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

Physiotherapy for Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is an increasingly common condition, mostly but not exclusively occurring in women after the menopause when hormonal changes mean the bone density drops steadily with time. Those women who have good bone density to start with and whose density does not drop at a high rate may never reach the risky category. If osteoporosis is present then the incidence of fractures is higher, with vertebral body fractures and fractured neck of femur being the most common, both requiring intervention and causing distress and expense. Physiotherapists are involved in the assessment and management of people with low bone density.

Physios assess patients for their lifestyle, refer them for dietary advice if appropriate, generally advise on management, warn against inappropriate functional activities and prescribe exercise routines to maintain independence and maximise bone health. Physios may advise that lumbar flexion to pick up weights is inappropriate as the front aspects of the vertebral bodies are vulnerable in this activity to crush fractures. General and weight bearing exercises are taught as weight bearing stimulates bone maintenance and growth due to the jarring involved. Swimming and cycling are good aerobic exercise methods but do not have the bone stimulating effect of walking or doing exercises in a gym.

Pain Behaviours

When we hurt ourselves it is usual for us to give some indication of the fact that we are injured and these behaviours we exhibit are caused pain behaviours. Typical pain behaviours are non-verbal such as groaning or moaning, grimacing, holding the painful part, lying down, seeking a space away from people or taking painkillers. These behaviours are normal and are a form of communication, letting other people know we have a problem so that they can help us if we require some assistance to manage our injury. These behaviours allow others to assist us more quickly than if we had to think about it and ask them, which would be difficult immediately after a painful injury.

However, such pain behaviours can become chronic, a sort of ingrained habit, and people may use them to communicate daily to people around them about how they are doing that day. This type of communication, being non-verbal, can be misconstrued as it is not clear what is being communicated, leading to incorrect guesses and unwanted actions. Non-assertive communication can be very irritating for those around the person as it is never clear what they want and when something is done it is wrong.