Treatments

What to expect

On your ?rst visit you will be assessed by an experienced physiotherapist to determine appropriate treatment for your condition. By the end of this consultation you and your therapist will have agreed a tailor-made course of action / treatment plan to facilitate your speedy recovery.

If, at the end of your consultation it is felt that we cannot help you, we will advise you on which relevant clinician may be able to help.

Manual therapy

These are hands-on techniques to improve the range of movement of joints, muscles and soft tissues. Correcting your biomechanics will ultimately help reduce pain, swelling and stiffness.

Exercises

Exercises are essential to maintain the improvement gained by manual therapy and to strengthen weakened structures. Our experts will design a specially tailored program to suit your needs as you progress with your rehabilitation.

Electrotherapy

There are several electrotherapy modalities. They stimulate the body's natural healing thereby reducing pain and swelling. However, they will only be effective if the body's biomechanics have been restored to normal and are most useful in acute injuries. Ultrasound is the most common and it uses small sound waves to stimulate the body's natural healing. Interferential uses electrical stimulation to reduce swelling and pain. TNS uses small electrical currents to reduce pain.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is based on the principals used in traditional chinese medicine but it is slowly becoming more accepted in western medicine as research is showing how bene?cial it can be. Very ?ne needles are placed in speci?c points on the body along various meridians. We use it to help reduce pain, reduce muscle spasm and encourage healing.

Pilates

Pilates is a system of controlled exercises that engage the mind and condition the total body. It is a balanced blend of strength and flexibility training that works several muscle groups simultaneously through smooth continuous motion. It particularly concentrates on the core of the body that is so essential for maintaining and controlling good posture.

Pilates exercises are suitable for people of all ages and abilities. They can be adapted, modified and customised for individual needs so that they bridge the gap between physical therapy and physical fitness. Often they are given as home exercises by physiotherapists but they need to be continued and refined over time. Therefore as you progress you may wish to join a class.

At Lea Valley Physio we have a specialised Stott trained pilates instructor. Our classes will suit people with ongoing spinal problems. Our classes are small and intimate which allows exercises to be adapted to individual needs.