Fitness
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy at lifedynamic can provide individually tailored care for a wide range of patients from professional and amateur sports men and women to back pain sufferers, pre and post-obesity surgery patients, medico-legal patients as well as post-operative patients. Individual treatment plans ensure that you receive the most appropriate treatment with injury assessment and advice, to minimize the risk of repeat injury. The physiotherapists at Lifedynamic have a wealth of experience enabling them to provide a range of treatments from manipulation to acupuncture.
New for 2007 is the introduction of a physiotherapist specialising in neurology and the arrival of new isokinetics equipment enabling the analysis of individual movements in order to assess how injury has occurred. Physiotherapy is the treatment and prevention of injury and disease by natural means. These natural means involve many varied skills gained over several years of extensive recognised training in order to achieve the title of Chartered Physiotherapist. The aim of physiotherapy is to help alleviate pain, restore normal movement and function patterns and help return the body to its natural balanced state without chemical intervention. Physiotherapists have a clinical autonomy and knowledge to decide the best treatment for the patient based on experiential learning, clinical experience and a growing body of research evidence.
The research evidence shows that physiotherapy is providing the answers; the combination of diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitation skills enables us to offer patients multi-dimensional approaches to treating conditions and restoring near normal function and movement.
Fast access to physiotherapy assists many people in their recovery from surgery, injury or illness. Our team of dynamic physiotherapists provide a full range of physiotherapy services including:
Clinically reasoned assessment and treatment
Your physiotherapist will take a complete history of the difficulties you are experiencing. You may also be asked about other illnesses, injuries and previous treatments. A physical examination will then be carried out, which may include evaluation of movement and function. Following this assessment, a treatment plan will be proposed and explained to you.
Manual therapy techniques
This involves the mobilization and/or manipulation of joints and soft tissue. It is used to increase flexibility and reduce pain.
Pilates/core stability
There is evidence to suggest that the deep abdominal muscles have an important role in lumbar stability. Abdominal hollowing techniques have been advocated to reduce the recurrence of low back pain and lumbar instability. The pelvic floor muscles and the diaphragm have also been shown to increase spinal stability. Pilates provides a method of exercise focusing on correct movement quality not quantity, core stabilisation and postural correction. Pilates suits all ages and fitness levels and is particularly beneficially for those with back pain, poor postures, sports injuries, arthritis, and before and after pregnancy.
Gym facilities
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is based on an ancient Chinese belief that energy flows through the body in defined channels. Fine needles are inserted into the body at specific points in order to alter the flow of energy and influences changes in the body. Research has shown that many people gain pain relief from acupuncture. This is due to the release of endorphins into the body during the acupuncture process. Endorphines are pain inhibiting substances offering the patient an analgesic effect. The scientific proof of the release of endorphines allows acupuncture to be integrated with conventional medicine. Clinical trials provide evidence that it has a powerful and sustained effect on musculo-skeletal pain. It is now commonly used in General Practice, Physiotherapy Departments and Pain Clinics as a complement to conventional medicine. Patients treated with Acupuncture will generally require at least three treatments before the physiotherapist can be certain there is a reaction. Strong reactors will show changes immediately after the first treatment and may even become slightly worse initially. The majority of patients experience a gradual change in symptoms.
Post operative joint replacement rehabilitation
This commonly involves hydrotherapy in the early stages post-op, and progresses to gym based exercise as strength and function improve. At lifedynamic we offer one-to-one sessions in the gym and also group sessions for up to one hour.
Hydrotherapy
Our purpose built hydrotherapy pool is accessible to all, with shallow steps, hand rails and hoists. It is heated to 34-36C, providing a relaxing environment for patients to exercise.
You do not have to be a swimmer or be confident in water to benefit from hydrotherapy, as you will be accompanied by a physiotherapist in the pool. 
Clinically, hydrotherapy can be used to treat many conditions, the most common being: Post operative orthopaedic surgery e.g. joint replacement, back surgery, ligament reconstruction, Musculoskeletal injury, Arthritis, back and neck pain, neurological conditions, Multiple sclerosis, Cerebral palsy, spinal injuries.
Sports rehabilition
Sports medicine isn't just about performance enhancement, but also about prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. This applies to sports men and women of all abilities. Most athletes want to lessen the risk of incurring an injury when participating in their chosen sport. There are many factors which can influence the risk of injury - psychological factors, weak muscles, muscle imbalance and muscle stiffness. Our team of physiotherapists and fitness trainers work together with sports physician and orthopaedic surgeons to provide you with an advanced programme to enable your return to sport as quickly as possible. Our well equipped gym and Primus RS rehabilitation system allows our experienced physiotherapists to evaluate and progress your rehabilitation programmes.
Electrotherapy
This is used to improve the circulation within injured tissue, thus helping to optimise tissue healing. There are several electrotherapy modalities available, which all involve the introduction of some physical energy into the tissue, the most commonly known form of electrotherapy is ultrasound. This energy brings about some physiological changes in the tissues, leading to a therapeutic benefit to the patient.
Women's health physiotherapy
Our specialist gynaecological physiotherapists are available to treat all conditions relating to women's health, for example stress incontinence, bladder control problems and weak pelvic floor muscles. This often involves an assessment and reeducation of the pelvic floor muscles, and advice and education following gynaecological surgery.
Sports massage
Massage is an effective therapy for relieving muscle tension. Repetative activity can lead to a build up of tension, which can cause some muscle imbalances. Our experienced therapy assistant can tailor a massage treatment to suit your needs.
Neurological Physiotherapy
Treatment of neurological conditions is aimed at restoring normal movement patterns and improving function. This can be done in the hydrotherapy pool or by exercises in the gym. Conditions that can be treated by our specialist neurological physiotherapist include: Multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons Disease Following Stroke, Cerebral palsy, Spina bifida, Spinal injuries.
Pool facilities
Rheumatology
Our chartered Physiotherapists treat all kinds of arthritic conditions, including rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Most arthritis conditions usually require lifelong treatment, including various medications, physiotherapy, education, and possibly surgery. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms and preserving joint function. Many of our arthritis patients have benefited over the years from ongoing treatment in our purpose-built hydrotherapy pool, attending regular splash sessions where they can exercise independently in a health care setting. The clinical benefit of hydrotherapy over conventional land physiotherapy for arthritis sufferers is well established.
Isokinetics
The Primus RS Rehabilitation System is capable of handling both testing and exercising of almost every musculoskeletal condition. It can be used in sports rehabilitation, orthopaedics, hand therapy and functional task analysis. It has multiple resistance modes and attachments as such can be used to treat, test and evaluate virtually any condition with a level of quality, providing an objective measure of performance.
Fitness testing/ Personal training programmes
Following an initial consultation including a fitness test and postural assessment, a personal exercise plan can be drawn up that is tailored to individual needs, with target goals which can be modified in order to progress forward.
State registered experienced physiotherapists work with Consultants across specialties as well as with a Sports Physician and Personal Trainer to ensure the most appropriate treatment regimes are developed and injury prevention advice given to minimize the risk of repeat injury.
