Physiotherapists in Luton treat many different conditions including the issues profiled below.

Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder is a troublesome and enigmatic condition which affects mostly middle aged people and causes significant pain and disability. As our shoulders age they become more vulnerable to injury or damage and in some cases this develops into the pain condition known as frozen shoulder. A sudden movement or small tweak of the shoulder may result in the area becoming more and more painful until the pain is very severe and interrupting sleep. This is the pain stage of frozen shoulder which is followed by the painful and stiff phase where the pain eases to some extent and the shoulder becomes restricted in movement.

Later in the process the pain recedes and the shoulder remains with just the joint stiffness so the person cannot lift their arm up far. The process may take two years or so to go through and the person may not regain their full shoulder movement. In the painful period physiotherapy is aimed at relieving the pain by gentle mobilisations and exercise and progressed to working at the joint stiffness as the pain recedes. Later physiotherapy involves stronger mobilisation techniques and stretching to ease out the strong soft tissue restrictions which have developed.

Radial Head Fractures

The radial head is a small, rounded structure on the outside of the forearm near the elbow, with a structure a bit like a cotton reel. It is held within a ligament which surrounds it like a cuff and articulates with the elbow and the ulna next to it. The radial head allows the forearm to rotate as it spins within its ligamentous circle, permitting what is known as pronation (turning the palm downwards) and supination (turning the palm upwards). These movements are very important for arm function, palm downwards allowing writing and reaching to pick up objects and palm upwards allowing the acceptance of change in monetary transactions.

Most radial head fractures are undisplaced, with pain as the major symptom and typically caused by a fall on the arm. If the fracture is in place within its ligamentous restriction the treatment is a sling for comfort and mobilisation of the elbow under physiotherapy supervision. Flexion and extension of the elbow and pronation and supination of the forearm are practiced within pain limits to restore the ranges of movement as soon as possible. More vigorous work should be restricted until after the healing period of six weeks for the bone.