Back Pain

Back pain is the most common complaint that presents to us at ThamesPhysio. 80% of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives and usually it just goes away by itself but sometimes there is a need to interveneP

How to relieve back pain

The following tips may help reduce your back pain and speed up your recovery:

• Remain active - inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle is the number 1 cause of low back pain. Rest for long periods usually aggravates the problem.

• Try hot or cold pads - heat generally helps with muscular tightness and spasm whilst cold can help with inflammation.

• Try simple over the counter analgesia - but do check with the pharmacist.

• Try to stay positive as back pain does usually resolves naturally.

When to Get help?

If the symptoms do not settle or are:

• Interfering with normal daily living.

• Increasing in intensity or frequency

• Causing you distress and struggling to cope.

It is prudent to see a physiotherapist for an assessment to determine the cause of the problem and work with you to make a plan to address the problem.

However, there are some symptoms that warrant immediate attention by a medical professional as may indicate a more serious problem

• Difficulty passing water

• Numbness around the genitals or buttocks

• Loss of bladder or bowel control

• Chest pain

• Fever

• Unexplained weight loss

• Swelling or a deformity in your back

• The pain does not improve after resting or is worse at night

• The pains starts suddenly or after a serious accident, such as after a car accident or fall.

• The pain is so bad it is affecting your sleep

• The pain is made worse when sneezing, coughing or during a bowel movement

But it's a good idea to get help if:

• the pain does not start to improve within a few weeks

• the pain stops you doing your day-to-day activities

• the pain is very severe or gets worse over time

• you're worried about the pain or struggling to cope

Treatments for back pain at ThamesPhysio

The most important part of your treatment at ThamesPhysio will be a full subjective and Objective assessment to really understand not only what is happening with your back at the time of your pain but what has led to the symptoms.

The physiotherapist will then discuss the fundings and plan a treatment which may include.

• Manual treatment - including, mobilisation, massage myofascial release - this is to reduce the immediate symptoms and allow you to move more freely and more easily engage with the exercise programme

• Exercise therapy - this will be crucial to your recovery and also in the prevention of future episodes.

• Acupuncture - this is to support the manual treatment and alleviate inflammation.

• Advice to understand what went wrong and keep you well for the future.

In most cases patients do not need referral for imaging (X Rays, MRI, CT scans etc) but should that be necessary we can make any necessary referrals.

If you would like to discuss our spinal problems please do give Victoria a call on 07813179825

Working From Home?

Covid19 has seen much of the work force working form home. I am often asked :

“How do I sit to protect my spine?” or “What is good posture?”

The message that you should take home is no posture is great if it is maintained for long periods of time. The key to a healthy spine and body is GET UP AND MOVE . It does not matter how expensive your chair or desk is , our bodies are not designed to stay sat in one place for 8 hours. Our systems are designed to move every 20-30 minutes. Below you will find some tips to help you set up for good spinal health.

• Try to set up your workstation so that you can spend part of your day sitting and part of the day standing. However, you need to take care to stand well - ensure your weight is on both feet and don’t lean on one arm.

• Perhaps take telephone calls whilst walking around your house.

• Place a small towel in your low back - the lumbar spine to support the natural curve of the back.

• If using a lap top place the screen on a pile of books so the screen is at eye level and use a separate keyboard and mouse.

• Set an alarm to ensure you don’t sit for more than an hour

• Get some sleep- Our bodies heal at night when we are asleep. The inactivity of lockdown combined with the stress of the pandemic and extra screen use is playing havoc with sleep. Try to be “screen free” for an hour before bedtime and practice good sleep hygiene habits.

• Go out for a walk at lunchtime.

You could also include some Simple exercises whilst the desk.

Hamstring stretch.

Sit forwards in your chair and stretch one leg forward -pull the toes up to the ceiling and keeping the back straight lean forward at the hips feel a stretch in the back of the leg. Repeat in the other leg.

Pelvic Tilts.

Sit forwards in your chair: and tilt the pelvis aback and forth to release the low back.

YWTL stretch.

Stand up:

Take the rams up in the air to form a Y.

Draw the elbows down keep the arms back to form a W.

Take the arms out to the side and with the palms forwards take the arm back drawing the shoulder blades together to for the T.

