16 conditions
Point.
Conditions by body part
What we see most, region by region, with how urgent it is and which clinic to book. Written by our physios in plain words. If your symptoms match a same-day line, do not wait for us.
- Conditions
- 16
- Same day
- 1 needs a call today
- Routine
- 9 book the normal way
NK · 1 condition
Neck
Routine
Desk neck and tension headaches
Neck and shoulder pain that builds through the working week, often with a headache at the back of the head.
- Aching across the top of the shoulders and neck
- Headache from the back of the head to behind the eyes
- Worse by Friday, better by Monday
- Stiff turning the head
A physio assessment for the neck, then a desk assessment for the cause. Acupuncture helps the headache in many people.
SH · 3 conditions
Shoulder
Routine
Desk neck and tension headaches
Neck and shoulder pain that builds through the working week, often with a headache at the back of the head.
- Aching across the top of the shoulders and neck
- Headache from the back of the head to behind the eyes
- Worse by Friday, better by Monday
- Stiff turning the head
A physio assessment for the neck, then a desk assessment for the cause. Acupuncture helps the headache in many people.
Routine
Rotator cuff related shoulder pain
The most common shoulder problem: tendons around the shoulder irritated by load, posture or a change in activity.
- Pain on the outside of the upper arm
- Painful arc lifting the arm out to the side
- Pain lying on that side at night
- Weakness reaching up or behind
Assessment; ultrasound in the room if we need it. A loading programme over six to twelve weeks is the mainstay.
Routine
Frozen shoulder
The shoulder capsule tightens and the joint stiffens over months. Painful first, then stiff, then it thaws. Slow but it does end.
- Deep shoulder pain that is worse at night
- Loss of movement in every direction, especially turning the arm out
- Trouble with bra straps, coat sleeves and reaching a back pocket
- Age 40 to 60, more often with diabetes
Assessment to confirm it and rule out the joint itself. We treat the stiffness, and refer for a hydrodilatation injection when the pain phase is stubborn.
BK · 3 conditions
Back
Same day
Cauda equina warning signs
Pressure on the bundle of nerves at the base of the spine. Rare, and an emergency.
- Numbness around the saddle area or inner thighs
- Difficulty starting or stopping urine, or loss of bladder or bowel control
- Weakness or numbness in both legs
- New back pain with any of the above
Go to A&E now or call 999. Do not book physiotherapy first.
This week
Acute low back pain
The back that went while lifting, bending or for no reason at all. Alarming, common and almost always settles.
- Sudden pain across the lower back
- Stiffness getting up or bending
- Pain with sitting or standing too long
- Sometimes pain into the buttock
Keep moving gently, avoid bed rest, and book an assessment this week. Most people need two to four sessions.
This week
Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy)
A nerve in the lower back irritated by a disc or a narrowed space, felt down the leg.
- Pain from the buttock down the back or side of the leg
- Pins and needles or numbness in the foot
- Worse with coughing, sneezing or sitting
- Weakness lifting the foot or toes
Assessment this week; we grade the nerve involvement and set a plan. Weakness that is getting worse is seen the same day.
HP · 2 conditions
Hip
Routine
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome
Pain on the outside of the hip from the gluteal tendons and bursa. Used to be called hip bursitis. Common in runners and in women over 45.
- Pain on the bony point on the outside of the hip
- Worse lying on that side, climbing stairs or standing on one leg
- Ache down the outside of the thigh
- Sitting cross-legged makes it worse
Assessment, then a gluteal loading programme; shockwave if it is older than three months. We avoid steroid injections as the first step.
This week
Pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy
Pain at the front or back of the pelvis in pregnancy, from the joints and the muscles around them. One in five pregnancies. Treatable.
- Pain over the pubic bone, the groin or the back of the pelvis
- Worse walking, stairs, turning in bed and standing on one leg
- Clicking or grinding at the front
- Usually starts in the second trimester
Women's health physio this week: hands-on treatment, a support belt if it helps, and the exercises and positions that make it manageable.
KN · 3 conditions
Knee
This week
Hamstring strain
A tear in the muscle at the back of the thigh, usually sprinting or kicking. Graded one to three; grade matters for the return date.
