The Hour

Physiotherapy is a technique that uses joint manipulation and acupuncture to heal your body to work and to move better. Effective techniques can take away aches and pains and leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Kirsten Lord is a physiotherapist with one of the largest private independent clinics in Scotland, the Edinburgh Physiotherapy Centre. She told The Hour:

“We see a lot of different problems so there are a lot of reasons for people to come and see us. Spinal injuries and back and neck problems are really common. We see a lot of people from marathons and people preparing for the moonwalk and injuring themselves.

“We also see people from the [Edinburgh] Playhouse as well for dancing type injuries or injuries from wearing heavy wigs, so there’s a real variety of things.”

Sitting over a work desk in a slumped position for several hours can lead to headaches and migraines, and people can develop tightness in their backs and necks from having poor posture, leading to stiffness and restricted movement.

When treating a new patient, Kirsten finds out their history and about any injuries they have had. She also checks their range of movement and will feel the joints for any abnormalities. She said:

“Physios actually know what is normal and what is abnormal. Abnormal is stiffness at particular levels and then you relate that to the exact nerve region so you know pretty much where it is you’re starting from.”

The first session with a physiotherapist lasts for around 45 minutes and involves a discussion, an examination and a treatment. After that every session lasts for around 30 minutes.

For more information on the Edinburgh Physiotherapy Centre see the website.

MIND, BODY AND SOUL

• Traditional acupuncture
• Tai Chi
• Pilates