Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is the assessment and treatment of the musculoskeletal (muscles, ligaments and bones) system of our body in the event of pain, stiffness and/or loss of function. Physiotherapists undertake a four-year University qualification with many also continuing on to Postgraduate studies in their specific area of interest. Physiotherapy has a strong scientific background and clinical research efficacy. In your initial appointment, our Physiotherapist will gain a history of your injury or condition and then perform a thorough physical examination to determine the cause of your symptoms. Treatment is aimed at reducing pain; restoring normal movement and prevention of recurrence of the same pathology. Treatment techniques utilised by Physiotherapists are varied and may differ from therapist to therapist. Most techniques can be classified as either manual therapy or exercise therapy. Manual therapy describes techniques performed by the Physiotherapist on the patient directly. This includes joint mobilisation and manipulation; massage; and stretching. Treatment techniques utilised by Physiotherapists are varied and may differ from therapist to therapist.  Most techniques can be classified as either manual therapy or exercise therapy. Manual therapy describes techniques performed by the Physiotherapist on the patient directly. This includes joint mobilisation and manipulation; massage; and stretching. The origin of Physiotherapy lies in the development of massage techniques and as such, we are a “hands-on” profession who prides itself on its expert knowledge of the human body and our specialised skills. Exercise therapy is the prescription and performance of appropriate exercises in the management and prevention of injuries. Exercise has strong scientific research to support its role in the management of many different types of diseases and medical conditions, including chronic low back pain; diabetes; osteoporosis; arthritis; lung and heart disease.

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy is an exercise in water. The pool used by our Physiotherapists and patients is heated to therapeutic levels (warmer than a community heated pool) to allow improved circulation and flexibility of soft tissues as the patient exercises. The buoyancy of the water helps to reduce the load on damaged or healing joints and tissues, allowing your body to recover easily. Every session is closely supervised by our Physiotherapists and every programme is customised for individual patients. Hydrotherapy is very beneficial for post-surgery rehabilitation and osteoarthritic conditions where sometimes land-based exercise programmes are too painful or limited. William Green runs Hydrotherapy classes at the Swan Park Leisure Center on Morrison Road. Classes run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 pm for one hour. Bookings are essential

Dry Needling

Dry Needling is the use of very thin pins, which are pushed through the skin in order to stimulate trigger points in muscles. Dry needling can be effective in releasing pain when dealing with painful muscle spasms, muscle tightness and soft tissue restriction. Most of our Physiotherapists have had advanced training in Dry Needling. Dry Needling is used alongside Physiotherapy treatment and can be useful in both acute and chronic conditions.