Low back, sciatica, neck, whiplash, desk strain
Back and neck pain
The most common thing through the door: a back that went, a neck that will not turn, sciatica down one leg. Assessed in forty-five minutes, treated hands-on, and strengthened so it stays better.
Most back and neck pain is mechanical and gets better with the right movement, the right loading and the removal of the one thing irritating it. The assessment is where we find out whether yours is that kind.
In the first session we take a history, test movement segment by segment, check the nerves into the arms or legs, screen for the red flags that would mean a GP or a scan instead of us, and tell you what we think is going on in plain language. Treatment usually starts the same day: manual therapy to the stiff segments, soft tissue work, acupuncture if it suits you, and two or three exercises that fit into a day.
The second half of the plan is strengthening: the deep muscles of the back and hips, graded week by week, because the people whose backs do not go again are the people who got stronger. For sciatica we add nerve mobilisation and a staged return to sitting and bending; for whiplash, an early-movement plan and a report for your insurer if you need one.
What is included
- Forty-five-minute assessment and treatment on day one
- Red-flag screening and GP or scan referral when needed
- Manual therapy, acupuncture, soft tissue work
- A strengthening programme, graded weekly
- Two or three exercises, not twenty
- Review at session four
What it costs
Initial assessment £68, follow-ups £52. Most acute low back pain is four to six sessions; long-standing pain six to ten with a review at session four. There is no VAT on physiotherapy. All fees are on the fees page; the full list of what we treat is on the conditions page.
Questions about back and neck
Do I need a scan first?
Usually not. Most back and neck pain does not show anything useful on a scan and the assessment tells us more. If the examination finds something that needs imaging, we write to your GP the same day or refer privately, and we say why.
Should I rest it?
Rarely for more than a day or two. Backs and necks stiffen when they are rested and loosen when they are moved gently. We will tell you what to keep doing, what to stop for a fortnight and how to get back to the rest.
Book an assessment.
Forty-five minutes with a physiotherapist: history, assessment, a diagnosis in plain words and treatment on the day. £68, no GP referral needed, most insurers recognised. Acute injuries seen within 48 hours.