Online Booking - Now Available

You can now book your appointments online...

The system is very simple to use.

Just go to the main website www.TheRingwoodClinic.co.uk  and click the book online tab which is in the right hand column of the website.

IMPORTANT

1) Enter your current email as this will be used to send you an immediate confirmation of your appointment

2) If you have a mobile number enter that too - this allows the system to send you an automatic text reminder the day before your appointment.

3) If the appointment slot that you need is not available call in on 01425 480030 as occasionally there may be additional time slots available that are not displayed.

Finally watch the video below showing you how it works:

N/b The video has no sound

Tennis Elbow... Not just for tennis players!

Tennis Elbow also know as lateral epicondylitis, is often associated with tennis players. However there are varying causes of tennis elbow. Some examples I've seen in the clinic include; a plasterer in his 40's who was struggling to work because of the pain, a lady in her early 30's who had been gardening all weekend as well as my own dad who had been doing lots of DIY jobs around the house (I'll blame my mum for that!).

Tennis elbow is set off by 'overloading' the extensor muscles of the forearm, in particular a muscle called the extensor carpi radalis brevis. Any action that is repetitive involving lots of gripping or extension of the wrist can cause the onset of tennis elbow. This is why activities such as plastering, gardening and DIY cause tennis elbow.

If you are suffering from tennis elbow your symptoms may include some of the following:

1. Pain around the outside aspect of your forearm
2. Discomfort on gripping (sometimes even just picking up a cup of tea)
3. Weakness on gripping or picking up items
4. Pain on extending the wrist against resistance
5. Pain on extending your middle finger against resistance (this is a test we use to diagnose tennis elbow)

Tennis elbow is seen most commonly in individuals over the age 30, however it is sometimes found in individuals below the age of 30. Diagnosis is normally fairly simple and generally no other imaging is needed (E.g. MRI / Ultrasound).

Recovery will most often be around 4 - 6 weeks however if the symptoms have been around for a long period then this is likely to significantly extend the recovery period. If you do have any of the above symptoms get seen as early as possible, it will make it much easier to treat.

If you come in to see me for this problem, treatment may include any of the following:

1. Advice on reducing forces around the forearm
2. Massage to the extensor muscles to reduce tension
3. Ultrasound to promote the inflammatory process
4. Prescription of a tennis elbow brace to off load the muscles
5. Progressive (eccentric) strengthening exercise for the forearm

As always if you have any questions please email me directly, my email address can be found here.

Ultrasound Treatment at Home?

Swelling? inflammation?

Hire a home use Ultrasound unit - £42 per week.

Ultrasound has traditionally been used in a 'clinical' setting by Physiotherapists (and other health professionals) to speed up the rate of healing and improve the long term quality of tissue repair.

Up until recently it has only been practical to use in a clinic, this has mainly been due to the fact clinical ultrasound units are expensive to purchase, bulky and have required specialist knowledge use.

However, recently an Australian based company have manufactured a small 'home use' ultrasound device, that has been designed to be used by the 'general public'.

*** The picture above shows on the right my clinic based ultrasound unit (pretty large!), with the home use ultrasound device on the left. The home based device has all of the electrics built into the head***

I often use ultrasound within my treatments, however the greatest benefits of using ultrasound can found in using it on a regular basis (up to twice a day). Obviously having daily ultrasound treatments are not practical unless you are a professional footballer (or athlete) with access to professional care.

The good news is that I've now purchased two 'home use' ultrasound devices. These units can be used to speed up the treatment of injuries or complaints including:

• Sprains / strains (with swelling present)
• Muscle spasms
• Tennis and golfers elbow
• Knee and ankle problems
• Back pain
• Heel spurs and achilles problems
• Joint pain
• Tendonitis
• Shin pain
• As well as a number of sports related injuires

If you have just sustained an injury or have a chronic complaint please do email me to ask if Ultrasound therapy can help you.

Treatment Room for Hire (Ringwood)

There is a treatment room available for hire / lease at the clinic.

The room would be suitable for any of the following professionals:

• Physiotherapist
• Chiropractor
• Osteopath
• Massage therapist
• Nutritionist
• Counsellor
• Podiatrist / Chiropodist
• Any similar professional

Please email Alex at office@theringwoodclinic.co.uk if you (or anyone you may know) are intersted in hiring out the treatment room.

Sport massage, injury treatment & rehabilitation

Covering Ringwood, Bournemouth, Verwood, Fordingbridge, West Moors, Ferndown and New Forest

Knee Pain? Grinding, clicking or clunking

Increasingly more and more people have been coming to see me at the clinic with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (or pain at the front of the knee).

The pain is often associated with grinding, clicking and clunking in the knee which is made worse by squating type movements and walking up/downstairs.

This grinding, clicking and clunking is NOT normal and will most likely indicate that your patella (or knee cap) is tracking poorly. If your patella is not tracking correctly at the front of the knee then it will 'rub' against the edge of the femur, which will in turn cause it to grind, click or clunk.

Alongside the grinding, clicking and clunking some people also report a 'giving way' in the knee or a general feeling of being unstable.

Again this is NOT normal.

The good news is that with the correct treatment this pain (as well as the associated grinding, click and clunking) can normally be resolved successful with out the need for any surgical intervention.

The cause of this 'poor tracking' in the knee is often due to muscle imbalances in the thigh muscles (quadriceps) and weakness in the hip muscles.

With the correct exercises and treatment most often these imbalances can be addressed.

For a more detailed explanation of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome click here.

Additionally if you have any questions you would like answered about you own knee pain please do email me.

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Treatments that I use to resolve Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, may include some / all of the following:

1. Mobilisations to the patella to 'free up' tight structures.
2. Massage to the IT-Band, to help address the muscle imbalances.
3. Home exercises specifically designed to even out the muscle imbalances.
4. Ultrasound to help improve the inflammatory process.
5. Taping to help re-position the knee cap.
6. Referral to a podiatrist if your imbalances are associated with poor bio-mechanics at your feet.