By Carl Green 

 

This is an introduction to a series of future posts I will be writing about different types of musculoskeletal conditions. My aim over the next several posts is to provide information that you can trust, share and refer back to when considering if you have a musculoskeletal condition. I hope to help you become familiar with the types of problems that can occur, and provide guidance on the initial steps to take. 

 

When we have pain, stiffness or weakness, we often try to think of a cause or reason why it started, sometimes this is obvious, but often it is not. It is normal to become somewhat anxious about what the pain means, and unsure if we need to reduce or increase our activity to help recover. We will often think about what tissues could be involved and what treatment options exist, or look for reassurance that symptoms are not being caused by another type of problem altogether. 

 

In an attempt to find answers, some people may ask others in their lives about experiences they might have had, and many search the internet for conditions that seem to match their symptoms. Although it is often very useful to educate yourself in regard to your pain/problem (and something we do in clinic), unfortunately you can’t trust everything you hear/read and there is much more to assessing and diagnosing than matching the location and type of pain, or even looking at and touching the area. Doing general searches or having incomplete assessments can become misleading, often causing further anxiety or confusion. So let’s make a start by answering one key starting question… 

 

 

Different types of musculoskeletal conditions are caused by excessive or insufficient mechanical stress to our muscles (including tendons), bones, joints (including ligaments, discs and cartilage), and changes to these tissues can occasionally affect neighbouring nerves. 

 

Other types of conditions/specialities that can commonly affect body movements but through different mechanisms include neurological (such as stroke, multiple sclerosis and parkinsons), and rheumatological (like inflammatory/rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica). 

 

Over the next few posts I will be covering the following topics… 

 

I hope you find the posts useful, and if you need help please get in touch. As specialist musculoskeletal Physiotherapists, myself (Carl Green) and my colleagues (Craig Fowlie and Jane Marr) at Colchester Physio and Sports Injury Clinic are on hand to support you from assessment to recovery, and to improve your function and performance for daily activities, hobbies, or work. 

If you are having issues with any of the different types of musculoskeletal conditions we would advise you to speak to a professional. Our team are experts in treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries or problems, and can offer you practical and effective advice on how to avoid or deal with a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions. If you require any more information about our services, reach out today or give us a call on 01206 579631.