4 Trafford Rd, Alderley Edge, SK9 7NT
t: 01625 590 444
f: 01625 586 774
Physiofit@Fitism, Kings Road, Wilmslow, SK9 5PZ
t: 01625 590 444
f: 01625 586 774
Physiotherapy
What Is Physiotherapy?
The basic aim of physiotherapy is to help alleviate pain and restore normal movement and function patterns to help return the body to its natural state. Physiotherapy includes the assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and evaluation of patient’s treatment.
The Physiofit Philosophy
"We will work with you proactively to support you in reaching long lasting optimum health and peak performance.”
Angela Jackson – Director of Physiofit Ltd
What Do We Treat?
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Arthritis
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Back and neck pain
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Balance problems
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BPPV and Dizziness
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Cardiac rehab
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Complex Shoulder Conditions
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Headaches and Migraine
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Joint problems
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Ligament sprains
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Muscle tears
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Neurological conditions - Strokes, Parkinson’s and MS
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Paediatric growth related conditions
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Posturefit analysis and re-education
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Pre and post-surgery rehabilitation
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Prevention screening packages
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Soft tissue injuries
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Sports injuries
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Tennis/Golfers elbow
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Whiplash
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Women's Health and incontinence
How Do We Treat?
After an assessment, we will treat your condition using any of the following methods.
Manual Therapy
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Manipulation - a high velocity thrust technique used to help loosen a stiff joint.
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Mobilisation - a gentler technique to loosen stiff joints and ease painful joints.
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Soft tissue techniques - massage, deep tissue, trigger point, fascial release and muscle energy techniques.
Rehabilitation
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Exercise programmes - specific to the individual's problem.
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Muscle imbalance correction
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Core exercises
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Vestibular retraining
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Clinical Pilates style exercises
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Neuro rehabilitation
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Cardiac rehabilitation
Biomechanical Analysis
Observing and analysing the biomechanics of your body whilst walking or running or performing functional movements.
Muscle Stimulation
We have Compex and Empi Pheonix units for you to hire or buy to rehabilitate weak muscles or those firing in the wrong sequence.
Preventative Advice
Postural re-education.
Exercise programmes for you to do at home or in the gym.
Electrotherapy
We use electronic equipment for a variety of treatments and involves the delivery of energy to promote the healing process, reduce pain, swelling and inflammation.
Taping
We use rigid taping and kinesio style tapes.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of the oldest recorded forms of medicine having been used for over 2500 years in China. Modern science has shown that acupuncture stimulates the brain to produce natural pain relieving chemicals, endorphins. These assist the body to heal itself and give pain relief.
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Research has shown that most people gain relief from pain with acupuncture. It does not work for everybody and every condition but, frequently, good results are achieved when more conventional medicine has failed.
Our physiotherapists undergo a 3 year degree on western medicine, before training for acupuncture at a post-graduate level so are in a unique position of being able to combine acupuncture with other natural treatment methods, such as exercise, manipulation and relaxation techniques. They attend regular training courses to learn about latest research.
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It involves the use of single-use, sterile disposable needles, these needles are inserted in to various points for about 20 minutes depending upon the problem. Our physiotherapists use acupuncture to treat a wide range of joint, muscle and ligament injuries.
Physiofit for Kids
All of our physiotherapists are experienced in the assessment and treatment of children. We can see any child between the ages of 5 - 16 years. We may ask that any child under the age of 16 to be accompanied by an adult.
At Physiofit, children will not be treated using adult techniques and approaches. We treat children with child specific and age appropriate techniques so they have fun whilst getting better.
Types of Condition We Treat
Manual Therapy
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Muscle and Joint pain, i.e. knee, back and neck pain
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Sports injuries
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Growing pains
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Postural issues
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Anomalies of walking i.e. in-toeing, toe walking, flat feet
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Coordination problems
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Rehabilitation following fractures or post-surgery
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Torticollis
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Rheumatologically presentations i.e. Childhood arthritis, and Perthes Disease, SUFE, Hyper-mobility syndrome
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Osgood Schlatter’s and Severs disease
What Do We Offer to Children?
