What we treat
Vertigo (BPPV)
This is where crystals in your inner ear have become dislodged and can make you feel like the room is spinning or you feel off balance. It can also make you feel nauseous. Through targeted head movements and repositioning exercises, we guide the crystals back to their proper place, allowing you to regain your sense of balance and reduce the sensation of dizziness. We’ll also give you some special exercises to make sure the crystals stay where they are supposed to.
Neck
Neck pain can be very debilitating and affect your everyday function and sometimes your sleep. It can come from different structures including joints, discs, ligaments and muscles that are in the wrong position, or working differently than they would normally. Occasionally neck pain can radiate to other areas like the shoulder, arm, or hand, and can even be the source of a number of headaches. Sometimes this can come about purely due to overuse of one side of your body or due to poor posture or even using an unsuitable pillow. Quite often neck pain gets misdiagnosed so it’s really important to book an appointment to work out the exact underlying cause.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
This is the joint connecting your cheek and your jaw and can sometimes get inflamed or be moving in a position that it isn’t used to. This can happen for a number of reasons including; missing teeth, chewing harder on one side, grinding at night, stress, anxiety or just wear and tear of the joint. It can cause clicking, pain and even headaches. We work closely with your dentist to work out exactly what is causing your symptoms and use a series of targeted treatments and exercises to reset the joint and normalise the movement patterns.
Shoulder
Shoulder pain can significantly impact daily life, making routine tasks a challenge. There are many underlying factors causing the issue including: injury, imbalance between the different muscles groups, working one arm more than the other. This leads to different pathologies such as: bursitis, frozen shoulder, impingement, tears of the muscles or degeneration of the joints. You can have limited movement, radiating pain, disturbed sleep or swelling. We work hard to identify the specific cause and use a whole host of treatments to relieve your pain, improve movement and increase the stability so it doesn’t come back.
Elbow
The elbow is a joint that lots of muscles anchor on to, from the shoulder to the fingers, and can therefore impact on bigger movements like lifting or twisting your arm but also fine movements like brushing your teeth or turning a key. You’ll be amazed at how many movements the elbow is involved with. Some of the problems you may have heard of are tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) or golfer’s elbow, (medial epicondylitis), cubital tunnel syndrome or bursitis. Braces can really help dampen down elbow symptoms.
Hand / wrist
Lots of things can go wrong with the wrist as it is involved every time you move your hand and there are lots of moving bits. More often than not symptoms are due to overuse but occasionally these can be due to injury. Sometimes we recommend using your other hand for a little while or using a splint to reduce the movement of certain joints or muscles. If the symptoms are bad enough it can even affect your sleep. The two most common conditions we see are carpal tunnel syndrome (irritation of the nerve leading into the hand) and De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis (inflammation of the tendons just in the forearm above the thumb).
Fingers
Finger injuries, whether the result of accidents, sports-related incidents, or overuse, can significantly disrupt daily activities. It could be anything from trauma e.g. Skier’s thumb, rheumatoid arthritis or degeneration of the small joints. It’s important to get on top of finger issues straight away as they can turn into chronic problems that take much longer to get rid of.
Thoracic
Thoracic pain (this is in the middle of the back) is quite often due to an imbalance between the posture of the neck as it puts extra pressure in this part of the spine. Muscles get overworked and end up with lots of tension, knots and then discomfort. Sometimes there are underlying conditions that can cause pain in the mid back area such as Scheuermann’s disease, thoracic outlet syndrome or T4 syndrome. These can impact the nerve tissues and end up leading to radiating pain into the arms or up towards the neck. Ribs are often a common source of thoracic pain, either a rib fracture or a poor alignment of the muscles and joints in this area. This can impact on sleeping and breathing as it becomes very difficult to turn over.
Lower back
Back pain covers almost 40% of ALL injuries we see. It is also the most frequent one to keep people off work and can make you feel super miserable. It affects everything you do. Normally, due to some sort of imbalance in the alignment of the spine. This misalignment can result in increased pressure on the lumbar vertebrae, leading to strained muscles, tension, and discomfort. Poor posture, especially in the lower back, can exacerbate the issue by overworking muscles and causing them to become tense and knotted.
Underlying conditions may contribute to back pain, such as herniated discs, sciatica, or lumbar spinal stenosis. These conditions can affect nerve tissues and result in pain that radiates down the legs or into the buttocks. Additionally, issues like sacroiliac joint dysfunction or spondylolisthesis can contribute to lumbar discomfort by impacting the stability of the lower spine.
In some cases, the source of lower back pain can be due to issues in other areas e.g. hip, knee or ankle. This causes compensation through the spine either on the same side or the opposite. This can affect daily activities, including walking and sitting, and may lead to disruptions in sleep and difficulty performing routine movements.
Pelvis
Imbalances in the pelvic structure can lead to persistent discomfort, muscle tension, and a sense of instability or feeling like one leg is shorter than the other. Poor alignment or posture in the pelvic region may contribute to strained muscles, resulting in knots and ongoing pain.
Problems with the sacroiliac joint, (the bit connecting the spine to the pelvis), can affect everyday activities like walking or sitting.
Pelvic floor dysfunction can cause muscles at the front and back of the spine to work in a way they’re not used to. This can present as deep back pain.
