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

Disc Nutrition and Posture

The supply of nutritional substances to the inner parts of the discs is in general poor and a lack of this supply is connected with degenerative disc changes. Large differences in the compression forces inside an intervertebral disc can be generated by relatively small changes in posture. These changes have correspondingly large effects on fluid flow out of and into discs and on diffusion of metabolic agents into the disc. The effectiveness of the transport of these materials depends on how far they have to travel from the nearest blood vessel which is usually in the vertebral endplate (top or bottom of the disc).

When bending, the back of the disc walls is stretched and the fronts are compressed, with stretching making the wall thinner and therefore more easily crossed by nutrients. This brings more food supply into the central area of the rear of the disc, the area which receives least nutrition. Compression from movement also squeezes water from the disc and as it returns when the pressure is relieved the incoming water brings nutrients along with it. Changes from a lordosis to a flexed position regularly increase the fluid flow in and out of the disc, encouraging the transport of nutrients.

Physiotherapy for Femoral Shaft Fractures

Fractures of the femoral shaft in adults are overwhelmingly the result of considerable force such as a road accident or a fall from a height. Due to the force involved and the power of the surrounding muscles the bone ends often overlap, cutting into the soft tissues around them, and there is often a considerable amount of bleeding and pain. Initial treatment consists of pain control, maintaining the patient.s blood volume and applying some traction to the leg to bring the bones out towards their normal positioning. Treatment used to be skeletal traction for up to 12 weeks but this has been superseded by internal fixation with a nail down the femur to stabilise the fracture.

Initial physiotherapy concentrates on restoring the muscle activity to the quadriceps, often inhibited by the pain and direct injury, and regaining range of motion in the knee. Mobilisation with a physiotherapist is performed as soon as comfort allows and the patient is often permitted to partial weight bear with crutches as the fracture is typically stable with the fixation. Further physio treatment includes massage to the fractured area to disperse scar tissue forming in the area which could bind down the muscle and other soft tissues, limiting movement and strength.