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

Time and Muscle Degeneration

Ageing is associated with decreases in both muscle bulk and strength, varying with different muscles in the body and with which side is the dominant one. The loss of the capacity of muscle is greater in men than in women and also in people who are less active physically. Hormone changes, reduced rates of protein production and poor dietary intake can all contribute. Physiotherapists can reverse this process by instituting a resisted exercise programme at the higher intensity level. Older people can respond to muscle training although older muscles do react less strongly to stimulation and take longer to recover and strengthen after exercise sessions.

Older muscles also suffer from a variety of other changes: a reduction in the ability to use energy to produce force; an increase in the fibrous tissue content which can increase stiffness. Along with the reduction in the ability to know where the joints are at any one moment the elderly suffer from slower reactions and poorer muscle control, with weaker and more easily tired muscles. This can lead in very elderly people to a loss of independence and increasing frailty. Perhaps because of its good blood supply, muscle is mostly able to regenerate itself and remain strong.

Stretching and Tightness

We all have a genetically determined stretchiness or tightness to our connective tissues, the skin, tendons, ligaments and discs which are made up of collagen. It is partly the make up of collagen and partly the length of our tendons and ligaments which determine how bendy or tight we are. Mostly the length of our soft tissues is not very important as we are able to function normally with what we have got, but in some cases such as injury or pain conditions the tightness or laxness of our tissues can become an issue. In low back and neck pain syndromes certain structures can become tight and others slack, leading to imbalances in the muscular and joint systems.

Physiotherapists use stretching routinely to correct these imbalances and teach their patients very specific and controlled programmes. For stretching to be effective the action must be taken to the point of tightness, pushed a little further into the resistance and held for 15 seconds or more steadily. Bouncing should be avoided as this does not stretch well and can cause injury. Stretching should feel uncomfortable in the target tissues but not greatly painful and any discomfort should settle quickly once the stretch is removed.