Physiotherapists in Staffordshire treat many different conditions including the condition profiled below.

Clavicle Fractures

The clavicle (collar bone) is commonly fractured in activities which involve the risk of falling on the upper quadrant of the body such as sport, bicycling or simple falls in children and the elderly. The clavicle is a stabilising bone between the scapula and the sternum, holding the arm away from the body during activities and allowing the exertion of force and power. Fracture give acute pain over the bone itself, swelling and bruising and perhaps deformity as the alignment of the bone is disturbed. The fracture may crunch on attempted movement of the arm and be very painful.

To allow healing the arm should be rested for three weeks in a sling to minimise the forces through the clavicle until the fracture begins to unite, during which time the patient should limit arm movement to below shoulder level. Once the pain has reduced after the three week point the arm ranges of movement can be gradually increased. In some cases healing of clavicular fractures can be slow or internal fixation become necessary if they show no signs of uniting after two months or so. Limitation of shoulder movement after fracture is uncommon and physiotherapists typically advise patients on exercises to restore full range.

Hand Injuries - Prevention

Many hand injuries can be prevented by taking sensible precautions or by avoiding obviously risky behaviours. One of the most common behaviours, especially amongst young men in social situations, is to damage their hands by punching each other or punching objects in anger such as doors or walls. This commonly results in fractures to the metacarpals or fingers, injuries which need careful management for the best functional outcome. The use of knives should be carefully regulated with training and supervision for those who work with them routinely. Separating frozen objects with a pointed knife whilst holding the object is a relatively common reason for stabbing a knife through the palm.

Health and safety regulations should be closely observed when operating machinery or dealing with electrical equipment. Injuries to the hands are almost always preventable with a little planning and forethought. Machinery with moving parts, especially rotational ones, requires operators to avoid wearing gloves or jewellery or loose clothing especially around the cuffs. In other situations gloves of the appropriate type should be used. Hands should not be placed in dangerous positions, so push sticks for saws or brushes to clean away machine debris should be employed.

Physiotherapists in Staffordshire have contributed some of the many articles on this site such as the one extracted below.

According to the evolutionary view of our biological history we have evolved from creatures which had a four-legged gait, changing gradually to our now very successful and functional walking pattern. Our bipedal gait has had several consequences. One is that our upper limbs have been freed so we can use our hands to do things within our visual fields, leading for worse or better to our dominance of the globe. Second is the necessity for our legs to take all the forces and effort of standing and gait, leading at least potentially to problems coping with such high levels of force.However, the foot evolved to walk, stand and run. It did not evolve to do ballet, ski, skateboard, lift heavy weights or skip. The foot receives and copes with every pound of pressure the body exerts upon it in its many activities. The foot is extremely strong and stable, but also adaptable and flexible. It has to cope with a typical 150,000 miles the average person walks in their lifetime, with greater loads im...

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