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

The Sacro-Iliac Joint

The sacro-iliac joints are a pair of large irregular joints at the base of the spine which connect the sacrum, the triangular bone below the lumbar vertebrae, with the ilium, the large wings of the pelvis. It is a synovial joint like the fingers or knees but has very limited movement and functions to transfer the weight of the upper body from the spine to the hips. The sacro-iliac joint has very strong ligaments which travel the very short distances between the two highly irregular joint surfaces. There are no muscles which can act to produce real movements of the joint as other joints move and it functions as the weight transmitting and stress relieving pelvic joint.

The sacro-iliac joints are designed to absorb the torsional stresses which occur in the pelvis during gait and do have small degree of movement to help them manage this function. The irregular joint surfaces with its depressions and prominences allow the sacrum to lock between the iliac bones so that it cannot be driven downwards by the weight of the body. The irregular joint surfaces also prevent the sacrum being rotated inappropriately, with its strong ligaments being responsible for absorbing pelvis stresses during walking.

Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder is a somewhat mysterious condition which afflicts people mostly in their middle years and can give high levels of pain and disability which can last over several years. Onset of frozen shoulder is typically sudden and may follow a minor shoulder injury or even a tweak on some unaccustomed movement which may not seem relevant. The initial phase is of steadily increasing pain which can be very severe and badly interfere with sleep. During this phase the shoulder is very difficult to move and the patient needs strong analgesia to get some rest and function normally.

Once the acutely painful period has passed the shoulder begins to lose range of movement, particularly lateral rotation, the ability to rotate the upper arm bone outwards. As the pain gradually reduces slowly the stiffness of the shoulder increases until the arm is just very stiff without much in the way of pain. Overall the process can last two years or more until the shoulder loosens up although full range of motion may never be recovered. On examination lateral rotation and elevation will be severely limited and the patient will often lift the whole shoulder girdle in an attempt to raise the arm.