When someone comes to physiotherapy, it can be for one of two reasons. Either someone is in pain doing an activity and can no longer do it, or they can do the activity, but believe that with specific treatment and rehabilitation, they can do it better. With respect to these two issues, one must ask themselves, ‘‘Do I need to be pain-free?’’

Icing is often the first instinct someone has when they have an injury. Our parents, and even our grandparents have probably always got a cold bag of vegetable out of the freezer any time anyone in the family had a bump or a bruise. From the playing in the playground, to Premier League Football, ice packs will always be the ‘go to’ when it comes to pain relief. But is it necessary?

These injections have become commonplace within the NHS, Private practice, and in Professional Sports. But what are they? Corticosteroid injections are artificial versions of the human hormone, cortisone. This hormone is anti-inflammatory in nature, and can be used for a variety of musculoskeletal issues.

In mainstream media, YouTube ‘Fail Compilations’, and memes on social media, CrossFit has been the centre of many jokes. People claim that it is unsafe, ego-driven, a waste of time and money, and a one-way ticket to injury. In reality, CrossFit has done a lot of good since its inception over two decades ago. Millions of people have moved their body in a different way, and found a community thanks to CrossFit. Here, we will take a quick look into CrossFit, chat about the pros and cons, and discuss whether it is truly ‘bad for you’.

Arthritis is a term that gets thrown around, often times inappropriately as a description of joint pain. Osteoarthritis is often an age-related inflammatory pathology of a joint, sometimes called degenerative joint disease or ‘wear and tear’ but some old fashioned healthcare professionals. Rheumatoid arthritis is another form of joint pathology, but is not necessarily age-related, and has a different presentation and has different treatment routes.

Hip pain can be complicated, and not just a simple case of rest, take painkillers, and hope for the best. There can be multiple issues occurring at once, which can make you feel like you’re going crazy as the pain feels like it moves around and you can’t always pinpoint the major area of concern.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a common injury’s and can affect up to 4% of the population over a lifetime. Although it sometimes gets bunched in with repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), it is itself a specific condition, with its own management and treatment guidance.

If you have been rehabbing your ACL injury with your physiotherapist, it has probably been mentioned during your rehab process what tests you have to pass before returning to sport. Dependent on what clinic you’re attending and what facilities are available, return to sport testing can vary greatly from clinic. In this article, we will discuss 5 non-negotiable tests when considering if you’re ready to return to play.

During a pregnancy, there are a million and one questions that you may have. These can be answered by GPs, obstetricians, midwives, physios, friends, family, and strangers on the internet. Although much of the gold standard advice during pregnancy is mainstream, and accessible through your healthcare professionals, one subject that is often shrouded in mystery is the limitations (if any) of how to exercise during pregnancy

Neck pain affects a large amount of the population every year. it can be after a trauma like a fall or a car accident, or it can be a gradual onset of pain. In the Work From Home culture where some people are still working form their kitchen table 2 years after the start of the pandemic, neck pain may be on the rise. Although the desk set ups and fancy ergonomic keyboards often get all of the praise for keeping neck pain at bay, it is often what you do at your desk that affects your neck pain, and not the desk set up itself.

Shoulder pain is very common, both in the active population, and those who are more sedentary. Over the past 2 years of lockdowns, there has been an increase in those with shoulder pain. One cause of shoulder pain, may be an injury to the rotator cuff complex.

Missing time away from your sport or activity can be extremely frustrating, and finding the right person to guide you can get you back to your best faster. Finding a physiotherapist who understands your sport, what physical demands it requires, and the principles of strength & conditioning is crucial. In my humble opinion, any physiotherapist working with athletes or the active population should be active themselves, giving a sense of ‘practice what you preach’. Would you listen to a nutrition coach who never cooks, and only orders takeaway meals?

Tendons connect a muscle to a bone, and can be found from the tip of your toes, all the way to the base of your skull. They are sometimes described as linear, ‘organised’ tissues, that absorb force, and active as a link between the muscle creating the force that moves a bone or joint. When injured, these tendons can tear or become ‘disorganised’, which decreases their ability to do their job effectively.

Within the realms of physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic care, and other forms of musculoskeletal therapies, acupuncture and dry needling is commonly seen as an available service. The use of these modalities often create debate on whether they work, or whether they are just a waste of money, with some placebo effects at best. Here, we will take a deep dive into the use of needles by therapists in an effort to help pain and function, and whether or not you should consider them for your issue.

You may have done your research and diagnosed yourself with plantar fasciitis, plantar fasciopathy, or plantar heel pain. But is it something else altogether? If indeed you do have plantar fasciitis, here we will discuss some features of the conditions, and some things that may help you manage this often quite debilitating injury.

If you’ve never run before, then you have probably been lucky enough to never have heard the term shin splints. However, if you are a runner or have friends that run, then you have definitely heard the term at least once, quickly followed by an exasperated ‘…and now it is painful to just walk’.

Summer is the perfect time for people to dust off the cobwebs on their Nikes, and hit the trails, tracks, and treadmills. It is also the worst time to have knee pain stop you in your tracks and keep your step count down.