Treatment modalities include:

• manual therapy
• joint mobilisation and manipulation

  Mobilisation is the gentle coaxing of  movement between two bones by passive rhythmical and graded oscillations performed within or at the limit of range of movement, which the patient can resist from being performed. Manipulation is used to mean a small amplitude rapid movement between two bones, which forces the movement from the limit of the range with a sudden thrust, which prevents any control by the patient.

• soft tissue techniques including muscular and myofascial release, trigger point release

  Trigger points consist of multiple contraction knots within a muscle, and cause pain, restriction of movement, muscle weakness and protective muscle spasm.  By releasing these by applying sustained pressure over the trigger point, this can improve the length and function of the muscle. Fascia is a type of connective tissue which assists in maintaining muscle force.  Myofascial release techniques reduce constriction and pain without compromise to muscle strength.  It is vital in conjunction with trigger point release, because the fascia tightens with inflammation, heals slowly and is a pain focus, and therefore needs to be released along with the muscle tightness.

• dry needling 

  Dry needling is the use of fine filament needles for therapy of myofascial trigger points (MTPS) located within a muscle, which consist of multiple contraction knots and cause pain and restriction of movement.  It involves the insertion of a single use, sterile needle into the muscle in the region of the trigger point.  The aim of dry needling is to achieve a local twitch response and to release muscle tension and pain by deactivating the trigger point.  The needle is very thin, and most people do not even feel the needle penetrate the skin.  If the muscle being treated has active trigger points, the patient may experience a local twitch response or pain reproduced locally or distally in the region, which is a helpful diagnostic indicator that the muscle trigger point is involved in the cause of the person's pain.

• therapeutic exercise
• postural alignment and correctional exercise
• electrotherapy (ultrasound etc.)

  Electrotherapy is the treatment of patients by applying electrical forces to the body to bring about physiological changes for therapeutic purposes.  There is evidence that various forms of electrotherapy can restore normal cell membranes, affecting tissue growth and repair of tissue.  Commonly used devices in this clinic are therapeutic ultrasound and interferential therapy.  Therapeutic ultrasound provides heat, which can reduce pain and muscle spasm and promote healing processes with reduction in oedema (swelling) and remodelling of tissues.  Interferential therapy provides pain relief, increases local circulation, reduces tissue oedema, causes muscle stimulation (which can assist in muscle re-education and strengthening) and facilitates tissue healing.

• kinesiology taping

  Kinesiology tape stretches the tissues on which it is applied, which causes a biomechanical lifting mechanism that decompresses the tissue under the skin.  This assists with the reduction of local swelling or inflammation, improves the normal movement between layers of tissue, decompresses the nerve endings which reduces or stops pain, and improves mobility.

• biomechanical assessment
• education
• lifestyle advice where appropriate to maximise your body's potential to function