Physiotherapy for muscular aches and pains

Our expert team of registered physiotherapists offers treatment for a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries or conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Back pain or neck pain
• Joint pain
• Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
• Sports injuries
• Osteoporosis
• Recovery from surgery, such as a knee or hip replacement
• Recovery from fractures
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
• Rotator cuff injury
• Shoulder impingement
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Golfer’s elbow (Medial epicondylitis)
• Plantar fasciitis
• Tennis elbow (extensor tendinopathy)
• Muscle sprains and strains
• Achilles tendinopathy
• Meniscus tear
• ACL injury
• Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis)
• Fibromyalgia
• Bursitis

Musculoskeletal physiotherapy involves a range of techniques aimed at reducing pain, restoring movement and function, and teaching alternative ways of completing tasks that you may struggle with. The type of treatment your physiotherapist may recommend depends on your condition and what you hope to achieve. Often, a combination of treatments is used to achieve the best outcome.

Musculoskeletal physiotherapy techniques include:

Manual therapy

During manual therapy, your physiotherapist uses their hands to apply pressure to your joints, muscles, and ligaments using techniques such as massage and joint manipulation. Manual therapy is used to treat many musculoskeletal conditions, including back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, strains and sprains, and tennis elbow.

Manual therapy can help to:

• Reduce pain
• Improve your range of motion
• Increase tissue extensibility (the amount of strength and power that your muscles can generate)
• Manipulate and help movement of soft tissues and joints
• Promote tissue repair
• Reduce swelling and inflammation

Exercise therapy

Your physiotherapist can show you specially designed exercises to improve your flexibility, strength, and range of movement. Exercise therapy can also reduce pain both in the short and long term.

Exercise therapy can help to:

• Build muscle strength
• Improve flexibility and range of movement
• Improve or maintain mobility
• Improve balance
• Reduce pain
• Speed up recovery from surgery
• Avoid alternative treatments like medication or surgery
• Improve wellbeing

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy involves exercise and rehabilitation in water. It is primarily used to treat pain and stiffness and can be beneficial to people with conditions such as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and ankylosing spondylitis.

Hydrotherapy can help to:

• Reduce pain
• Improve overall fitness
• Improve balance and coordination
• Increase muscle strength
• Improve range of movement
• Improve function and mobility
• Speed up recovery from surgery
• Improve your gait (walking technique)
• Improve circulation
• Promote relaxation
• Improve wellbeing

Electrotherapy

Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy to provide pain relief and treat neuromuscular dysfunction (problems with the nerves and muscles).

In addition to helping reduce pain, electrotherapy has many other benefits, including:

• Improves strength and motor control
• Increases blood flow
• Decreases swelling
• Reduces inflammation
• Prevents muscle weakness and reduces muscle wasting
• Aids rehabilitation after illness, injury, or surgery
• Improves or maintains joint mobility
• Improves blood supply to injured tissue
• Breaks down scar tissue
• Decreases muscle spasms

Electrotherapy is commonly used to treat sports injuries and can also help with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic nerve pain, and sciatica.

There are several different types of electrotherapy, including interferential therapy, ultrasound, and TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation).

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a technique where small, sterile needles are inserted just under the skin on specific points on the body. These points are thought to stimulate the central nervous system (brain, nerves, and spinal cord). This promotes your body’s own ability to heal and improves wellbeing. Acupuncture can help to relieve pain in a number of musculoskeletal conditions, including neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain, tennis elbow and knee osteoarthritis.

Acupuncture can help to:

• Reduce pain
• Reduce muscle spasms
• Reduce joint stiffness
• Lengthen muscles
• Reduce swelling
• Promote the release of endorphins (‘feel-good hormones’)
• Promote relaxation

Advice and education

Your physiotherapist can offer advice and education on a variety of topics to allow you to manage your condition as effectively as possible.

They may offer advice on:

• Pain management
• Avoiding pain triggers
• Stress reduction
• Skills to make daily tasks easier
• Relearning unhelpful behaviour
• Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise
• Aids and devices like splints, braces, orthotics, shoe insoles and home TENS machines

In some cases, your physiotherapist may refer you to another specialist such as a doctor, surgeon, pain management team or cognitive behavioural therapist.

It’s a good idea to arrive around ten minutes early to your first appointment, as this gives you time to fill out the questionnaire. Wear loose, comfortable clothes that are easy to move around in.

At your first appointment, your physiotherapist will work with you to establish the best treatment plan for your needs.

They may ask you about:

• Your symptoms
• Your general health
• Your medical history
• Any previous injuries or surgeries
• Any medications you are taking
• Your goals and expectations for treatment, for example, what would you like to be able to do more easily, or which symptoms most impact your life

Your physiotherapist will perform a physical examination and assess your strength, flexibility, function, gait, and reflexes. They may use palpation techniques where they apply different amounts of pressure with their hands to assess the injured or affected area.

If your condition is suitable for musculoskeletal physiotherapy, your physiotherapist will create an individualised treatment plan that is most suitable for you.

How long will my first appointment last?

How long your first appointment lasts depends on your condition and treatment plan, but your first appointment normally lasts around an hour.

Do I need to take anything with me to my appointment?

Wear loose comfortable clothes to your appointment and bring a list of any regular medications you take. You may need to fill out a questionnaire, so bring your reading glasses if you need them.

At Circle Health Group, we have the experience and expertise to ensure the best possible care and outcome for our patients. As a patient with Circle Health Group, you can expect the highest standards of care, including:

• Flexible appointment times and locations that are convenient for you
• The freedom to choose your hospital and physiotherapist
• Specialist physiotherapy equipment and imaging facilities at your fingertips
• Specialist advice/exercises to follow in sessions and at home
• Tailored services (your physiotherapist will build your timetable around your needs)
• Flexible finance options to help you spread the cost of your sessions

If you would like to see a physiotherapist or learn more about private musculoskeletal physiotherapy, book your appointment online today or call a member of our team directly.

Content reviewed by Circle in-house team in February 2024. Next review due February 2027.

• Musculoskeletal Physio.co.uk
• Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy (MSK) Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust 
• Adult musculoskeletal physiotherapy (MSK) NHS Fife