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

Simple Neck Exercises . Two

Performing routine simple neck exercises every day fulfils a number of functions. It moves the joints through their normal ranges of movement and to the ends of the movement each time, an area where movement can be easily lost without us being aware of it. Movement also stretches out and maintains the length of the annulus of the cervical discs, pulling on the collagen and cartilage fibres of the disc walls. Muscles normally shorten when they are contracting and moving the joints of our bodies and if they are called upon to contract a lot in a particular position they can become more permanently shortened.

Range of movement exercises fully in the opposite direction can stretch out over tight muscles and allow them and the joints to return to more appropriate postural positions as part of a therapy programme. Since much of the use of the neck muscles is to maintain static posture of the head and shoulder area this exposes the head and neck area to long periods in poor positions with unhelpful patterns of muscle contraction. Neck exercises can be done routinely such as three times a day for a certain period or can be done regularly throughout the day to correct poor posture.

Physiotherapy and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common and important chronic condition which affects about 1.5 million people in the United Kingdom. Hospitalisation is common as around 25% of COPD sufferers are admitted each year with a worsening of their condition. Chest physiotherapy is routinely employed in an attempt to improve air entry or to assist in the removal of secretions, using various techniques including manual treatment, treatment with equipment and walking programmes. Two techniques, positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV), have shown an ability to increase the amount of sputum brought up in patients where sputum retention is a problem.

One treatment which physiotherapists routinely use with respiratory patients is to get them walking again, as fitness declines quickly with best rest when sick and getting up and about promotes clearing of secretions naturally by coughing. This improves blood gases, shortness of breath and physical stamina. Moderate scientific evidence exists that this treatment is effective in respiratory patients and most physiotherapy techniques have been shown to be safe rather than particularly effective. Percussion, the hitting of the chest with the hands, has not been shown to be effective and is used less and less also for safety concerns.