Physiotherapy

All physiotherapy at TLC is carried out by experienced and enthusiastic physiotherapists whose main focus is to get you as good as possible in the quickest possible time. The friendly and caring approach taken by our physiotherapists, alongside their extensive experience, means that you can be confident that any treatment you receive is of the highest quality.

We firmly believe that physiotherapy should be patient-centred. This means that the patient’s problems, and the goals they want to achieve, are the most important thing we take into account when deciding what physiotherapy intervention is best. Due to the uniqueness of each person, the treatment approach chosen varies according to the individual, their symptoms and their goals. Unique people require unique treatment, therefore, we use a wide combination of physiotherapy techniques to provide our patients with the best possible treatment. It is this pragmatic approach that allows us to maximise the potential of every patient. Below are some of the interventions we specialise in:

Acupuncture

An evidenced-based treatment originally derived from ancient Chinese medicine, involves fine needles being inserted into certain sites of the body for therapeutic or preventative purposes. It works by stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles. This results in the production of natural substances, for example, pain-relieving endorphins.

A course of acupuncture usually creates longer-lasting pain relief than a single treatment.  NICE recommend considering acupuncture for the treatment of:

  • Chronic pain
  • Chronic tension-type headaches
  • Migraines
  • Joint pain
  • Dental pain
  • Postoperative pain

Ultrasound Therapy

 

Ultrasound is a painless treatment where high-frequency sound waves are used to treat deep tissue injuries and promote the healing process following an acute injury or a chronic condition. The high-frequency sound waves produce energy which causes micro-vibrations when they enter the skin which in turn improves tissue healing and reduces pain by stimulating blood circulation and cell activity.

Ligaments, tendons, fascia, joint capsules and scar tissue contain large amounts of collagen meaning they benefit from this type of treatment as they absorb ultrasound better.

 The treatment can be used for a wide range of conditions and is commonly used for the treatment of soft tissue problems such as ligament sprains or muscle tears. It will help promote tissue healing, improve the quality of repair and decrease pain.

Neurological Physiotherapy

Involves rehabilitation of patients with neurological conditions (problems with the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves). Patients with neurological conditions may present with difficulties with their physical functions including mobility, muscle strength, range of movement and balance.

Our aim is to increase their quality of life by rehabilitating, slowing down the physical deterioration, maximising potential and helping children with disabilities achieve developmental milestones. For the best possible recovery treatment should commence as soon as possible following injury or diagnosis.

Benefits:

 

Respiratory Physiotherapy

Respiratory physiotherapy aims to help treat, educate, and advise patients who have problems with their lungs and their breathing. This could be a result of long-term underlying problems such as COPD, emphysema, bronchiectasis, asthma, chronic bronchitis or pulmonary fibrosis. Through assessing your symptoms and building an understanding of how they impact on daily life, treatment aims to help you to manage your symptoms better so that you feel more in control of your breathing.

There are several reasons someone may benefit from seeing a respiratory physiotherapist. These include:

  • A recent admission to hospital for problems with breathing
  • Recent chest trauma (fractured ribs, bruising)
  • Anxiety or stress
  • Recurrent chest infections or pneumonia
  • Shortness of breath when walking
  • Problems with hyperventilation
  • Recent respiratory, abdominal or cardiac surgery

 

Clinical Pilates

Living with different types of conditions or injuries can prevent individuals from joining in the activities others take for granted, however, clinical Pilates can work for almost anyone. It differs from a standard Pilates class as it is tailored to each individual to ensure they get the most out of the class. For this reason, class sizes are kept small to ensure everyone gets the attention they need from the instructor while still being able to benefit from the social and motivational aspects of group exercise.

 

The instructor is a qualified physiotherapist, and they will carry out a one-to-one assessment ahead of starting clinical Pilates. This will allow them to build an understanding of medical history and existing conditions, therefore enabling your routine and progression to be shaped to your circumstances. A full consultation will be required and pilates will be incorporated into your treatment package.

 

Other benefits of clinical Pilates include injury prevention through improved awareness of your own body – promoting strength and flexibility while avoiding excess strain on joints.

Workplace Ergonomic Assessment

Poor working postures, repetitive tasks and heavy workloads can lead to an increased risk of workplace injuries. It is important to identify the risk factors to reduce the risk of injuries and accidents to employees across the workplace as well as improving productivity and improve organisational wellbeing.

Benefits of an ergonomic assessment:

  • Prevent costly litigation
  • Comply with health and safety regulations
  • Decrease injury risk, error rates and lost working days
  • Increase efficiency and productivity
  • Provides practical solutions

Sports and Postural Taping

Taping is used as a provision of support and/or relief and in some circumstances, it is also used preventatively. It is useful in different ways for different issues and a variety of results can be achieved too.

Muscles lose their elasticity when they are injured or overused/ which can result in long recovery times, even in situations where the issue seems minor. Taping mimics the muscles’ elasticity which encourages the muscles to heal faster. This is achieved in a number of ways.

Support – relieves some of the immediate pain and takes the stress off the muscle where they have been injured or overused.

Adhesive – compared to an everyday plaster the adhesive used is far more complicated. It is crucial that the tapes stay in one place in order to be as effective as possible. Therefore the glue used ensures they will not move and will stay put for days.

Healing – Taping is designed also to encourage lymphatic flow. The lymph system is the system through which a clear fluid is carried around the body, this carries white blood cells which fight infection, and take care of waste or dead cells. The encouragement of lymphatic flow greatly reduces recovery time.

Encouraging better movement – The way we use our bodies is not always the best way to use them. Eg, poor sleeping posture can lead to chronic pain. Taping parts of the body in a certain way can retrain them to move in ways that are more natural, easier or safer.

Podiatry and Foot Biomechanical Assessment

Biomechanics refers to the way the bones, muscles and joints of your feet and lower limbs interact and move. It looks specifically at pronation, which is how the impact is absorbed and supination, which is how you are propelled. Problems with this can lead to pain that may occur in the feet, legs, lower back or hips.

The assessment will involve our physiotherapist building a full picture of the pain and problems affecting you. They will do so by asking questions about the pain you are suffering, observing how your body moves when you walk and the way you walk in detail. Additionally, they may need to physically examine your legs, feet and lower back. This will allow them to advise you on the best ways of dealing with the problems. Suggested treatments may include orthotics or insoles for your shoes, and general advice about footwear and exercises.

Exercise Therapy

Our physiotherapist is able to offer exercise support and advice to aid our clients in recovery and a better quality of life. We offer tailor-made personal training which may include finding adaptations to exercises that may have been restricted or supporting you to correct your form for better results. Our exercise therapy is also used to help with injury recovery and weight-related difficulties.

For more information or to book an appointment contact us below, or call us on 01246 954005.