Unlike most clinic’s today, Arthrocare does not charge any extra for the additional 15 minutes needed for a patients first consultation and then subsequent treatment. It recognises the importance of this time to get to know and understand the patients social & medical background.

A small charge for a consultation will only ever be made should a patient have their consultation and then decide not to have treatment.

Treatments

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body and is based on the principle that the well-being of an individual depends on the muscles, bony elements, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together whilst the host remains in a healthy psychological state.

An Osteopath can treat many types of muscle, tendon, joint, ligament and nerve related problems. Many modalities can be used such as deep tissue techniques, bony manipulation (clicking), neuromuscular techniques (various types of stretching).

Home care advice is often given in the form of exercise rehabilitation, stretching exercises and icing or heating the problem area.

Who do I choose to treat my condition?

• Osteopath
• Physiotherapist
• Chiropractor

An osteopath can treat all the same conditions as a physiotherapist (an osteopath is not just confined to backs). There is often confusion between the differences of an osteopath, physiotherapist and chiropractor.

An osteopath will look globally over the body, being both visual and tactile, feeling for differences in muscle and joint tensions and treat the whole body holistically. They should also give exercise rehabilitation and dietary advice.

A physiotherapist as the name suggests often give patients physical therapy exercise, and they may use electrotherapy treatments also.

A chiropractor will often localize their treatments towards the spine, using light frictions and bony manipulation techniques only.

It must be remembered that the information above shows the classical differences between the professions, but inreality any individual therapist may seek individual training in any other treatment modality to make themselves a more rounded therapist.

Here at Arthrocare the hands are used to massage. Stretches and mobilisations are used to free up and relax joints and reduce pain. Bony manipulation (clicking) is also often used by us but only with patient consent and in areas where it is appropriate. Please note that you do not have be clicked, there are always other ways to treat you if this does not suit you.

At the end of the treatment your condition is reassessed and where appropriate you may be given home care advice in the form of exercises, stretching or heating/cooling.

Please note that after the first treatment you may feel sore or bruised for the first few days, this is absolutely normal, just follow the advice that was given.

Sports Therapy

What is a sports therapist?

This is someone that should have a knowledge of many sports. It is someone that should be aware of the various mechanisms of injury that may take place in any given sport. This person should have knowledge of :-

• Limb biomechanics
• Muscle physiology
• Exercise rehabilitation for each given sport
• Diet and nutrition
• Health psychology
• Various deep massage and stretching techniques that are sports specific

Sports Massage Therapy

What is sports massage therapy?

This is a type of sports specific deep massage that can be done to the whole body or just to individual areas that are not recovering well from training or holding you back from full training within your given sport.

It will leave you feeling relaxed, yet invigorated and your muscles and joints feeling free.