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

The Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder function to stabilise the large humeral head on the relatively small shoulder socket or glenoid cavity. The origin of the rotator cuff muscles is the large flat areas of the scapula or shoulder blade, but for the muscles to be able exert their forces the shoulder blade must itself be stabilised. The shoulder blade floats over the thoracic rib cage and is attached by various muscles to the trunk, the rhomboids, trapezius and serratus anterior. If there is a dysfunction in these muscle groups the stability of the scapula will be compromised, making it difficult or impossible for the rotator cuff group to do their work effectively.

The rotator cuff muscle all originate medially to the shoulder, i.e. further in towards the middle of the body. They pass outwards towards the head of the humerus, becoming tendons close to the shoulder itself and then inserting into the greater tuberosity, a bony protrusion on the outside of the head of the humerus. The primary pull of the rotator cuff muscles is in a directly inwardly direction, pulling the humeral head firmly against the glenoid. This counteracts the tendency of the deltoid muscle to pull the humeral head upwards.

Knee Ligament Injuries

Knee injuries are extremely common and a routine part of sporting activities of many kinds, especially in younger people. The knee is a large hinge type of joint connected by powerful ligaments but because of the joint.s position in the middle of a long lever (the leg) it is vulnerable to high levels of force during movement. Physiotherapists routinely diagnose and treat ligamentous injuries and rehabilitate patients back to their functional goal. A common injury is a strain of the medial collateral ligament when a force is applied to the outside of the knee when the foot is on the ground, pushing the knee inwards and opening out the joint on the inside.

Typically the knee will swell over the next 12 hours or so and be painful over the inside of the joint, sometimes making it difficult to walk easily. Treatment is to immobilise the knee in a brace or plaster of Paris for a shorter or longer period of time, then get the knee moving so that it does not lose range of movement. The ligament is under tension when the knee is straight so the physio will concentrate on restoring the ability of the muscles to fully extend the knee.