What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 7:30pm Tuesday 8am - 7:30pm Wednesday 8am - 7:30pm Thursday 8am - 7:30pm Friday 8am - 6pm

http://www.blackpoolphysiocentre.com/

Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre, Rear Of 22 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool (2026)

01/02/2026

Back Pain: Why and How it happens.
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit physiotherapists and get to know them. It's a common enemy among the young and the old, the active and the inactive.
In today's post, I'm here to share some good news……

Most back pain is manageable and often reversible.
Whether it’s a dull ache or a sharp reminder every time you move, understanding your back pain is the first step toward finding relief.
Most common causes of Back Pain are
not untreatable. Back pain usually isn’t caused by something “serious,” but rather by how we use our bodies every day.

Common causes include:
Poor posture from long hours of sitting, from bending your neck during phone use or watching TV at awkward angles.
Muscle strain from lifting incorrectly or sudden movements.
Prolonged inactivity,which leads to stiff joints and weak muscles.
Weak core muscles, making the spine work harder than it should.
Stress and tension, which can cause muscles to tighten and ache.
Sometimes, disc issues or nerve irritation may be involved, but these are less common than muscle and joint-related causes.

What can I do to relieve back pain?
Relief doesn’t always mean bed rest because in fact too much rest can/will slow recovery.
Physiotherapy focuses on:
•Gentle movement and stretching to reduce stiffness.
•Manual therapy to ease muscle tension and improve joint mobility.
•Postural correction for daily activities like sitting, standing, and lifting.
•Heat or cold therapy to manage pain and inflammation.
Small changes in daily habits often make a big difference. You have to do the work for your body to feel good.
Recovery time for back pains varies depending on the cause and how early you address it.
Acute back pain may improve within a few days to 2 weeks, while persistent or recurring pain may take several weeks even with guided treatment.
The good news though? Consistency is key and following your physiotherapist’s advice speeds up healing.
Your physiotherapist will give you guided treatment ranging from electrical therapy, massage therapy and exercise therapy, this will all depend on the cause of your pain.
Unfortunately, most patients are skeptical about exercise therapy as a form of treatment, even though exercise is one of the most effective treatments for back pain (backed up with tons of evidence)
Strengthening the core, hips, and back muscles provides better support for your spine and gives relief from pain. Gentle exercises also improve flexibility, circulation, and confidence in movement. The key is doing the right exercises, not avoiding movement altogether.

Bottom line
Your back is designed to move. With proper guidance, movement is medicine and physiotherapy helps you move safely, confidently, and pain-free.

12/01/2026

SPINAL MANIPULATION – WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING
You cannot push vertebrae back into place with your hands. The spine isn’t dislocating and relocating every time someone cracks your back. If it were actually misaligned the way some claim, you’d be in hospital, not on a treatment table.
When a practitioner performs a spinal manipulation, the movement is extremely small — a few millimetres at most. The joint surfaces briefly separate, creating a rapid change in pressure within the synovial joint. That change causes gas (mostly CO₂ and nitrogen) to form and collapse inside the joint fluid — the audible “pop.” It’s called cavitation — a pressure change in the joint capsule.
Physiological Effects
Manipulation affects the body mainly through neurophysiological responses, not through physical repositioning of bones. The quick stretch activates mechanoreceptors within the joint capsule and surrounding tissues. These receptors send a flood of sensory input to the spinal cord and brain. This temporary barrage can reduce the sensitivity of nociceptive pathways (pain signalling) and alter muscle tone via reflex mechanisms. That’s why after a manipulation, patients often feel “looser,” “lighter,” or notice an improved range of motion — it’s not because their bones were realigned; it’s because their nervous system has momentarily adjusted how it’s interpreting movement and pain.
The effect can also increase local blood flow and help restore normal joint motion if it’s been restricted by protective muscle guarding. Again — that’s a functional change, not a structural one.
Why the Realignment Myth Persists
The “realignment” myth continues because it sounds dramatic and easy to sell. It gives people the impression something was out of place and the practitioner fixed it. It’s a neat story — but it’s nonsense. The vertebrae are held in place by strong ligaments, discs, and deep stabilising muscles. A single thrust cannot overcome that structure and magically shift things back.

17/12/2025

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all the team at the Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre!!
Last appointments this year will be on Christmas Eve
and we will re-open at 8am Friday 2rd January 2026. Have a fantastic festive period!