Draw the elbows to the side with the elbows bent to 90 degrees. Rotate the forearms out to form an L.

Quadriceps and Hip Flexor stretch.

Stand up and bend the knee to bring the foot up the bottom. Keep the knees together and the hips tilted forwards.

Calf release

Put your hands against the wall engage your tummy muscles, keep the heels on the ground and lean into the wall and feel a stretch in the calves.

The above information is for your interest and information, if you have any specific concerns or aches and pains that you would like to get sorted out Victoria at ThamesPhysio would be very happy to address any individual needs.

The Chair Fitness Test

What is The Chair Fitness Test?

There has been recent re-publication of The Chair Fitness Test in the press so, what is it all about? This is a very simple test to assess strength and determine your fitness for your age. Strength is an indicator of fitness.  It is well known that as we age we lose strength. The test determines how long it takes you to stand up and sit down from a chair.  It tests the strength of the two biggest muscles in the body the quadriceps (front of thighs) and the gluteals (buttocks).

How do I perform the test?

You simply need a stable chair without arms and a stopwatch or timer.

Stand with your arms crossed over your chest and time how long you take to stand up and sit down ten times.  The time it takes is your result. The expected times for gender and age are below.

Men’s Expected Times

Under 35 years: 10 seconds

35-55 years: 13 seconds

Over 55 years: 18 seconds

Women’s Expected Times

Under 35 years: 12 seconds

35 -55 years: 15 seconds

Over 55 Years: 19 seconds

If you find that pain or stiffness is slowing you down it may be wise to seek the advice of your GP or physiotherapist to see if we can get you back on track to regain your strength and improve your fitness,  Victoria at ThamesPhysio would be very happy to discuss any concerns that you have.

Kinesiotape

There are certain conditions for when your physiotherapist may suggest using Kinesiotape (KT) as part of your treatment. We find that this suggestion is often met with many questions about how the tape works and whether it is merely placebo.  Hopefully you will find the answers to these questions below.

What is KT?

KT  is an elastic adhesive tape that supports the affected area.  The tape is able to stretch in a longitudinal (length-ways) direction only it is a similar thickness to that of the skin.   KT was developed in 1973 by the Japanese chiropractor Kenzo Kase.  However it was during the 1988 Seoul Olympics when KT tape came to the world's attention.  Until this time most taping techniques were restrictive rather than supportive and it was argued that this could be detrimental to recovery.

How does it work?

KT has been reported to be able to reduce pain and muscle tension, increase the circulation of blood and lymph, improve muscle function and realign joints.  There is some evidence to substantiate some of these claims but some of the research methods used have been controversial. However, there is good evidence to prove that the application of KT can reduce pain.   It is suggested that the KT stimulates the skin receptors and blocks pain by the pain gate theory. The pain gate theory  hypothesises that non-painful input (stimulation of the tape on the skin) closes the nerve "gates" to painful input (from your injury) which prevents the pain sensation from travelling to the brain, this is the same mechanism as TENS. It is also proposed that the KT stimulates the neuromuscular system by supporting proprioception (the body’s ability to determine where you are in space).  A recent study from Macedo et al. in 2019 demonstrated that KT can reduce low back pain after 3 days of application and continues to reduce pain after 10 days application. 

What Joints can it be used for?

KT can be used for almost any part of the body but from experience we have found it particularly useful for acute low back and neck pain, knee and shoulder pain, tennis and golfers elbow, plantar fasciitis and Achilles problems. If your physiotherapist feel KT is a useful adjunct your treatment they will discuss the proposed application and may teach you how to reapply the tape yourself.

In Conclusion.

KT Tape is a cheap, drug free, simple technique that can reduce pain and may contribute to improved circulation and muscle function.  Occasionally KT can irritate the skin or aggravate the symptoms but removal of the tape normally re addresses this irritation promptly.

If you would like to discuss KT or its use for your problem please do not hesitate to contact Victoria at ThamesPhysio Ltd.

Reference:

Macedo et al. ( 2019) Physiotherapy Journal March 2019 Volume 105 Issue 1 P.65-75  “Kinesio Taping reduces pain and improves disability in low back pain patients: a randomised controlled trial”