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STORTFORD PARK PHYSIOTHERAPY

How we treat

We start by carrying out a thorough person-centred assessment to accurately diagnose your injury or condition. We will then explain your condition and discuss an individual treatment plan which may include some of the modalities outlined below to ease your pain and deal with the problem. We believe our approach of 'hands on' manual therapy, electrotherapy, exercise and rehabilitation works well. In our experience, it speeds up recovery time and helps patients get back to their optimum levels of fitness and well-being as quickly as possible.

'Hands on' treatments

We offer skilled 'hands-on' physiotherapy treatments to relieve pain, reduce swelling and restore movement. These include manipulation, mobilisations, sustained pressures, muscle energy techniques (METs) and massage as part of an individually-tailored treatment plan. These techniques are highly skilled and our team have all completed extensive post-graduate training with the Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine (SOMM) to be able to offer them.

Electrotherapy treatments

 

Interferential therapy

Interferential therapy is a low frequency electrotherapy treatment that can deliver a range of low frequency currents to the systems and tissues in the body, which mimic the electrical currents that the body itself produces. It can be used to increase the healing rate of soft tissue injuries, improve the speed of recovery from fractures and nerve damage, increase circulation, boost serotonin levels, and treat pain.

Therapeutic ultrasound

Therapeutic ultrasound is a physiotherapy treatment for soft tissue injuries which helps to speed up the healing process and repair of ligaments, tendons, and muscles. It transmits sounds waves through the tissues and theses waves of energy stimulate the body’s own repair mechanisms helping to accelerate healing. It can also be helpful to break down scar tissue in chronic injuries.

Watson Headache ® Approach

The Watson Headache ® Approach is an internationally-recognised manual therapy approach used to treat headache and migraine conditions. It was founded and developed by Dr Dean Watson PhD, a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist in Australia, and has evolved from his experience of treating and researching into headache and migraine conditions exclusively since 1990. It involves specific and skilled manual therapy techniques to assess and clinically reason the role of the upper cervical spine in the presentation of headache and migraine conditions. These conditions can include other symptoms like vertigo, dizziness, and idiopathic eye pain, which can also potentially arise from dysfunctions in the upper 3 segments of the spine. Ultimately, the manual therapy treatment (not manipulation or cracking), results in de-sensitising the brainstem housed in the top 3 segments of the spine helping to resolve the joint dysfunctions, muscle imbalances and pain.

These highly-skilled assessment and treatment techniques can only be used following completion of specialist training with the Watson Headache Institute. Our team have all completed both level 1 and 2 of the post-graduate Watson Headache Institute training programme with Dr Dean Watson.

Taping

Physiotherapy taping can be used for pain relief and/or support and in some cases to reduce inflammation. Taping is not just for athletes, and we may apply tape to improve healing, assist with support and stabilisation of injured areas, and reduce pain. It can also be helpful to provide feedback and prevent re-injury.

Exercise and rehabilitation

Exercise and rehabilitation are vital components of any treatment plan following an injury or operation. All our exercise and rehabilitation programmes are individually designed for each patient based on their specific condition, and their agreed goals. We aim to educate people to improve their body awareness and to help them understand why the exercises we are giving them are an important part of their recovery. We try not to overload patients with exercises and never mind how many times we are asked to repeat the instructions!