a road traffic accident), and degeneration (wear and tear as we grow older.

Lower back:

Low back pain is very common, affecting 4 out of 5 people at some point throughout their lifetime. It is the leading cause of job-related disability, contributing to missed work days. It is usually categorised into 3 types: acute (less than 6 weeks), sub-acute (6-12 weeks) and chronic (12+ weeks). The spine is a strong, stable and flexible structure which is not easily damaged; most causes of pain are simple strains or sprains.
Many physical and psychological factors can cause back pain, often in combination, and can include: ‘protecting’ the back and avoiding movements, stress, poor quality sleep, being overweight, not getting enough physical activity.

Shoulder:

Shoulder pain is very common and will affect most people at some point in their lives. The shoulder complex is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the humerus (upper arm bone) and the scapula (shoulder blade). Being a ball and socket joint, it is the most mobile joint in the body. Allowing this increased movement to occur is a complex network of muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Due to the increased mobility, these soft tissue structures are relied on to achieve stability, and are therefore more susceptible to injury and more commonly the cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction.

Knee:

The knee is one of the most commonly injured joints, affecting all age ranges. It is a hinge joint which allows for mostly flexion and extension (bending and straightening) with minimal rotational movement. Due to the load placed on the knees with everyday activities, such as walking and running, it is one of the first places people notice symptoms of wear and tear (osteoarthritis). Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of healthy articular cartilage, which allows smooth movement and acts as a shock absorber.
Ligaments are important to provide stability for the knee joint. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect bone to bone. Injuries to these may cause feelings of instability, or even the knee giving way. These are more commonly injured during sports or physical activity, where increased forces are sustained on the knee.