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

Ankle Sprain

The ankle is one of the most commonly injured joints in falling, twisting, slipping or in sport such as football. This joint is very vulnerable as it is at the end of series of long levers and takes the whole weight of the body in sometimes fast and violent movements. The ankle is a mortise type joint made up of the talus (ankle bone) and the bottom ends of the tibia and the fibula. Most of the joint surface is made from the tibia and the talus moving against each other, with the fibula on the outside. Powerful ligaments bind the ankle together on both sides to give stability.

When the foot goes over the ankle ligaments are sprained or torn, in some cases there may be a complete rupture. Mild sprains can be treated by ice, anti-inflammatory and a reduction in activity for a while. More severe sprains may need more rest and an ankle brace for a few weeks. Very severe sprains or rupture may require immobilisation in plaster of Paris or an Aircast boot until the ligament has healed well enough for weight bearing without protection to be restarted. In rare cases surgery is required if healing is not satisfactory.

Managing Acute Neck Pain

Most neck pain episodes which come on suddenly (acute neck pain) are managed by the sufferer independently and this is the best approach. The initial approach is to take some painkillers to reduce the pain levels to a more manageable state. Painkillers cannot abolish the pain completely, but simply allow the person to get moving and stay active in the early period rather than being forced to rest. It is quite safe to take the recommended painkillers, they don.t mask the pain so much that a person can damage themselves without knowing. It is important to take the drugs appropriately.

It is recommended to take the painkillers every four to six hours as advised in the instructions and to do this for several days, even if the person feels better now and then. Stopping taking them too soon means the pain flares up again at some point, inhibiting movement and recovery. Taking the painkillers regularly allows the build up of the drug levels in the blood which keeps the pain suppressed. People often stick it out until the pain becomes more severe but this is unhelpful as it is harder to relieve a pain than to prevent it developing.