20/11/2025

The importance of core strength to stay injury free
If you want to avoid injury, building up your core strength is important. With more people working from home after the lockdowns, physiotherapists are seeing a gradual increase in posture-related problems. Poor posture can weaken the core, increasing your chance of injury.
What is core strength?
Core strength relates to the muscles of your torso, or midsection. They include the abdominal, lower back, and the side muscles. When these muscles are strong, they help to stabilise the pelvis and the spine. This in turn helps you to maintain good posture and protect you from injury.
Why is core strength important?
The stronger your core muscles are, the less likely you’ll be to suffer an injury. You’ll also find it easier to carry out daily activities such as walking, vacuuming, and getting up out of a chair.
Core strength is particularly important for athletes who are at an increased risk of injury. By keeping your core strength topped up, you’ll be able to participate safely in your chosen sport. So, how can you tell if your core could use a little work? The main signs of a weak core include:
• Pain within the lower back
• Knee pain
• Low endurance for physical activity
• Poor balance and posture
• Poor flexibility
These are the main signs that point to a need to strengthen your core. The question is, how can you build up core strength?
How to build up core strength
If you want to improve core strength, the good news is there are lots of ways to do it. Carrying out specific exercises is the first step to a strong core.
Pilates is an especially great way to focus on core strength. When combined with physiotherapy, it helps to build up strength, while also improving flexibility and range of motion.
The plank exercise is also a good core strengthening workout. Doing a plank once each day can greatly build up core strength, protecting you from injury. However, it’s vitally important that you maintain correct form whilst performing the plank exercise in order to maximize your results. Keep your elbows directly beneath your shoulders and maintain a straight back at all times.
While exercise can greatly help to improve core strength, you do need to know what you are doing. If you do any core strengthening exercises incorrectly, it could actually cause, rather than prevent, an injury. That is why it is important to seek professional guidance.

29/10/2025

CLICKING JOINTS-SHOULD WE WORRY?????
We’ve all experienced joints clicking: a neck that clicks when we look over our shoulder, knees that snap when we stand up, finger knuckles that crack when you make a fist, and shoulders that pop when you reach for something. And even though the sound is quite often pain-free, it can be loud and worrying – loud enough even for others to hear!
However, if this popping and clicking is pain-free, it is considered normal. If, for any reason, you experience pain or swelling with your talkative joints, this warrants further attention with a medical professional.

Why do joints click?

While we do know that it’s nothing serious, and doesn’t cause any harm, the honest answer is that there’s no clear scientific answer for why our joints can click and pop. There are a number of different theories: the noise is from nitrogen bubbles escaping in the joint, from bubbles in the synovial fluid of the joint, or from tendons and ligaments passing over each other or bony surfaces of the joint.
Are joints clicking a symptom of something more serious?
Don’t believe the old wives tale that clicking/cracking joints will cause arthritis or bigger joints. Unless this sound is accompanied by pain, swelling or signs of inflammation it’s considered normal and is nothing to worry about. Should you experience pain, discomfort or swelling with the popping then do reach out to your local physiotherapist or doctor as an assessment would then be warranted to rule out any injury.
How can you stop joints clicking?
Motion is lotion! Gentle regular movement, which can include stretches, mobility exercises, body weight strength work and light weights will all help. The more active you are, the more your joints move and lubricate themselves. identifying areas of your body that are restricted in range of movement, or have a tendency to get stiffer or tighter, and then addressing this with mobility work, will often help.

12/09/2025

Are you considering physiotherapy for an underlying ache or chronic pain? Perhaps you have been recommended regular physio by a doctor or even a friend or family member, or perhaps you’re motivated by your own research.
Whatever the case, once you know you want to contact and book a session with a physiotherapist, you will want to find the best.
And that’s where Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre comes in – delivering leading physiotherapy in Lancashire for clients with a whole host of aches and pains (as well as those who simply like the relaxation benefits of a deep tissue massage)!
But rather than simply heralding the benefits of our in-house team, we thought we’d create a list of things to look for in a good physiotherapist – wherever in the world you may be!

1. They are members of the CSP
This is a group of approved and regulated physiotherapists who have met certain criteria to become listed as official CSP organisations – and is a great way of instantly determining whether or not your chosen physiotherapist is operating within industry standards.
Especially when it comes to treatments like acupuncture, deeper massage and other treatments, you want to ensure that your body is being treated safely and effectively.

2. They offer bespoke treatment plans rather than set packages
This is a big one for us at Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre. So often we see physiotherapists that offer packages of treatment plans and massage sessions – with limited flexibility according to the client’s specific needs and issues.
One of the hallmarks of a good physiotherapist is a desire to create a bespoke treatment plan that will support you and help to address the issues raised at your initial consultation.

