ANSWERS TO COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you'll find answers to the questions you may have before you decide to book an appointment. We have tried to cover the most important areas. However, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions that are not covered here.
General Questions
Answers to questions that don't have a specific category. These relate to each and all of our services.
As with any medical examination, you may be asked to undress to your underwear, so please wear something you are comfortable in. Bring shorts or tracksuit trousers for lower back problems.
Yes, if you wish, you can have someone present throughout your consultation and treatment. This can be a friend or relative, or if you need assistance a chaperone, all are welcome to make your visit as comfortable as possible.
You do not need to see your doctor first if you are paying for your own treatment. However, some insurance companies require you to see your doctor first.
The number of treatments you need depends on the condition and person you treat. We aim to keep your appointments to a minimum and strongly encourage self-maintenance and independence. Your Physiotherapist or Osteopath will be able to tell you relatively quickly whether they can treat your problem or if they need to refer you to someone else.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which are dehydrating. Hydration is key to help flush waste and prevent next-day soreness and at least for those first few hours afterwards, ensuring extended benefits from your treatment.
Osteopathy is part of the Allied Health Care Professions that uses a drug-free, non-invasive form of manual therapy and focuses on the whole body's health, not just the injured or affected part. Osteopaths focus on the joints, muscles, and spine and can provide relief and treatment for a wide range of conditions.
Osteopathy involves the movement of muscles, joints and soft tissues. Sometimes these areas will be naturally painful before your treatment starts, so you can expect a little discomfort if that is the case. Otherwise, treatment is relatively painless, and you should only feel slight stretching or a momentary short jolt if manipulation of joints occurs.
Osteopathy is a profession regulated by statute. Practising osteopathy is a criminal offence if not registered with the (GOSC) General Osteopathic Council. GOSC ensure that all Osteopaths are regulated and insured, carry out continued professional development and adhere to strict practice standards.
The strict definition of arthritis is 'joint inflammation, ' which describes many joint and soft tissue conditions. Osteopaths are used to treating pain caused by these conditions, and treatment can be very effective. However, where we cannot help, we can refer to other medical professionals with which we are in contact.
Osteopathy not only looks at the injury but also assesses your general health and how your body performs to treat you accordingly. We can use various soft tissue techniques, including massage and mobilisation, stretching and manipulation, to help your issue.
An osteopath will ensure that the joints and muscles involved in the post-operative care work to their maximum efficiency. In addition, osteopaths treat patients holistically so that the entire body can heal as efficiently as possible.
Osteopathy Questions
Is it your first time seeing an osteopath? We understand that it is natural to feel a little unsure of what to expect.
Sports Massage Questions
Sports massage can be far more beneficial than you think, providing an increased sense of well-being, increased range of joint motion and flexibility.
Sports massage involves manipulating soft tissues to benefit people who regularly participate in physical activity. Soft tissue is a form of connective tissue that has not hardened into bone or cartilage, such as skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A sports massage corrects problems and imbalances in soft tissues caused by repetition and strenuous physical activity. As a result, sports massage can improve performance, aid recovery, and prevent injury before and after exercise.
Sports massage helps reduce swelling by increasing blood flow to the injured area. In addition, it relaxes tight muscles. Recovery rates increase as a result.
Massage helps the body's tissues and organs receive increased oxygenation due to improved blood and lymphatic circulation. In addition, it also reduces swelling and stiffness and allows patients to recover more quickly.
During a healthy pregnancy, if the Mum-to-be is generally in good health herself, massage is safe and can also be an excellent addition to prenatal care.
Massage therapy can be started at any pregnancy stage, whether during the first, second, or third trimester. And in most cases, it is safe and beneficial to receive massage up to and beyond the due date of the pregnancy.
During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, some establishments will not offer massage to women because of the increased risk of miscarriage. However, suppose your pregnancy is not high-risk. In that case, there is no physiological reason to avoid massage in the first trimester since your uterus is still the size of a plum and protected by your pelvis' bone structure.
It is entirely normal for clients to feel sore after a sports massage. The techniques you use stimulate muscles that clients may not usually use, which results in Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), just like after exercise. This soreness is the body's response to the inflammation and damage to soft tissues as it heals.
However, the pain clients experience after a sports massage may reduce over time. Just like the body becomes accustomed to exercise, and DOMS becomes less severe, the same happens with sports massage. Clients' bodies need to get used to being manipulated in such ways.
As well as clients' muscles being unused to such manipulation as given in a sports massage, the increased blood flow to the muscles and the toxins released from the body may also impact the pain clients experience post-massage.
Sports massage is excellent for assisting with pain relief and treating muscle and joint soreness and injuries. It is also helpful for work-related stress and tension being good at finding knots in muscles and releasing them. However, we do not provide aromatherapy services or massages for relaxation purposes.
A physiotherapist helps to restore movement and function following an injury, illness, or disability. As a result, your risk of future injuries or diseases reduces.
Patient participation is key to a holistic approach. People of all ages can benefit from physiotherapy for a variety of health conditions, including:
- Soft tissues, bones, and joints
- The brain and nervous system
- Circulation and the heart
- Breathing and lungs
Physiotherapy can improve your physical activity while helping you to prevent further injuries.
Physiotherapists lead patients through the various stages of recovery from sports injuries, starting with the initial diagnosis and continuing with exercises until full activity re-commences.
Exercise and movement during rehabilitation can help decrease swelling and prevent surgical pain from becoming chronic. In addition, after surgery, rehabilitation speeds up the healing process, and it helps you learn the best way to care for yourself and return to daily activities.
There are 5 signs you need physiotherapy:
- Nagging Pain (That Doesn't Go Away).
- Changes in mobility or movement.
- Pain will result from certain movements.
- An unsteady feeling or a loss of balance.
- A change in habits such as urinary incontinence.
Physiotherapy Questions
There are some surprising things you may not know about physiotherapy. Physiotherapy can treat more health conditions than you probably imagine.
