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

Achilles Tendon Rupture

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body, a large fibrous structure formed of collagen fibres lined up to form a very strong tendon which has to bear the force of weight bearing activities. The calf muscles are a very important part of propulsion in walking and when we walk, run or jump , very high forces are taken by the Achilles tendon as we perform vigorous movements with the ankle. As we get into our forties the strength of our tendons is declining but we often put the same forces on our body as we did twenty years previously. This can lead to the forces involved exceeding the strength of the tendon and a rupture, either partial or complete, results.

Treatment can be conservative or surgical, in many cases there being no significant clinical difference between the two in terms of outcome. Plaster of Paris used to be used routinely for immobilisation but new bracing systems have now been developed which allow precise control of the angle of the ankle and so the stresses on the tendon. This allows a graded progression of force as the tendon heals. Physiotherapists apply these braces and rehabilitate patients once they are out of the immobilisation.

The Sacro-Iliac Joint

The sacro-iliac joints are a pair of large irregular joints at the base of the spine which connect the sacrum, the triangular bone below the lumbar vertebrae, with the ilium, the large wings of the pelvis. It is a synovial joint like the fingers or knees but has very limited movement and functions to transfer the weight of the upper body from the spine to the hips. The sacro-iliac joint has very strong ligaments which travel the very short distances between the two highly irregular joint surfaces. There are no muscles which can act to produce real movements of the joint as other joints move and it functions as the weight transmitting and stress relieving pelvic joint.

The sacro-iliac joints are designed to absorb the torsional stresses which occur in the pelvis during gait and do have small degree of movement to help them manage this function. The irregular joint surfaces with its depressions and prominences allow the sacrum to lock between the iliac bones so that it cannot be driven downwards by the weight of the body. The irregular joint surfaces also prevent the sacrum being rotated inappropriately, with its strong ligaments being responsible for absorbing pelvis stresses during walking.