- Sudden pain at the back of the thigh while running
- Sometimes a pop or a feeling of being kicked
- Bruising a few days later
- Pain stretching or sitting on it
Sports injury assessment within 48 hours; ultrasound to grade it. Grade one is back in two to three weeks, grade two in four to eight, with testing before you sprint.
This week
ACL injury
The main stabilising ligament in the knee, torn by a twist or landing, often with a pop and rapid swelling.
- A pop at the moment of injury
- Swelling within a few hours
- The knee giving way or feeling untrustworthy
- Unable to carry on playing
If you cannot put weight on it, urgent care for an X-ray first. Otherwise sports injury assessment within 48 hours; we refer for MRI the same day if the examination suggests a tear, and start prehab.
Routine
Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain)
Pain around or behind the kneecap from the way it loads, usually a training or strength story rather than damage.
- Ache around or behind the kneecap
- Worse on stairs, hills, squats and after sitting
- Often both knees
- Rarely swells
Running gait analysis package: the treadmill usually shows the cause, and the fix is strength plus a change in load.
AF · 4 conditions
Ankle or foot
Routine
Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome)
Pain along the inside of the shin from too much running too soon, or a change in surface or shoes.
- Ache along the inside edge of the shin bone
- Worse at the start of a run, sometimes easing, then worse after
- Tender to press along the bone
- Both shins, often
Running MOT or gait analysis package; a focal spot of bone pain that hurts to hop on is treated as a possible stress fracture and imaged first.
Routine
Achilles tendinopathy
The big tendon at the back of the heel thickened and painful from load it was not ready for.
- Pain and stiffness in the tendon first thing in the morning
- Eases with walking, worse after running
- A tender thickened spot a few centimetres above the heel
- Long history in most people
Loading programme is the treatment; shockwave alongside it if it is older than three months. Runners take the gait analysis package.
Routine
Plantar fasciitis
Heel pain from the band of tissue under the foot. The first steps in the morning are the giveaway.
- Sharp pain under the heel with the first steps of the day
- Eases with walking, returns after sitting
- Worse barefoot on hard floors
- Can last a year without treatment
Assessment, calf and foot loading, taping or a temporary insole, and the shockwave course if it is older than three months. NICE-recognised for this.
This week
Ankle sprain
Ligaments on the outside of the ankle overstretched by a roll. Most heal well; the ones that do not are the ones nobody rehabbed.
- Rolled the ankle, swelling on the outside
- Bruising over a day or two
- Pain walking, especially on uneven ground
- Feels unstable afterwards
If you cannot take four steps on it, urgent care for an X-ray first. Otherwise sports injury assessment this week: grade it, get the swelling down, then balance and strength so it does not become a habit.
EW · 1 condition
Elbow, wrist or hand
Routine
Tennis elbow (lateral elbow tendinopathy)
The tendon on the outside of the elbow overloaded by gripping, typing, DIY or, occasionally, tennis.
- Pain on the bony point on the outside of the elbow
- Worse gripping, lifting a kettle or shaking hands
- Ache into the forearm
- Often lasts many months
Loading programme first. If it is older than three months, the shockwave course alongside it.
RN · 2 conditions
Running injuries
Routine
Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain)
Pain around or behind the kneecap from the way it loads, usually a training or strength story rather than damage.
- Ache around or behind the kneecap
- Worse on stairs, hills, squats and after sitting
- Often both knees
- Rarely swells
Running gait analysis package: the treadmill usually shows the cause, and the fix is strength plus a change in load.
Routine
Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome)
Pain along the inside of the shin from too much running too soon, or a change in surface or shoes.
- Ache along the inside edge of the shin bone
- Worse at the start of a run, sometimes easing, then worse after
- Tender to press along the bone
- Both shins, often
Running MOT or gait analysis package; a focal spot of bone pain that hurts to hop on is treated as a possible stress fracture and imaged first.
Injured today?
Same week, 48 hours for an acute injury.
Phone and Beth answers. Tell her where it hurts and when you can come in; she finds the physio and the slot, and checks your insurer's rules before you arrive.
01632 960800