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

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Sprain (ACL)

The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the four major ligaments of the knee joint which stabilise the joint against inappropriate movement in all directions. The ACL crosses the joint from above to below and prevents the tibia (shin bone) from slipping forwards under the condyles of the femur or thigh bone. It is a very strong ligament and very important for knee stability in activities and sports. It is most commonly injured in non-contact situations when the person is changing direction quickly such as in cutting or side-stepping in sport but can also be injured in tackles and other interactions involving another person.

Many people who have had an ACL injury report that they heard their knee go .pop. at the time, accompanied by a severe pain and an inability to weight bear on the limb. The knee typically swells up very quickly, within minutes or hours, as it fills with blood from the injury due to the rupture of the blood vessels in the ligament. Initial treatment is to splint the knee and perhaps remove some of the blood from the joint by a needle. Due to the risk of arthritis developing, the main treatment is almost always surgical reconstruction of the ligament.

Physiotherapy Mobilisation Techniques

Physiotherapists use a large number of treatment techniques to manage the variety of conditions their patients present with. Joint problems make up a large proportion of a physio.s caseload and to treat these a number of treatment approaches have been developed which go under the general umbrella of mobilisation techniques. Joint mobilisations are a technique of stressing the joint manually by moving it through a proportion of its range and with a specific amount of force. Manipulation, meaning work done with the hands, includes the more vigorous manoeuvres which are commonly referred to as manipulation.

Initially a physiotherapist will fully assess the joint for the type of problem which is present such as primarily pain, pain and stiffness or primarily stiffness with little pain. Mobilisations for pain will be gentle and rhythmic to avoid aggravating an already irritable joint. If the pain is less severe and there is some stiffness the joint can be pushed a little harder. If stiffness is the main problem in the absence of pain then the joint may tolerate being pushed repeatedly to the end of its available movement in an attempt to increase its range of motion. Training is required to assess and treat a joint safely and effectively.