3. They work alongside other medical specialists
Thirdly, a good physiotherapist will build their programme alongside the advice of doctors, consultants, orthopaedics, and other medical professionals to ensure that every potential base is covered.
As part of our commitment to clients, not only do you benefit from our extensive expertise in the industry and training, but you can rest assured that every treatment we offer has been finessed under the guidance of trained professionals and experts.

Suffice it to say, a good physiotherapist doesn’t just complete each scheduled session – they go above and beyond to ensure that every client feels safe and supported. Find out more about our approach at Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre, or book an initial consultation on 01253 301118

28/08/2025

Why Clients Choose Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre
Chronic pain can affect everything from your mobility to your sleep, making it hard to live a normal life. While there’s no one size fits all treatment for chronic pain, for many people physiotherapy can provide some relief. Here’s everything you need to know, along with why our team are the providers of physio our clients trust.

Understanding Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than three months, and it may not always be linked to a specific injury or condition. Chronic pain can be really complex and can be linked to conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and nerve damage. It can also be influenced by lifestyle factors, stress, and mental health too. Here at Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre, we understand that chronic pain varies from person to person, and that’s why we take a tailored approach to provide truly personalised treatments.

How Can Physiotherapy Help?
Our team uses a combination of different physiotherapy techniques to help patients manage their chronic pain effectively, with treatment options designed to improve their comfort in the short and long term. We’re able to do this by taking the following steps:

Getting to Know You
Each patient’s pain is unique, and the first step to improving it is getting to know them. We’ll talk to you about your condition, lifestyle, and what you are looking to achieve from your sessions. This thorough assessment can help to identify potential sources of pain and what they might be related to. We’ll then be able to develop a tailored plan that directly addresses your pain. All of our clients benefit from treatments that have been specifically adapted to their needs.
Physiotherapy Sessions
We will then take a hands-on approach to treating your pain, with tried and tested techniques that we have spent years honing. For many of our clients, regular physiotherapy sessions can be truly transformative, helping to reduce their discomfort and improve their quality of life. We focus on using gentle, effective techniques that are tailored to each patient’s tolerance and needs, ensuring that you are comfortable throughout your sessions but still get the best possible results.

Exercise for You to Try at Home
Keeping moving between sessions can play a huge role in managing your chronic pain. When appropriate, we put together exercise programmes that not only address the source of the pain but also build strength and endurance, which can help to prevent your pain from worsening over time. Our exercise programmes are carefully crafted to suit each patient’s level of ability, so you can be sure that risk of any further injury is kept very low.

Take the First Step Towards Relief Today
Living with chronic pain can feel lonely and overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. We’re here to help you, so please get in touch with our friendly team today on 01253 301118 to find out more. We can’t wait to hear from you!

24/07/2025

PART 2 PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Top 5 tips to immediately reduce Plantar Fasciitis symptoms
Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate plantar fasciitis immediately, here are our top 5 suggestions:
Ice
Apply ice wrapped in a towel to the area of pain for up to 20 minutes several times throughout the day, or after exercise. Please don’t apply the ice directly onto your skin and this can cause ice burns!

Change how you exercise.
Keeping active is important but in a way that won’t aggravate your symptoms so changing to low impact exercise can be beneficial. Swimming is a great way to do this!

Self-tissue release
Grab a golf ball or tennis ball and place your foot on top of it applying some pressure and rolling the ball backwards and forwards to help reduce tightness in the plantar fascia.

Changing footwear
It is recommended to wear supportive footwear that has a shock absorbing insole and adequate arch support and avoid walking in bare feet or flip flops.

Stretching
Regular stretching is an important part of treatment, here are two really useful ones!

Stretches to relieve Plantar Fasciitis symptoms
Plantar fascia stretch:
Place the front of your foot and toes against the wall and lean forwards over your ankle until you feel the stretch on the bottom of your foot. Hold this for up to a minute.
Gastrocnemius stretch:
Using a wall for support, plant your affected foot flat on the floor behind you. Keeping this leg straight, lean forwards reducing the angle between your front foot and shin until you feel the stretch in your calf muscle of the leg planted behind you, ensuring your heel doesn’t come off the floor. Hold this for up to a minute.
Plantar Fasciitis Treatment at Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre
Plantar fasciitis can have a significant impact on your movement even during the most basic everyday tasks; if you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, please contact us right away so we can explore your options.

