Physiotherapy as the name implies is a form of ‘physical’ therapy, helping to restore movement and function if you have been affected by injury, stiffness, or pain. However Physiotherapy is much more than this, it is a form of therapy that allows you do get back to doing things you enjoyed doing before pain. It is also a form of therapy that will allow to achieve something you always wanted to do but can’t because you feel your body is holding you back. For some that might be a 5km run for others that might be a marathon. It might even mean being able to play with your grandchildren without discomfort. There are many ways in which Physiotherapy can help you.

What can be the causes of physical pain and stiffness? There are several reasons:

1. Lack of movement in one or more joints

2. Lack of strength in certain muscles or certain muscles not performing the way they were designed to.

3. A combination of above!

4. Injuries, such as falls, sprains, fractures, or repetitive injuries.

5. Degenerative changes such as Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis etc.

There are several more conditions and injuries, but the point of this blog is to assure you that even with the issues listed above, there ARE ways and means of diminishing or eliminating pain and stiffness when you are given guidance and plan to follow. It is our job here at AON Physiotherapy to diagnose why you are stiff or in pain and to explain why it is happening. Once we figure that out through a thorough assessment, we can give you the tools and guidance to achieve a pain-free life that will allow you to do the things you love to do.

Remember, musculoskeletal pain does not always mean damage. Pain is an message from the brain telling you something is not quite right. It may mean a particular area of the body is stressed or overloaded. Take the lower back for example, pain or stiffness very rarely means damage to the spine or discs, most of the time it means the lower back area and muscles are under too much stress because:

1. A lack of movement.

2. Other larger muscles that are designed to take the stresses and strains of everyday life are not working as well as they should do. Hence, the lower back muscles start to overcompensate get tired, and eventually get stiff and sore!

Physiotherapy can help identify any issues that you may have and show you how to adjust and ultimately eliminate them. Are you somebody who has been taking medications for a period of time to help with pain, but you have never gotten to the bottom of why you are in pain. Are you somebody who always feels stiff, sore, or weak, then physiotherapy is probably for you! As I said, sometimes it can be a simple matter of assessing how your body moves, it’s strength, physical capabilities or its ability to perform certain tasks. We will treat you and give you the tools to rectify this.

Move well. Feel well.