Main Treatments
Manual Therapy
This includes mobilisation or manipulation of joints if appropriate.
Soft Tissue Therapies
Mobilisations to soft tissues and different types of massage techniques. Sports Massage, Lymphatic Massage, Swedish and Muscle Energy Techniques.
Exercise Prescription
Each patient will receive specific home exercise programme via our Rehab My Patient software so exercises can be printed or viewed online.
Guided Rehabilitation
Either working 1-2-1 with our Specialist Physio’s and Rehabilitation specialists or Classed based rehab, using our gym facilities inc. cardio and weights. Yoga and Pilates available.
Orthotics Prescription and Biomechanics Assessments
Either off the shelf or custom made. Sports footwear and Biomechanical assessments.
Education
We aim to discuss all our assessment findings with patients so they fully understand the diagnosis or pain syndrome. Signposting to literature and online resources.
Acupuncture and other modalities
We may use other modalities such as Acupuncture and some electrotherapy devices to assist in pain reduction, repair and recovery, such as muscle stimulators. We may also refer for Shockwave therapy to one of our colleagues.
Manual Therapy & Massage
Benefits
Reduced Pain
Reduced Muscular Tension
Relaxation
Manual therapy is a type of hands-on treatment that involves the use of various techniques to manipulate and mobilize the body’s soft tissues and joints. The goal of manual therapy is to alleviate pain, reduce muscle tension, increase range of motion, and improve overall function.
Manual therapy techniques can include massage, joint mobilisation, manipulation, stretching, and muscle energy techniques. These techniques are often used in combination to address specific issues and promote healing. Manual therapy can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including back and neck pain, sports injuries, arthritis, and chronic pain.
As well as reducing pain, improving recovery and increasing the range of motion, many clients also find sports massage relaxing and report better quality sleep after treatment.
While manual therapy can be effective for many people, it may not be appropriate for everyone. Before beginning manual therapy, a thorough assessment is conducted to determine the best course of treatment for the individual patient. Treatment plans may involve multiple sessions and will include exercises and other interventions to support the manual therapy techniques.
Taping & Braces & Orthoses
Benefits
Better Stability
Reduced Pain & Discomfort
Improved Mobility
Taping and bracing are commonly used techniques in physiotherapy to help support and stabilize injured or weak joints, muscles, and ligaments.
Taping: Taping involves applying a strip of adhesive tape to the skin over the injured area. The tape provides support and stabilization to the injured joint or muscle, reducing pain and inflammation and promoting healing. Taping can be used for a variety of injuries, including sprains, strains, and overuse injuries. Different types of tape are used for different purposes, such as rigid tape for joint support or kinesiology tape for muscle support and pain relief.
Bracing: Bracing involves using a device, such as a brace or splint, to support and stabilize the injured area. Braces can be made from a variety of materials, including metal, plastic, or fabric, and can be customized to fit the patient’s specific needs. Braces are commonly used for joint injuries, such as knee or ankle sprains, or to support weak muscles, such as the lower back.
Both taping and bracing can be effective in reducing pain, inflammation, and promoting healing. However, it’s important to consult with a physiotherapist to determine which technique is best suited for your specific injury or condition. Your physiotherapist can also teach you how to properly apply and remove the tape or brace to ensure maximum benefit and prevent further injury.
Orthotics can be an effective way to alleviate pain in the feet, ankles, knees, and lower back. Orthotics are devices that are inserted into shoes to correct abnormal foot function or to provide support and cushioning to the feet.
Orthotics can be custom-made or off-the-shelf, and they come in various shapes, sizes, and materials. They can be made from rigid materials, such as carbon fiber or plastic, or softer materials, such as foam or gel.
Orthotics can help with a variety of conditions that cause pain, such as plantar fasciitis, flat feet, high arches, overpronation, and underpronation. They can also help with conditions that affect the knees and lower back, such as osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain syndrome, and sciatica.
Acupuncture & Dry Needling
Benefits
Reduced Muscle Tension
Improved Mobility
Reduced Pain
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves inserting fine needles into specific points on the body to alleviate pain and other symptoms. Acupuncture is believed to work by stimulating the body’s natural healing mechanisms and promoting the flow of Qi, or energy, throughout the body.
Research has shown that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for various types of pain, including chronic low back pain, osteoarthritis pain, and headaches.
Although dry needling is fundamentally quite different to acupuncture, many of the treatment points used in dry needling do correspond with those used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Dry needling is a treatment modality whereby a thin acupuncture needle is inserted into a myofascial trigger point. Dry needling physiotherapy to myofacial trigger points uses anatomy and physiology to select the exact point to needle.
Areas commonly treated with needling in physiotherapy include the management of acute and chronic low back pain, chronic neck pain, tension type and migraine headaches, pelvic girdle pain, knee osteoharthhritis, lateral elbow pain and shoulder conditions.
Exercise & Guided Rehabilitation
Benefits
Improved mobility & fitness
Protect the skeleton
Better function & performance
Exercise can improve muscle tone and strength, which can help reduce pain, as well as prevent further injury. Patients undertaking regular exercise report better sleep and improved posture as well as benefiting from extra mobility and overall fitness. Athletes can also use specific exercises to improve performance and recovery.
At Blue Sky Physiotherapy we have a well-equipped gym where our therapists can support you to use exercise and movement to strengthen and realign your muscles. We can design an exercise programme that suits you, whatever your current level of fitness.
Education
Benefits
Empowering
Compliance
Dispel the myths around pain, injury and some less effective treatments.
- Empowering patients: Educating patients in physiotherapy empowers them to take an active role in their own care. It helps patients understand their condition, the treatment plan, and what they can do to manage their symptoms.
- Improved compliance: Patients who understand their condition and treatment plan are more likely to follow through with their treatment and exercise plan. This can lead to better outcomes and faster recovery.
- Better outcomes: Patient education can lead to better outcomes by improving patient understanding of their condition, treatment plan, and self-management strategies. This can lead to reduced pain, improved mobility, and increased function.
- Prevention of re-injury: Educating patients on proper posture, body mechanics, and exercise techniques can help prevent re-injury and promote long-term health.
- Cost-effective: Educating patients in physiotherapy can be a cost-effective way to improve patient outcomes. It can reduce the need for repeat appointments, tests, and procedures.
Overall, educating patients in physiotherapy is an essential component of patient-centered care that can improve outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and empower patients to take control of their health.