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

Physiotherapy and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a common and important chronic condition which affects about 1.5 million people in the United Kingdom. Hospitalisation is common as around 25% of COPD sufferers are admitted each year with a worsening of their condition. Chest physiotherapy is routinely employed in an attempt to improve air entry or to assist in the removal of secretions, using various techniques including manual treatment, treatment with equipment and walking programmes. Two techniques, positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV), have shown an ability to increase the amount of sputum brought up in patients where sputum retention is a problem.

One treatment which physiotherapists routinely use with respiratory patients is to get them walking again, as fitness declines quickly with best rest when sick and getting up and about promotes clearing of secretions naturally by coughing. This improves blood gases, shortness of breath and physical stamina. Moderate scientific evidence exists that this treatment is effective in respiratory patients and most physiotherapy techniques have been shown to be safe rather than particularly effective. Percussion, the hitting of the chest with the hands, has not been shown to be effective and is used less and less also for safety concerns.

Thumb Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the commonest degenerative joint disease in the world and affects hundreds of millions of mostly older people. The incidence of osteoarthritis is partly related to genetic factors but mostly the older a person is the more likely they are to have some arthritic joints. Some joints are more susceptible to osteoarthritic changes and more troublesome when they are affected by this condition. At the base of the thumb is the junction between the first metacarpal and one of the carpal or wrist bones, the trapezium, and this joint is known as the first carpo-metacarpal joint or CMC joint.

The CMC joint is a complex, saddle shaped joint and a very important one for the function of the hand. The thumb is a vital part of normal hand use and disturbance of the thumb can badly affect the use of the whole hand. The thumb has to rotate round so if can work opposite the fingers and if the joint become osteoarthritic this is restricted. A bony swelling may be obvious on the outer border of the hand below the thumb and the movement is obviously limited. Treatment includes joint mobilisations by a physiotherapist, splinting, injections and surgery.