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Posture screening
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Sports screening
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Running analysis and lessons
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Advice on growing pains
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Coordination exercises
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Podiatry – provision of orthoses as required
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Strength and conditioning
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Help with goal planning to assist with school: sport: life balance
We have extensive knowledge of young athlete development ensuring that children achieve the correct advice about appropriate exercise during their vital growth spurts. Children need to relearn functional movements and regain balance and coordination after each major growth spurt so screening should be done more regularly during peak growth times.
Dizziness/Vertigo
Do you:
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Suffer with dizzy sensations, loss of balance, nausea?
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Do you lack confidence with your balance, or have difficulty negotiating crowds?
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Do you have issues bending forward, looking up or rolling in bed?
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Do you suffer travel sickness, or feel dizzy or unwell in environments with high stimuli such as supermarkets?
If so, you may be suffering from a vestibular disorder.
Vestibular problems are problems that occur deep within the ear. They can cause vertigo, dizziness, nausea and
decreased balance impacting significantly work, leisure, mental health, and quality of life.
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Almost 1 in 4 adultsunder 65 years report dizziness or vertigo but less than 25 per cent receive treatment.
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About 20 per cent with vestibular vertigo avoid leaving the house and 41 per cent require sick leave.
BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)
This is the most common vestibular disorder. It is caused by a movement of small crystals in the inner ear into the wrong position.
Typical complaints include: dizziness and nausea on bending forwards, looking up, or rolling in bed to one side.
This condition is very disabling, though can often be completely resolved in one treatment session!
A specially trained physiotherapist can help identify the problem and target a treatment regime to manage or resolve your symptoms and return your quality of life.
How Can Physiotherapy Help?
Treatment involves an initial assessment of eye movements, head movements and balance. A customised exercise programme will be developed for you, which you then need to practice regularly at home. It may include specific techniques used to reposition fragments in the inner ear e.g. The Epley manoeuvre, together with education and advice on activities of daily living to improve confidence and function, and advice on falls prevention. The exercise programme should cause some symptoms while the exercises are performed, and for a short while afterwards. This is necessary to gain maximal recovery.
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Significant improvement is achieved in:
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80 per cent of patients with unilateral vestibular loss.
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80 per cent of patients with BPPV after one treatment session.
Please let our reception staff know that you are enquiring regarding a balance or vestibular condition when booking as these treatments are highly specialised and can only be performed by Jean Thistleton and are longer sessions than our usual length of treatments.
Neurological Physiotherapy
Neurological physiotherapy is the treatment of patients who have a neurological disorder such as a stroke, Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson's disease.
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A detailed initial neurological assessment is required to identify your physical impairments and set goals before your treatment sessions commence. Treatment can be carried out in our clinic or within your home setting whichever you prefer.
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Treatment is tailored to your individual needs and might include stretching, strengthening, balance and walking re-education, postural awareness and mobility advice.
Advice and recommendations can be given on suitable walking aids and home adaptations or equipment that might make your life easier.
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Physiofit can offer treatment and advice at any stage of a condition, whether to prevent deterioration, provide maintenance support or to improve quality of life and promote independence. Sessions can be organised on a daily basis when required or a weekly or monthly basis dependent upon the needs of each patient.
Women's Health
Women’s Health is a specialised field of physiotherapy that focuses on female health related problems. 1 in 3 women experience women’s health problems during their lifetime.
However, many tolerate these problems, often for years, either too embarrassed to seek help or unaware that there are treatments available.
