Treatments
Physio@Home can provide various techniques to treat your problem in any combination to suit your specific needs.
All treatments will be tailored to the individual's requirements and preferences based upon the most recent up-to-date evidence in the current literature available to physiotherapists nationwide.
We believe you should be involved in deciding which treatment would suit you best, therefore Physio@Home will give you all the possible treatment options and let you make an informed choice.
Manipulation
This is a treatment used by physiotherapists to restore normal joint function. It is an external pressure at the end of physiological range that will correct the dysfunction by causing cavitations, which the patient often describes as a ‘crack.’
Mobilisation
This is a manual treatment technique that corrects joint dysfunction by correcting osteokinematics, which are subtle motions of spin, glide and roll present in normal joint movement.
There are four grades depending on the irritability of the symptoms.
Acupuncture
This is a traditional Chinese intervention that uses needles into the skin for the treatment of pain. It has recently been popular in the UK, and the current NICE government guidelines have recommended this treatment to be provided by the NHS.
It works by stimulating sensory fibres in the skin that transmit to the spinal cord, which will then block the pain signals. It also stimulates descending pathways in the brain that release the body’s natural opiates.
Physio@Home therapists are registered with the AACP, which is a professional body of specialist physiotherapist who are trained in acupuncture. The AACP assures you this is safe.
Trigger point release
This is the use of sustained pressure into specific tight & tender points in soft tissues in the body known as trigger points. It has been around for many years and is a successful treatment for patients with excess muscle tightness and tension.
It works by stimulating a stretch reflex within the muscle tendon, known as the Golgi tendon, which will cause an automatic relaxing of the muscle from the spine without any involvement from the brain.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a type of electrotherapy that assists the body’s natural healing process. It has been around for many years and has stood the test of time. It is used mainly for acute problems and is used a lot in sports injuries.
It works by producing sound waves that cause cavitations & vibration in the tissues. This change in energy stimulates healing cells, such as fibroblasts, to the injured area.
Massage
Massage is used to reduce tension within muscles in order to improve muscle tone and restore normal function. It can be performed around any joint and is mostly used to target soft tissues that are tight and difficult to stretch.
Stretches
After injury the body may be susceptible to soft tissue shortening. This would lead to muscle tightness and in turn would cause altered joint function.
We provide the correct sequence of stretches, specific to your tightness, in order to correct you normal joint function.
Specialist Neural mobilisations
After injury of the back or neck, sometime the neural structures become irritated and inflamed. This is usually experienced as pins & Needles or numbness, but if the injury is serious muscle weakness can result. If the neural structures are irritated the patient will develop adverse neural tension and altered neurodynamics that can often go untreated.
Neural mobilisations are specific mobilisations of the nerve tissue that are designed to improve the neural function and restore tissue health.
Muscle strengthening & exercise prescription
In the current research exercise has been shown to be one of the best treatments for any injury. Exercise can increase blood flow, improve tissue length, maintain joint lubrication and increase muscle strength and proprioception.
However, it is important to do the correct exercises for the problem in order not to aggravate your symptoms. Physio@Home will devise a specific exercise program for your needs.
Proprioceptive Treatment
Proprioceptive treatment is the stimulation of sensory input back to the brain to improve the function of the injured joint and its ability to ‘read’ its surroundings. After injury, propriceptive treatment is essential in order to return to sport to ensure there is no further re-injury.
This involves using wobble boards, standing on one leg and walking on uneven surfaces.
Core stability retraining for the back and neck
Core stability training is a form of exercise, similar to Pilates, involving flowing movements to retrain the body’s dynamic stability. Control of the pelvis and spine are essential for good core stability to prevent reoccurrence of symptoms and to maintain an active lifestyle.
The traditional Pilates repertoire is broken down into clearly defined levels to ensure a standard gradual progression towards normal functional movement. Your progress is closely monitored and specific targets will be set.
Taping & Strapping
This is traditionally used in sports, but can be used for problems caused by altered biomechanics. Taping involves restoring the normal movement by stabilizing a specific structure, when a joint has become injured. This helps proprioception and will help relieve symptoms and restore normal function.