You could be suffering the pain and stiffness of a Frozen Shoulder. Perhaps it’s Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow which is stopping you from going about your usual daily activities. Maybe you’re suffering with wrist pain from RSI or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It might even be Text Thumb (yes, that’s a real thing!).
Whatever the problem, we know how debilitating pain and lack of movement in your upper limbs can be and how it can drain you physically and emotionally, preventing you from enjoying simple everyday activities.
If this kind of pain is left untreated, it can develop to the point where it restricts your movement severely and causes issues in other areas of your body. If you’re taking painkillers or anti-inflammatories regularly, they could be just masking your pain: you need to find and treat the root of the problem.
We treat people with shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist conditions in clinic every day and happily, we’re able to reduce their pain, restore movement and get them back to their usual routine. We’re glad you’ve found us…and we promise to do our very best to help you!
When you come to us with an upper limb injury, our aim is to:
The pain and immobility from a shoulder, elbow, hand or wrist condition can put your life on hold and prevent you from doing simple, everyday things. Typically, it might be:
Depending on the joint in question, your pain could be caused by a number of reasons including:
Upper limb conditions are sometimes linked to one another. For example, when there are problems in the hand and wrist, other parts of the body such as the shoulder, neck and back pain try to compensate. So, it’s not unusual for other problems to develop in areas away from the root cause.
A sports injury, fall or knock to the shoulder or arm can offset ‘Frozen Shoulder’ - where the joint capsule becomes fixed, causing severe pain and eventually restricting movement if left untreated.
Common elbow conditions such as Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow tend to develop from sports injuries - but it’s not unusual for non-sporty people to develop these conditions too. Any repetitive wrist movements can be a trigger, for example, gardening, housework, DIY, weightlifting or playing a musical instrument. You’ll probably experience a throbbing or tenderness on the outer or inner elbow which may worsen if you’re doing simple movements such as typing, chopping food or turning a door knob.
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is used to describe various musculo-skeletal conditions which usually result from our lifestyle or working habits; for example, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which is the inflammation or compression of the nerve running from the forearm to the fingers. Common in PC users, symptoms include aching, burning, numbness and/or a tingling sensation in the palm, wrist, thumb or fingers. Other triggers include pregnancy or weight gain, the menopause, diabetes, an underactive thyroid, Arthritis and poor habits or posture at work.
Repetitive stress injuries and Tendonitis are common simply because of the amount of use our hands get and because of the delicate nature of the wrist and fingers.
Osteoarthritis can develop over time where the shoulder, elbow or wrist has come under pressure and cartilage has worn, causing pain and swelling.
When you come to see us, we’ll listen to you, find the root cause of your upper limb pain and explain in simple terms how we can help.
During your first visit, we’ll take a history of your symptoms, review any MRI scans and carry out a set of physical tests to find out how your pain affects you.
We’ll assess your body as a whole, looking at the movement of joint which is giving you pain as well as the surrounding joints i.e. shoulder, elbow and wrist. We’ll also look at your spine – the neck in particular to see how your body moves as a whole.
We treat upper limb conditions (including Arthritis) non-invasively with a combination of hands-on massage, mobilisation, exercise-based rehabilitation and myofascial techniques.
Our aim is to relax muscles and ligaments and limber up joints, removing any inflammation or restriction and restoring them to their normal positions. We focus on the upper back and neck too, since this is where the blood and nerve supply to the upper limbs are controlled. When we free up movement and reduce tension, we can build more strength and range of motion in the joint until you’re back fully functioning.
We’ll also offer you lifestyle advice on things like posture, breaks and bad habits at work, in the car and at play, to minimise any chance of your condition returning.
I had a bad skiing accident in 2002, and although I have made a good recovery, I still need regular maintenance on my shoulder.
James's affable nature and caring attitude towards wellness shine though. He provides such an excellent service in beautiful surroundings. After seeing James, I feel totally rejuvenated and have ultimate movement once again. One forgets how knotted and stiff one becomes – if you are also knotted and stiff, James is your man! I would recommend James to anyone. If you want to speak to me personally about the fantastic service he provides, James can put you in touch with me directly.
Mr M., Kent
