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

Total Shoulder Replacement

Shoulder replacement is less commonly performed than replacement of the hip or knee but remains a very useful treatment for a variety of shoulder conditions. Osteoarthritis is much less common in the shoulder than in the knee or hip so replacement is more frequently performed for arthritic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and for painful conditions secondary to trauma such as fractures or rotator cuff dysfunction. Replacing the shoulder is a different matter from the main weight bearing joints of the lower limbs which can be thought of as .hard tissue joints.

The shoulder is more of a .soft tissue joint. in that the orientation and sufficiency of the soft tissues are what allows the joint to function properly. Typically the socket is replaced by a plastic socket component and the humeral head by a metal component which has a stem down the humeral shaft. The correct positioning of the humeral head in relation to the soft tissues such as the rotator cuff tendons is vital as if this is not correct then the joint surfaces may be fine but the shoulder will not function correctly. Patients are routinely referred to physiotherapy, initially for range of motion and later for strengthening and functional work.

Hand Injuries - Acute Management

Most injuries, apart from the most minor, benefit from being seen and assessed by a doctor as a relatively minor dysfunction in the hand can cause long term functional disability. Initial management of a hand injury should be to control any bleeding by applying gauze or a clean cloth to the wound and putting some pressure on it. In a closed injury (i.e. no wound) then ice can be applied to the damaged area to reduce inflammation and pain. Jewellery such as rings needs to be immediately removed as hand swelling can be very dramatic, rendering easy removal later impossible.

Once in the Emergency Department the doctor will x-ray the hand routinely and may inject the nerve at the wrist level or at the base of one of the fingers to numb the hand or the finger so that they can examine the area without too much pain. Wounds will be cleaned if they are dirty and then closed by stitching or a related method, with antibiotics prescribed to prevent infection developing. Splinting is often used to immobilise the hand in a specific position to prevent further injury or maintain anatomical integrity. A referral to a hand specialist or a plastic surgeon is typically written and pain control medication will be encouraged for a few days.