Sometimes, pelvic pain is due to medical conditions such as issues related to the reproductive organs, e.g. endometriosis. Factors such as childbirth, trauma, or extended periods of sitting can contribute to these imbalances.
Pregnancy
Especially during the last trimester of pregnancy the baby can press on different structures in your belly and your back. This can cause pain around your pubic bone called Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction and around your lower back which presents like sciatica. We’ll work hard to alleviate your symptoms and give you good advice on the best postures to move into as you are able. Occasionally, if the pain is too bad, we may recommend a support brace for your tummy or your back. Sometimes, you just need a bit of general relief as you get more fatigued and your body is working harder. We can help with that too. We also strongly recommend exercises before you give birth (pre-natal) and once you are feeling recovered after your bub (post-natal). These are important to improve the strength of your tummy and back muscles and also your pelvic floor, which will all have been working super hard to keep you upright and your baby safe.
Knee
Knee issues can arise from various factors affecting the stability and function of the joint. Imbalances in muscle strength or alignment can lead to increased stress on the knee joint, resulting in strain, discomfort, and reduced mobility.
Underlying conditions such as osteoarthritis, ligament tears (such as an ACL tear), or patellofemoral syndrome (an unstable kneecap) may contribute to knee problems. These conditions can affect the structure and integrity of the knee joint, leading to inflammation, pain, and difficulty with activities such as walking or climbing stairs.
Furthermore, issues like runner's knee or iliotibial band syndrome can arise from repetitive stress or overuse of the knee joint, resulting in discomfort, swelling, and limited range of motion.
In addition to specific knee conditions, biomechanical factors such as flat feet or improper footwear can also cause malalignment and increased strain on the joint.
Addressing knee issues often involves a combination of approaches, including in depth biomechanical assessment, strengthening exercises, soft tissue release, dry needling, taping and occasionally supportive measures such as orthotics or braces. In some cases, surgical interventions may be necessary to repair damaged structures within the knee joint.
Foot / ankle
The foot and ankle carry the whole weight of the body and are crucial for being able to stand up straight and walk. Imbalances in muscle strength, improper footwear, or repetitive stress can lead to increased strain, resulting in discomfort, swelling, and limited mobility.
Underlying conditions such as ankle sprains, Achilles tendonitis, or osteoarthritis may contribute to ankle pain and plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia and Morton’s neuroma are problems affecting the foot itself. These conditions can affect the ligaments, tendons, and cartilage, leading to inflammation and pain during movement or weight-bearing activities.
Furthermore, issues like flat feet or high arches can impact ankle alignment and stability, increasing the risk of injury and discomfort.
In addition to specific foot and ankle conditions, biomechanical factors such as overpronation or supination can also play a role in ankle health, leading to increased stress on certain structures within this area.
Understanding the underlying causes of foot and ankle pain is crucial for developing the right strategy for you.
Migraine / headache
Pain in the head can be really debilitating. Some of the symptoms will be pain, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and difficulty concentrating. It can even affect your sleep. Headaches can be caused by loads of different underlying factors. Some of these need to be medically managed e.g. blood pressure or vitamin changes but many more are related to how the head sits on the body and the tension in the muscles around the neck, jaw and head. By realigning the joints and allowing the muscles to work more freely we can relieve many of the symptoms caused by migraines and headaches.
Gait
This is analysing the way we walk. No two people walk the same way but when we analyse how the body and limbs move we can predict how this may be impacting on pain or dysfunction. When we educate clients on modifying their movement, we can improve issues ranging from back, hip, knee and foot pain to enhancing Occasionally We can also work out if one leg is longer than the other. Sometimes we will recommend orthotics, a heel raise in your shoe or strengthening one side of the body to equalise your walking pattern.
Neuromuscular issues
These conditions refer to any issue that affects the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves throughout the body. They could involve changes in sensation, altered movement, cognition, or behaviour, or sometimes combinations of more than one. Examples of neurological conditions we see here are stroke, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and migraine. We use a variety of approaches depending on the presentation. This could be pain relief, education of new movement patterns, dry needling to reduce muscle spasm and education on how the diagnosis can challenge everyday function and working out new ways of adapting to each situation.
Respiratory
We all need to breathe! Some of us can do this easier than others. Things that can impact on how well we get the air into our lungs (and how well we use it!) are underlying diseases e.g. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) like emphysema or bronchitis, problems with the ribs or even poor posture. Physiotherapy can do lots to alleviate these symptoms and help bring about much better control of breathing. This may be postural advice, education on use of breathing devices and massage to reduce the tension placed on the muscles around the shoulder. If these work too hard for too long, it affects how well we breathe and can lead to shortened breaths.
Falls / balance training
Falls in the elderly population are one of the leading cause of injury and hospitalisation, causing fractures, head injuries and a decline in health and mobility. As we age, our bone strength and muscle strength reduces, increasing our risk of falls. We will work with you to implement a program to improve your balance, strengthen those muscles that are important for balance, and educate you how to reduce your risk of falls. This may include prescription of gait aids or tools at home to assist you. We have a life-long commitment to your health journey and want to ensure you stay upright and on your feet throughout your life.
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