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

Neck Pain

Neck pain is very common indeed in the adult population and can be very troublesome in terms of personal distress and loss of functional ability. However, the underlying cause is very rarely serious and permanent injury or damage to the neck is rare. In acute pain (pain of recent onset) the typical course is for it to settle over a period of days or weeks, with minimal interruption in normal activities of daily living after the initial severe few days. Neck pain and neck ache can last for some day or settle down and then recur again at some unpredictable time.

Initial management of the acute pain is very important as resting for a day or so makes sense but any longer than this may delay recovery or increase the possibility of long term pain and disability. Our necks are designed to be moved and to recover from pain or injury they need to be moved regularly and through large movements. Staying as close to normal activity as possible is one of the most important strategies for recovery. The presence of pain inhibits our willingness to move but keeping the neck still may be counterproductive.

Knee Arthritis

The knee is a large synovial joint formed between the large expanded end of the femur (thigh bone) and the top of the tibia or shin bone. The ends of the bones are covered with articular cartilage, a slippery and firm material which allows the almost friction free movement which our joints can provide even if there is a body weight load on them. On an x-ray this shows up as a dark space between the bony surfaces, known as the joint space. In time or after injury this cartilage can change as part of the process of osteoarthritis, although there is a significant genetic component which influences whether we get osteoarthritis or not.

Changes occur both in the cartilage and the bone of the joint during the osteoarthritic process and the process may begin with a softening of the cartilage from its firm, hard surfaces. Next, fissures can develop until the thickness of the cartilage wears down and in severe cases the underlying bone may be exposed, causing a bone on bone crunching and pain. Symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain, loss of joint movement, joint deformity such as knock knee or bow leg and difficulties with gait.