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

Physiotherapy and Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a troublesome and often chronic pain condition which affects the tendon and bone junctions of the forearm muscles near the elbow. It appears to be a tendinopathy, in other words a degenerative condition of the tendon rather than an inflammatory one. Pain can come on after an overuse of the arms such as a lot of painting, cleaning windows, gardening or racket sports. Elbow pain can be very disabling as it affects everything the person does with their arms and can limit employment and leisure activities. Physiotherapy examination starts with the history of the condition and what uses the patient makes of their arms in their job or at home.

Treatment involves reducing the aggravating stresses on the tendons by changing the way or frequency of activities and by applying an epicondylitis clasp around the forearm which may be helpful by realigning the angles of pull of the forearm muscles away from the painful areas. Deep transverse frictions can be applied by the physio to the painful area and they may also apply ultrasound to the area to reduce inflammation and scarring. Stretches and eccentric movements can be performed to reduce the pain.

Period Pain could be helped by Acupuncture

A recent study conducted in South Korea has provided some evidence than acupuncture may be useful as a treatment for period pain. Previous studies have found differently, with real and sham acupuncture having very similar effects. Period pain can be a significant problem in some women with a large variety of unpleasant symptoms including pain and nausea, sometimes lasting for many days of each cycle and thereby being disabling to some extent. A review considered 27 studies of acupuncture in period pain, with a variety of techniques used from traditional to western to sham acupuncture.

The studies showed that acupuncture was more effective than drug treatments in relieving severe period pains, despite the fact that many of the studies had flaws and therefore could not be completely relied upon for a scientific conclusion. However they did feel there was promising evidence that acupuncture could be of use in this condition. In the UK the body charged with evaluating evidence for treatments, NICE, has supported acupuncture for low back pain against criticism that acupuncture is not yet a valid treatment for anything. As acupuncture does seem to have important cultural aspects this may indicate that the individual.s belief structure is important for a good outcome.