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

Fracture Treatment

Fractures occur in a huge variety of forms and in a wide variation of severity from the small flake pulled of a bone by a ligament to an open fracture with many pieces. Treatment for a fracture reflects this variety, encompassing a spectrum from a minor reduction in activity to amputation of the body part involved. An important first assessment is to decide whether the fracture is closed or open, meaning whether the skin is intact or there is an open wound leading down to the fracture. Open or compound fractures need thorough cleaning and removal of any dead tissue and treatment with antibiotics to prevent infection.

The next issue to decide is the matter of displacement. Many fractures occur through the body of a bone but the whole bone remains in its original alignment and there is no displacement of one part of the bone compared to another. Healing should occur in as close to the original anatomy as possible so treatment aims to .reduce. a fracture, i.e. to re-establish to original position of the bone by manipulation and then maintaining the position by immobilisation. Fractures are typically placed in Plaster of Paris or other materials to hold the position for a number of weeks.

Neck Pain

Neck pain is very common indeed in the adult population and can be very troublesome in terms of personal distress and loss of functional ability. However, the underlying cause is very rarely serious and permanent injury or damage to the neck is rare. In acute pain (pain of recent onset) the typical course is for it to settle over a period of days or weeks, with minimal interruption in normal activities of daily living after the initial severe few days. Neck pain and neck ache can last for some day or settle down and then recur again at some unpredictable time.

Initial management of the acute pain is very important as resting for a day or so makes sense but any longer than this may delay recovery or increase the possibility of long term pain and disability. Our necks are designed to be moved and to recover from pain or injury they need to be moved regularly and through large movements. Staying as close to normal activity as possible is one of the most important strategies for recovery. The presence of pain inhibits our willingness to move but keeping the neck still may be counterproductive.