Here at the Sport and Lifestyle Injury Clinic we have a wide variety of procedures and methods to treat muscle problems whether sustained during sport, at work or at home. The principles employed are equally effective on a number of complaints including back problems.
We thoroughly access the client initially to ascertain the best and most effective treatment options to aid lasting recovery.

Neck and Back Pain
Neck and back pain are extremely common symptoms in the general population. It is said that up to 85% of the population will suffer from neck and back pain at some time in their lives.
From whiplash injuries, aches and pains, to working conditions and sporting injuries.
With an in-depth assessment and a clinical diagnosis, we are able to provide an individual treatment and rehabilitation plan to all.
The assessment will include a manual examination allowing accurate identification for each specific complaint.
Treatment of neck and back pain includes a multiple approach to involve electrotherapy, soft tissue therapy and manual therapy.

Assessment of Injuries
An assessment is the first point of call, and is essentially the most important part in a successful treatment plan. The assessment allows the Therapist to ask questions about your pain/injury and perform special tests which will eliminate or indicate the source of injury.
The assessment may highlight further investigations are required in which referrals to the correct medical professionals can be made. After the assessment, a detailed treatment and rehabilitation program will be discussed with you and monitored closely throughout the treatment.

Screening and Biomechanical Assessment
It is important to assess posture and biomechanics of the body. Slight abnormalities in biomechanics can potentially be the cause of injury. For example, 'flat arches' or excessive pronation can cause internal knee rotation placing excessive forces on the structures of the knee.
This can be corrected with the use of orthotics and specific exercises to prevent the knee from rotating. Correction of faulty biomechanics can be successful in reducing pain and injuries. Evaluation of sport techniques is also a factor which is important to assess. Poor or faulty techniques cause abnormal biomechanics and subsequently can lead to injury. Such as, it is common to see in runners abnormal pelvis tilt, placing increased strain on the muscles around the hip leading to possible muscle strains

Taping and Bracing
These techniques are used in two circumstances.
Taping can be used as a method of prevention of injury in which movement at a joint is limited to protect instability in high risk activities. It is also important to be used during rehabilitation as a protective mechanism to enhance the healing process.

Massage
Used successfully prior and post activity.
Prior to activity, massage has benifits of increasing blood flow and oxygen to muscles, increasing muscle range of motion, and reducing muscle tone.
Post activity, massage has similar benefits in which it can reduce muscle tightness, increase circulation and nutrition to damaged tissue areas, and deactivate areas of muscular trigger points.
This also allows the Therapist to detect areas of advanced muscular thickness/abnormality in which a friction technique can be used to break down adhesion formed in the muscle.

Heat and Cold Therapy
Cryotherpay
This is the most effective treatment used immediately after injury. The ice and compression causes a decrease in blood flow to the area, reducing metabolic activity and swelling.
Swelling is essential in the healing process. However, advanced swelling which has progressed beyond the injured body part can prolong recovery times. Ice also provides an analgesic effect and reduces pain perception. Ice massage can be used for muscle, tendon and ligament injuries to encourage the drainage of persistent swelling.

Heat
Heat is used for the treatment of soft tissue injuries. Heating the muscles provides increased blood flow to the area, allowing the muscles to absorb more energy, decreasing muscle tension.

Contrast Bathing
This treatment is indictated once the injury has progressed from the acute stage (1 - 5 days) and there is persistent swelling. This technique uses heat followed by cold to cause a flushing effect, decreasing swelling.

Electrotherapy
The use of these modalities claim to reduce inflamation and pain, and enhance the healing process. Used in conjuction with other treatments, electrotherapy is highly successful.

Ultrasound
This is a thermal technique in which a soundwave is applied to the injured area.
The main effect is increased blood flow, with secondary effects of increased healing chemicals and collagen (scar tissue) secretion, vital for enhancing recovery. Ultrasound also re-orientates the collagen, increasing the strength and extensibility of the scar, ultimately allowing it to function exactly as the ligament, tendon or muscle it is replacing.

T.E.N.S. (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)
Widely used for injury treatment, T.E.N.S. uses a direct electrical stimulation placed over the injured area to reduce pain. It can be set for acute or chronic pain in which the electrical frequency is changed to stimulate the correct nerve fibres to inhibit the pain nerve fibres to be percieved.
Injuries benefitted include;
Muscle strains.
Muscle contusions.
Ligament sprains.

Manual Therapy
Manual Therapy describes treatment in which the Therapist applies forces directly to peripheral and vertebral joints in aim to restore pain free full range of motion. Manual therapy is indicated when a joint is stiff or painful causing a loss in movement. A joint has a physiological movement in which the patient can perform actively by themselves, all joints also have accessory movements which necessarily assist the physiological movements and can only be performed by an external force, e.g. Therapist.
It is important for normal joint mechanics that there are no restrictions in either of these movements, restrictions in the movements can lead to pain, stiffness and muscular adaptations. It may be that the accessory movement is stiff, causing pain and loss of function in the physiological range and therefore manual therapy would be essential in restoring normal joint function.

Injuries Benefited
Painful joints
Stiff joints
Neck and back pain
Persistant pain from previous injury
Loss of movement in a joint

Rehabilitation and Exercise Therapy
A key area in the treatment of injuries will be a detailed rehabilitation and excercise plan. It is often the case that weak muscles or an imbalance in muscles lead to the cause of injury. The Sports and Lifestyle Injury Clinic specialises in exercise therapy to restore full function of muscles and allow patients to return to work or elite levels of sport in the safest and quickest way possible.
At our clinic we have access to a gym and a wide variety of equipment which will enhance your recovery process. we will work with you from the acute stage of injury, in which reducing pain and encouraging slight movements will be the priority.
As the healing progresses, the next stage of rehabilitation will be to strenthen and stretch muscles in the surrounding areas, introduce specific exercises for your injury and address discrepancies that may pre-dispose you to re-occurring injuries.
The final stage of rehabilitation is to ensure that full function and strength is restored and the affected area is pain free. For people who compete in sports, we understand the need to be returned to play at a high level of fitness with emphisis on the prevention of re-occurrence of injury. For those individuals we provide sports specific rehabilitation sessions in which the athlete is stressed to the demands of their sport. These sessions are carried out at our Football Ground in Berkhamsted where the use of the pitch and equipment provoides a sporting environment, after which the athlete can be successfully intergrated back into training and their sport.

Hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is a widely used form of treatment used solely or in conjunction with other forms of treatment and rehabilitation.
Hydrotherapy allows the maintenance and/or enhancements of general fitness, to include strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness along with specific exercises to rehabilitate injuries.
Hydrotherapy is beneficial in both the early and long term stages of injury.
In acute stages, the warmth and buoyancy of the water induces relaxation, reduces pain, and encourages early movement which are easily performed, assisted by the buoyancy, The pool is shallow making the treatment eligible to all.
Progression of treatment includes strength exercise performed in the water utilizing the buoyancy, using various speeds, varied movement patterns, and a range of equipment.

Current medical research concludes hydrotherapy to have the following effects:

Relief of pain
Increased early range of motion in a supportive environment
Slow motion effect provides control
Remove fear of falling
Tactile stimulation aids proprioception
Decrease joint compression forces
Reduce edema throughout treatment

Hydrotherapy is an important form of treatment for many conditions, and the Sport and Lifestyle Injury Clinic can provide treatment on a one to one basis.

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