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

Exercise for Neck Pain

Exercise is a good choice to manage neck pain and is a safe way to treat the neck. Simple neck exercises are useful and help reduce pain and maintain the ranges of motion of the joints. It is important to stretch out the muscles, joints and other structures in the neck which might be tight and stiff. A degree of discomfort and soreness is to be expected after beginning to exercise and this should not be a cause of concern. Concentration on repeating the movements until full range is achieved is the key and with this a reduction in pain is likely.

No particular exercise suits everybody.s neck problems so a bit of experimentation is often necessary to find the right combination for any individual. Neck exercises should be performed slowly and steadily to get the right result as quick movements may cause injury or aggravate the pain. All exercises should be performed to the end of the range of movement available with a steady push to go a bit further held for a few seconds each time. The neck itself is an obvious choice for exercises but the shoulder and the shoulder girdle are involved in the function of the area and should also be included.

Physiotherapy and Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a troublesome pain problem which occur in the sole of the foot in the heel region and can be very disabling. Underneath the heel on the calcaneal bone is a bony spur which is one end of the plantar ligament, a ligament which stretches along the foot towards the front. A sudden onset of severe pain on weight bearing on the heel is typical, with the person suddenly feeling they have to walk on tiptoe to avoid the pain. This conditions can occur in anyone but is more common in certain types of arthritic condition where the ligament and bone junctions are affected by the disease.

Physiotherapy assessment begins with a history of the condition and any other medical conditions the patient may be suffering. The foot is examined and the tender area palpated for the typical pain on pressure. The foot posture is checked to see if the patient has a flat foot or a heel deviation in standing,, and the tightness of the calf muscles is also assessed. Treatment involves stretches to the calf muscles, ultrasound to the area and silicone heel pads to reduce the force through the painful area. If not successful then injection of the area can be performed.