Do you have an injury? Do you want to self manage?

Today we launch our 'self-help' website www.askphysio.com

This website will advise you what to do when you have an injury

When you sustain an injury it's important to treat it asap. And sometimes you just don't know what to do.

As a result of we decided to build a website that will help you to help yourself.

And if you need more help or advice ask your physio or consult your GP.

In the event that you do need physio here is an outline of what Physiotherapy can offer you (from NHS website)

Physiotherapy helps to restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. It can also help to reduce your risk of injury or illness in the future.

It takes a holistic approach that involves the patient directly in their own care.

When is physiotherapy used?

Physiotherapy can be helpful for people of all ages with a wide range of health conditions, including problems affecting the:

bones, joints and soft tissue – such as back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and sports injuries
brain or nervous system – such as movement problems resulting from a stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS) or Parkinson's disease
heart and circulation – such as rehabilitation after a heart attack
lungs and breathing – such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis

Physiotherapy can improve your physical activity while helping you to prevent further injuries.

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapy is provided by specially trained and regulated practitioners called physiotherapists.

Physiotherapists often work as part of a multidisciplinary team in various areas of medicine and settings, including:

hospitals
community health centres or clinics
some GP surgeries
some sports teams, clubs, charities and workplaces

Some physiotherapists can also offer home visits.

What physiotherapists do

Physiotherapists consider the body as a whole, rather than just focusing on the individual aspects of an injury or illness.

Some of the main approaches used by physiotherapists include:

education and advice – physiotherapists can give general advice about things that can affect your daily lives, such as posture and correct lifting or carrying techniques to help prevent injuries
movement, tailored exercise and physical activity advice – exercises may be recommended to improve your general health and mobility, and to strengthen specific parts of your body
manual therapy – where the physiotherapist uses their hands to help relieve pain and stiffness, and to encourage better movement of the body

There are other techniques that may sometimes be used, such as exercises carried out in water (hydrotherapy or aquatic therapy) or acupuncture.

Read more about the main physiotherapy techniques.