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

The Causes of Neck Pain

The neck is a strong structure, being part of the mechanically strong and durable spinal column, formed by the individual vertebrae which are bound together by the disc outer walls and large numbers of ligaments. The neck has some large powerful muscles and some smaller postural ones to maintain itself within safe limits. Disc problems or trapped nerves are uncommon in neck problems and surgery for neck symptoms is much less common than for back problems. As with mechanical low back pain, MRI scans and x-rays are not particularly helpful in normal neck pain and can even be confusing.

MRI scan reports often reveal .degenerative changes. in the discs or joints of the cervical spine, which sounds serious but is present in the necks of many people who do not have neck pain. These changes are time related and do not reflect ongoing damage in the spine. One of the frustrating aspects of neck pain is that the physiotherapist and the doctor are unlikely to be able to put their finger on the exact cause of the pain, but this is very common and not a cause for alarm. Most neck pain is thought to come from the joints, ligaments and muscles in the cervical spine.

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.