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

Total Shoulder Replacement

Shoulder replacement is less commonly performed than replacement of the hip or knee but remains a very useful treatment for a variety of shoulder conditions. Osteoarthritis is much less common in the shoulder than in the knee or hip so replacement is more frequently performed for arthritic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and for painful conditions secondary to trauma such as fractures or rotator cuff dysfunction. Replacing the shoulder is a different matter from the main weight bearing joints of the lower limbs which can be thought of as .hard tissue joints.

The shoulder is more of a .soft tissue joint. in that the orientation and sufficiency of the soft tissues are what allows the joint to function properly. Typically the socket is replaced by a plastic socket component and the humeral head by a metal component which has a stem down the humeral shaft. The correct positioning of the humeral head in relation to the soft tissues such as the rotator cuff tendons is vital as if this is not correct then the joint surfaces may be fine but the shoulder will not function correctly. Patients are routinely referred to physiotherapy, initially for range of motion and later for strengthening and functional work.

Continuous Passive Motion after Knee Replacement

Total knee replacement is an increasingly common treatment for knee osteoarthritis and large numbers of elderly people undergo this operation every year. Physiotherapy management and treatment of these patients post-operatively is therefore becoming increasingly important if the best functional outcome is to be achieved. Early rehabilitation focuses on improving strength in the quadriceps muscle, restoring range of motion of knee flexion and facilitating gait and activities of daily living. The restoration of knee ranges of movement is one of the key elements on which success is judged and much physiotherapy time is dedicated to this part of the treatment.

A continuous passive motion machine is commonly used to improve knee flexion range of movement, as regular passive movement of a joint has been shown to result in better healing as compared to resting. Research work has shown a minor short term effect of using this treatment technique and it is often reserved for difficult cases such as after manipulation under anaesthetic for a stiff joint. Patients can remain on the machine for long periods but it is important not to forget active practice of the ranges of motion to improve muscle function. Overall continuous passive motion has not been shown to play a significant role in standard knee replacements.