Our latest blogs will appear regularly with information about Ridgeway Chiropractic Clinic and industry news in general.
You can read all about our professional team of Chiropractors on this website so you can get to know us before coming to see us.
If you would like to book a session with one of our Chiropractors, then just call on: 01633 223888.
Today’s modern living often entails hours of driving and hunching over workstations, which can play havoc with our necks. So it is not surprising that neck pain is the second most common condition that chiropractors treat. And with the use of tablets and smart phones increasing we are seeing more and more neck complaints.
Do you have bad posture? An adult head on average weighs between 4-6kg and for every inch you move it forwards an added 10lbs is placed on your spine. This places pressure on your joints, muscles, ligaments and discs and can often results in neck, back and shoulder pain as well as causing headaches and migraines.
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is the heading used to cover a range of conditions that result from a gradual build-up of tension and overuse in our muscles, tendons and joints from continual stresses and everyday activities. The most common RSI’s include plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, iliotibial band syndrome and rotator cuff impingement.
Repetitive strain injury usually develops as a result of a job or occupation, for example, typing or manual work, however it can also be associated with leisure activities, such as sporting activities or playing music, it has even been related to completing everyday household chores. Our chiropractic team in Newport treat a large number of patients who suffer from RSI.
The symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injuries may include:
An individually designed treatment programme will be put in place by our experienced chiropractors to suit your condition. The treatment plan may involve a combination of any of the following, manipulation or mobilization of the surrounding joints which not only increases the available movement at these joints and thus eases the load on the muscles and tendons which work over the joint, but relaxes the soft tissues surrounding the area, deep soft tissue work (cross friction, massage, myofascial release techniques) to reduce any fibrous adhesions (knots) and tension which may have developed within the musculature , therapeutic ultrasound which may speed up the healing time and improve the quality of the scar tissue. Most importantly our team will give you postural and ergonomic advice, as well as a home rehabilitative program this has been put in place to help with any imbalances and possible attributing factors, therefore helping you back to good health and aiming to reduce the to help address any imbalances and possible attributing factors and thus in turn reduce the probability of recurrence.
The shoulder joint (Gleno-humeral joint) is a complex joint which is very commonly injured. It is a shallow ball and socket joint which relies on stabilisation coming from the surrounding soft tissues. This gives the shoulder a wide range of motion, but these characteristics also make it prone to injury. There are four joints in the shoulder
– Gleno-humeral
– Acromio-clavicular
– Scapula-thoracic
– Sterno-clavicular
All of these have to function properly for good shoulder mobility.
Shoulder pain can be caused by a number of reasons, it occurs when the joints, muscles or ligaments become damaged or inflamed from undertaking repetitive motions, yanking or falling on an arm. Poor posture is another well recognised trigger for shoulder pain.
A condition we regularly treat in the Newport clinic is adhesive capsulitis or “frozen shoulder”. This condition occurs when chronic inflammation with the shoulder joint progresses and leads to accumulation of scar tissue or adhesions within the joint. If this condition is left untreated the shoulder may become severely limited in movement.
All of our chiropractors at Ridgeway Chiropractic Clinic believe that restoring the shoulders full range of motion requires a combination of treatments which address both the joint mechanics as well as treating the musculature which supports and stabilises the shoulder.
It is perfectly safe to receive chiropractic care during pregnancy, and here at Ridgeway Chiropractic Clinic, we ensure that all our treatment programmes are tailored to meet your specific needs and preferences. It is very common that during pregnancy women will experience joint, muscle or nerve pain, and also prior to childbirth these pains and discomfort may continue or even worsen. Providing gentle treatment to pregnant women as a way of relieving their pain or discomfort is something that our team of practitioners are experienced in.
The early stages of pregnancy put an increased stress and strain upon the body, for example, enlarging breast tissue puts a greater strain upon the muscles and the ribcage, and even morning sickness can cause extra strain as a result of greater stress being placed upon the ribcage and the spine. Gentle treatment of the joints, stretching techniques and soft tissue work in the rhomboids, trapezius, pectoral and intercostal muscles are methods of treatments used by our teams as a way of providing relief from any symptoms that the patient may be experiencing.
During the second trimester, further strain and stress is placed upon the body as further changes occur, causing increased pressure on pain sensitive structures. In this trimester the uterus rises and the abdomen enlargement becomes more prominent. The posture alters as a new centre of gravity is found, increased weight is placed on the heels and the natural curves of the spine are often accentuated. Treatments provided by our chiropractors at our Newport clinic include joint manipulation, mobilisation and muscle work, these can help in assisting the body with adapting to the changes occurring during this time.
In the third trimester the abdomen rapidly enlarges. Much of the enlarging uterus is borne by the surrounding musculature and pelvis including the rectus abdominalis muscles, the perineum, the pelvic floor and the pubic synthesis. The hormone relaxin is also released to help relax the interuterine ligaments but this subsequently allows other ligaments to relax. The hormonal changes that occur at this time can lead to discomfort and strain upon the joints due to altered movement patterns. To assist in decreasing the strain on the joints and muscles our chiropractors will individualise a treatment to suit the patient. As the pregnancy begins to reach its full term, chiropractic treatment can help to maintain good sacroiliac function; this can be very helpful and is very important for the preparation for labour and delivery.