Types of Condition We Treat
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Stress urinary incontinence or (SUI) – Leaks when coughing, laughing, sneezing or exercising
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Urgency and urge incontinence also known as Overactive bladder (OAB)
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Vaginal Prolapse and Vaginal pain
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Pelvic floor muscle weakness
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Bowel control difficulties
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Constipation
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Preparation for, and recovery after gynaecological or bladder surgery
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Discomfort and problems with sexual intercourse
Ante-Natal & Post-Natal Physiotherapy
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Assessment and treatment of any low back/pelvic pain in pregnancy
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Provision and fitting of pelvic stability belts
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Advice on sleeping positions, exercise and movement modification during pregnancy
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Treatment of separated abdominal muscles (Rectus Abdominus Diastasis)
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Pelvic floor exercise advice
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE]:
"Many women have been incorrectly performing pelvic floor muscle exercises for many years with no improvement in their symptoms. Supervised pelvic floor exercise programmes with trained healthcare professionals can improve symptoms significantly, avoiding surgery or other invasive treatment” [QS77] Published date: January 2015
Continence Foundation of Australia:
"Research shows that up to 50% of women trying to do pelvic floor muscle exercises from a pamphlet get the technique wrong" Published 2016
What Does Women’s Health Physiotherapy Involve?
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Assess your pelvic floor function and teach you how to carry out pelvic floor muscle exercises correctly – 80% of women can be helped with correct exercises
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Provide the correct pelvic floor educator or muscle stimulator to retrain and strengthen your pelvic floor contraction
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Offer advice on lifestyle changes, bladder retraining and fluid management to improve your condition
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Teach Pilates based pelvic stability exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles which play a supporting role in the strength of the pelvic floor
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Asses and treat any low back and pelvic pain issues which can lead to weakness of the pelvic floor muscles
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Relax the pelvic floor muscles by internal therapy techniques including trigger point release, myofascial stretches and scar tissue massage which encourages normal bladder function and reduces pelvic and vaginal pain and discomfort
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Desensitize painful scar tissue following childbirth or gynecological surgery
What Can I expect at My First Women’s Health Physiotherapy Appointment?
Your assessment and treatment will depend upon your presenting condition. We will start with taking a confidential and detailed history. Whilst these sensitive issues are often difficult to discuss, understanding your symptoms and how your daily life is affected is vital in directing your treatment.
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Your physical assessment will most likely begin with examination of your abdominal muscles, pelvis and lumbar spine. Following this assessment, you may be offered an internal examination. This is an important part of your examination and necessary in identifying the tone, strength and control of your pelvic floor muscles. We can assess your pelvic floor tone and identify any areas of tightness, prolapse and scar tissue.
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Once we have established your level of pelvic floor muscle control we can then develop a specific and individualised exercise programme. The assessment findings will be discussed with you and treatment will depend upon findings and your symptoms.
We are passionate about helping women resolve these problems and significantly improve their quality of life. Our service is highly confidential and respects the sensitive nature of these problems giving you all the knowledge and support you need to properly manage your condition.
If you would like to speak to our physio in confidence regarding a problem you have, or for general advice please call Fiona Wallis on 01625 590444 or email us at info@physiofit.co.uk
Physiofit at Home
Physiofit covers homes within 7 miles of our business address. We may be able to accept patients further afield with a small increase in fee to cover the additional time and travel costs incurred.
Physiofit at Home aims to provide specialist physiotherapy assessment and treatment for patients of all ages in your own home. We will address any physical symptoms that may have occurred due to surgery, injury or a combination of health issues.
We are able to offer treatment for the following conditions:
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Falls prevention sessions to improve balance and confidence
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1:1 Functional MOT – learn which specific areas you need to target to stay fit (link)
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Treatment for mobility issues and walking aid assessments
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Exercises for strength, balance, posture and flexibility
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Treatment for arthritis, aches and pains including pain management
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Back care
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Osteoporosis
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Rehabilitation following general surgery, orthopaedic surgery or after a stay in hospital or following an illness
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Neurological conditions including: Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Brain injury, Spinal cord injury etc.- are we still offering all
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Respiratory physio for breathing problems and shortness of breath