As we live longer and have busier lives than ever before, stresses and strains take an increasing toll on our bodies. The effects of aging, injuries, disease, long periods of inactivity and even over-activity, can lead to structural changes within our joints resulting in pain, stiffness and muscle strength decline. Many people injure their joints and muscles through sport, exercise, or simple everyday activities like doing the household chores or moving about at work. Strains and sprains commonly occur when an awkward or sudden movement catches you off guard resulting in a 'pulled' muscle or sprained ligament. This can happen to anyone and in most cases these injuries usually heal themselves within a short period of time.

Joints, muscles and ligaments all respond differently to injury and treatment, so correctly diagnosing which part of you is hurt or under strain, is the key to getting you better. This is particularly important when you experience pain somewhere different to the actual site of your injury. We will examine you thoroughly and develop an appropriate plan of care to get you feeling well again. If your condition needs surgery or an injection, we will liase with your doctor to ensure that you get referred to the appropriate specialist, and our expert aftercare will help you recover quickly. To seek our advice and treatment is all part of becoming well again.

Our bodies are designed for movement and needs to maintain its correct alignment. It has to be protected from poor posture, inactivity, injury and overuse. Everyday workplace activities and poor postural habits can create all kinds of physical problems. If you stay in one position for too long, your muscles will ache and your joints will get stiff. Conversely, if you do unaccustomed exercise or more than your body can tolerate, you may get an overuse injury.

Long term, habitual activities like driving or working at a computer can also have a negative impact on your body. Once you start to slouch, you end up with more aches and pains and the body's natural reaction is not to want to move. Sustained postural stresses can cause muscles to spasm or 'cramp', and lack of activity can cause muscles to become weak. When either happens, the muscles reduce their ability to adequately support the joints. If left undiagnosed, this can reduce the body's ability to adapt to unexpected strains and 'knocks' which can then lead to further injury.

Existing physical problems and poor working habits can have a serious impact on your quality of life. They can combine to create pain, loss of mobility and function that may eventually lead to you taking time off work. A preventative approach protects against these kinds of risks to long-term health. During your consultation, we will discuss the specific demands of your daily activities and prepare your body to respond positively to them and to better cope with unexpected 'knocks'. We will identify weakened and dysfunctional muscle groups and address any imbalance by advising you on the appropriate exercises.