Then a treatment programme is selected and agreed upon. The treatment programme could consist of the following elements:

• The management of acute symptoms such as swelling following an injury
• Application of manual therapies aiming to reduce soft tissue tension and shortening and to restore flexibility of movement
• Encouragement of increased activity together with strengthening exercises with the aim of improving function and a return to normal activities

Her approach incorporates light touch soft tissue therapy techniques which you would find easy to tolerate, and which are often effective in relieving symptoms.

It is her perception that where there is restriction and stress in the body, this has to be relieved in some way before strenuous exercise can begin; otherwise this pursuit becomes painful and discouraging with symptoms often becoming worse or recurring some months later.

The focus of treatment is usually on the employment of manual soft tissue therapy techniques aimed at facilitating your body to release its restrictions. This process may involve a number of visits, depending on the chronicity of your problem.

You will be encouraged to undertake light exercise aimed at maintaining available joint range and muscular flexibility in proportion to what you are able to achieve with reasonable comfort and ease.

Once full, pain-free range of movement is achieved, then a programme of strengthening exercises can be implemented.

This programming of treatment is important for both acute problems eg. fractures or whiplash injuries (acute inflammatory symptoms such as swelling and protective muscular spasm have to be appropriately managed), and also chronic conditions such as low back pain; arthritis; frozen shoulder and muscular aches and pains.