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

Simple Neck Exercises . Three

Whilst simple neck exercises are extremely valuable to correct postural abnormalities, lengthen shortened structures and relieve painful neck problems it is important to use the correct technique to get the best from them. Incorrect technique can make the exercises effectively useless or even worsen the problem or cause injury. There are four basic directions of neck exercises: front and back (flexion and extension); side to side (side flexion); rotation; retraction (tucking the head in a bit like a chicken does when it walks). All these movements need to be performed to put the cervical structures through their full movement.

The structures which make up the body do not respond well to fast movement or great forces applied in very short time periods. The aim with simple neck exercises is to get the joints to the extremes of their movement and give a gentle end range stretch to the anatomy. To achieve this the movement needs to be steady and slow, without jerking, and held at the end with a bit of extra effort for a few seconds. It is also useful to do just one movement at a time, the common behaviour of rotating the neck in large circles being both more likely to aggravate the joints and not getting the full movement of any of them.

Physiotherapy and Elderly People

The number of elderly people is increasing strongly in all the industrialised states of the world and the health challenges which come with this are considerable. Physiotherapists have a large role to play both in hospitals once an elderly person is admitted and with elderly people in the community. Once admitted an elderly patient is seen by the physiotherapist if a respiratory, neurological or mobility problem is identified. Physios specialising in elderly care are trained to understand, assess and treat patients who may have a series of co-existing medical conditions as well as difficulties understanding or expressing themselves.

Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to drug reactions, being away from their normal surroundings and being immobilised for any length of time. Complications can quickly occur such as chest infections, pressure sores, confusion and loss of mobility and independence. Physios assess and treat these problems and routinely mobilise patients who have compromised mobility. In the community physiotherapists may visit the elderly in their homes and advise on mobility, safety and functional issues. Physios also take exercise classes in the community for balance and falls prevention, and for bone density to counter the increasing incidence of osteoporosis in elderly women.