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

Good and Bad Lumbar Posture

Good and bad lumbar posture has often been decided on grounds that are not sufficiently scientific and future recommendations need to be based on solid research. Early research on the effects of different spinal postures indicated that maintaining a lumbar lordosis reduced the pressures inside the disc nucleus. This seemed fine until it was realised that these pressures were being transferred to the rear disc walls and the facet joints. As the facet joints are known to be frequent causes of low back pain and the nucleus of the disc is not a source of pain the idea that a lordosis is desirable in all circumstances does not stand up to examination.

Overall having some flexion in the spine is better in static positions whilst a slight lordotic posture is better when walking. Too much flexion interferes with the ability of the muscles of the back to protect the spine, so a moderate position should be taken between too much flexion and too much extension. The benefits of slight flexion are mirrored in the typical habits of people in postures, such as crossing the legs or putting a leg up on something at a bar, both actions which increase the flexion of the lumbar spine.

Flexion Wrist Fracture

Fractures of the last inch of the radius and ulna make up seventy-five percent of all wrist injuries and require careful assessment and treatment to ensure a good functional outcome. The hand is a very important part and any residual disability can have long term functional consequences. A fall on an outstretched hand (FOOSH) often results in a Colles fracture but it can also result in a flexion fracture which is called a reversed Colles fracture or a Smith fracture. This latter type of fracture is much less common than the Colles fracture and is generally used to describe a fracture of the end of the radius which results in the fragment being displaced in a palmar direction.

This injury is commonly caused by falling onto the hand with the palm facing upward and the wrist tending to be forced into flexion. The hand stays in place on the ground as the forearm rotates inwards under the force of the fall, generating the fracture. This fracture can also be produced by punching something with the wrist in a slightly bent position. Overall management is the same as for Colles fracture, with realignment of the bony fragments and immobilisation.