The conditions and symptoms discussed above are the normal changes expected and experienced during pregnancy, however we are also trained and experienced in treating specific pregnancy related complaints. These conditions include persistent rib and chest pain, low back and pelvic pain, sciatica and symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD). A physical assessment alongside an in depth history of your condition and progress will be taken by our team before a discussion of the treatment options takes place.
Low back and leg pain:
Low back pain and leg pain can commonly occur together. All of our Newport chiropractors deal with patients suffering from sciatica. Sciatica by definition is any sort of pain that is caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve.
There are a number of complaints and conditions which can cause sciatica:
Disc Herniation
A lumbar spine disc herniation causing pressure on lumbar or sacral nerve roots is the most common cause of sciatica. Disc herniations occur when you get small tears within the fibrous part of the disc (the annulus fibrosus) allowing the viscous material (nucleus pulposus) to gradually migrate outwards. Disc herniations generally occur gradually over time due to age related changes within the disc. However, traumas, lifting injuries and even sneezing have been implicated as a cause.
Piriformis Syndrome
This occurs in certain individuals (approximately 10%) where the musculature in the buttocks, namely the piriformis muscle, compresses the sciatic nerve. In these cases it is important to release the piriformis muscle to help alleviate and ease the sciatic pain.
Spondylolisthesis (slippage of vertebrae)
Spondylolisthesis occurs when a spinal vertebra slips forwards or backwards out of position. When this movement is severe enough it can generate pain in the form of sciatica.
Spondylolisthesis is most commonly caused by degenerative wear and tear of the spinal joints. However, it can occur in younger people especially if their activities include excessive bending of the spine, for example trampolining or gymnastics.
Signs and symptoms of sciatica:
– Leg pain which radiates from your lower back and travels down one of your legs to your foot and toes
– Numbness and tingling along the same region
– Pain may be aggravated by coughing, sneezing or sitting/standing for long periods
– Occasionally muscle weakness on the affected side
They may present with general back pain accompanying the sciatica, although the sciatic pain most commonly affects the buttocks and legs much more than the back. Here at our Ridgeway Chiropractic Clinic in Newport we see patients regularly who are suffering from sciatica and use a wide variety of treatment techniques, which may including soft tissue work and dry needling.
About Hip Pain, Knee Pain and Ankle Pain
Injury to the hip joint or muscle strain around the hip can lead to pain. Osteoarthritis, commonly resulting from wear and tear of the joints or referred pain from the spine may also cause hip pain.
The knee joint is one that is under continuous use and this joint is susceptible to wear and tear issues as a result, particularly due to the knee cap as a result of muscular imbalances. Nonetheless, complaints with the knee or leg causing pain may also be caused as a result of ‘referred pain’ from the foot, hip or lower back. This joint is one that can suffer from muscle strains, injury to the meniscus (cartilage pads) and ligament sprains.
Any direct injury to the joints, ligaments or muscles in the foot and ankle pain may cause discomfort or pain. Pain within the foot and ankle is commonly caused as a result of fallen arches (flat feet) this puts the foot under abnormal strain, which causes the complaint. Although, pain from the lower back which can travel through the nerves in the legs may also cause pain and discomfort to the foot or ankle, this is also known as ‘referred pain’.
All of our treatment plans are tailored to meet the individual needs of the patients and it is our team of professional chiropractors who draw up the plan. Our chiropractors use a wide range of techniques when drawing up the patients individual treatment plan, some of which include manipulation, soft tissue therapy, mobilisation, ultrasound therapy and also providing exercise advice. All of these when coupled together, result in a speedy recovery and can help to prevent a reoccurrence of the injury.
The term ‘arthritis’ is used to describe inflammation which occurs within a joint. Arthritis itself is not a diagnosis, but describes the condition of the joint. Broadly speaking, there are two main types of arthritis: osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. Often patients experiencing arthritis will report: pain, stiffness, swelling, redness and warmth within the joint.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis in the UK. Unfortunately, many people do not realise the benefits that chiropractic treatment can have, especially on hip and knee osteoarthritis. Research has shown that chiropractic treatment (often including mobilisation, soft tissue massage, dry needling and exercises) can be an effective and helpful solution to pain relief.
At our Newport chiropractic clinic we help many of our patients who are suffering from osteoarthritis. Our team of highly trained and skilled chiropractors will be able to design an individual treatment programme to help you. They are also able, if appropriate, to refer you to see other specialists including rheumatology or orthopaedic consultants.
A real pain in the…knee?April 3, 2019 - 12:39 pmWelcome to our blogDecember 12, 2014 - 7:32 pmOur Website and Chiropractors Our latest blogs will appear regularly with information about Ridgeway Chiropractic Clinic and industry news in general. You can read all about our professional team of Chiropractors on this website so you can get to know us before coming to see us. If you would like to book a session with […]
Neck PainSeptember 2, 2014 - 1:05 pmAbout Neck Pain Today’s modern living often entails hours of driving and hunching over workstations, which can play havoc with our necks. So it is not surprising that neck pain is the second most common condition that chiropractors treat. And with the use of tablets and smart phones increasing we are seeing more and more […]