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

Osgood-Schlatter Disease

Osgood-Schlatter disease is a condition affecting the tibial tuberosity (bony lump just below the kneecap) in children around eight to thirteen years old. It typically affects around 20 percent of athletic children of these ages as compared to less than 5 percent of nonathletic children. It tends to coincide with spurts of growth and is three times more likely in boys rather than girls. In young children the tibial tuberosity or tibial tubercle is formed of cartilage and only ossifies into bone later and it is postulated that repeated traction applied to this area can cause minor fractures or inflammation. This leads to pain on vigorous activities where the quadriceps are involved.

Pain, tenderness and swelling typically develop over the tubercle, exacerbated by activity, but the condition is self-limiting and as the growth plate areas fuse into bone the condition gradually settles. As the athletic young person perform sport, the stresses cause minor fractures in the tendon insertion area, which then heals with bony repair. When this is repeated many times the tibial tubercle may become very prominent and give long term problems with functional activities such as kneeling. Limitation of the aggravating activity or short-term immobilisation is required until the inflammation settles.

Performing Neck Exercises

Neck exercises should be performed steadily and slowly, attempting to get the end of the available range each time and pushing that bit further to try and increase the movement for a few seconds. Sitting or standing are the obvious starting positions but high levels of pain may mean that lying down is best for some people, or while they are having a shower due to the warmth. Most people perform the individual movements much too quickly and it is more useful to take up to five seconds for the complete movement in either direction.

Patients can often start with five movements performed three or four times per day, although lower number of repetitions or times per day may be necessary due to some pain problems. Doing smaller movements may also be necessary if pushing into the pain is not helpful, after which the movements can increase in size as the problem eases. Rolling the neck right around should be avoided as this can be aggravating to the neck joints and if exercises cause dizziness or symptoms in the hands they should be stopped and advice taken as to which exercises would suit the condition best.