28/06/2025

PART 1 PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Plantar Fasciitis is the overload of the band of tissue (plantar fascia) at the bottom of your foot that runs from your heel to your toes, causing pain on the bottom of the foot near the heel. This pain can often be worse when you take your first steps in the morning or after a long period of rest, for example after a long car journey.
The symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
Increased pain after exercise:
Exercising repeatedly can injure or tear the plantar fascia, and if you’re just starting out, it can put fresh strains on the fascia.
A swollen heel:
When the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot is overextended or overworked, swelling occurs.
Tightness in the Achilles tendon:
Tight Achilles tendons, which connect your calf muscles to your heels, can also cause plantar fascia pain.
Who is affected by Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis, which affects approximately one in every ten adults, is a frequent issue among active men and women aged 40 to 70. However, women have higher susceptibility than men, and obesity is a risk factor for developing symptoms.
It is not always clear why the overload occurs on the plantar fascia but you may be more susceptible to develop symptoms if you:
• Recently started exercising on a hard surface regularly
• Exercise whilst having tightness in your calf
• Overstretching the sole of your foot when exercising
• Wearing shoes that don’t support your feet regularly
• Standing for prolonged periods of time

What are the treatment options for Plantar Fasciitis?

Accurate diagnosis and treatment are critical for Plantar Fasciitis rehabilitation. This includes a thorough examination of the lower limb to aid the development of a diagnosis and the origin of the discomfort. The treatment attempts to reduce pain, repair minor tears in the plantar fascia, enhance strength and flexibility, and allow you to resume normal activities.
Our treatment will likely include massage therapy, stretches and strengthening for the lower limb and foot, and other methods such as taping to help support the appropriate structures.

05/05/2025

LOW BACK ADVICE - PART TWO
4- Exercise for fun. Find a form of exercise you genuinely enjoy and commit regularly to it. Don’t drag yourself to the gym if you hate every minute of it, exercise should be enjoyable and a way to relax your mind as well as your body. Try new things and see what you enjoy. Ultimately your long term compliance will wain if you pursue something because you feel you have to rather than because you really want to.

5- Manage stress. One of the biggest silent assassins to any life goal is high stress levels. You can have all the good intent in the world in changing lifestyle and exercising more but if you are under high levels of stress you can easily sabotage any progress. I realise this is a broad blanket statement and stress management is a big topic beyond the scope of this article but at the very least be aware of how it contributes and can damage your progress, then start to look for solutions.

6- Be patient. You won’t change things overnight and chances are you will have many peaks and troughs in your recovery. This is normal. Try to be patient and remember a backward step with increasing pain symptoms is not the end of the world, try to continually adapt but keep taking positive actions even when you feel frustrated and annoyed. If you follow the steps above you should see over time the more severe episodes of back pain decrease while your ability to manage and recover from any acute episodes will improve.

10/04/2025

LOW BACK PAIN ADVICE - PART ONE
1- Keep moving. Complete rest is not going to help and generally increases stiffness, pain and fear avoidance behaviors. Of course we must adapt our movement depending on the level of pain and there may be a need to avoid certain postures, positions or movements for a short period of time which is fine. I don’t recall any scenario with a patient where we couldn’t find at least one simple movement they could do to keep some gentle activity in their back to promote healing and relaxation while building confidence that they are not going to stuck in pain forever. Experiment with different movements and stretches gently and slowly and see what you can manage comfortably and that will give you a starting point which you can gradually add other movements to as your pain allows.

2- Establish routine & be proactive not reactive. You need to act consistently and with purpose. Don’t wait until your pain is crippling to decide you need to try some exercises to relieve it. Even if you’re feeling okay find a rhythm that allows structured gentle movement and exercise to be part of your daily routine ideally multiple times a day. Frequent exercise micro breaks to interrupt static postures will reduce the build up of pressure and stiffness and are more desirable than trying to undo hours of sedentary behaviour with a single bout of exercise. Think 2-3 minutes activity every hour rather than a 30 minute blast at the end of the day. Use a timer to remind you.

3- Accept responsibility & seek guidance. It is your body and your back and you need to find a way forward, nobody can do it for you. Don’t pass responsibility onto any therapist (no matter what some ‘Guru’ promises) and assume that by chucking money at it that will be enough to fix you. Do find help from someone you trust who has your best interests at heart and involves you in all aspects of any treatment or rehab plan. Passive treatments such as massage, acupuncture, and manipulation can be great for pain relief but long term are only as good as the agreed exercise plan and responsibility you take in changing your lifestyle. Be wary of any therapist promising to fix you but providing no education or prescription of exercises you can use to help yourself.

23/03/2025

We’ve all experienced joints clicking: a neck that clicks when we look over our shoulder, knees that snap when we stand up, finger knuckles that crack when you make a fist, and shoulders that pop when you reach for something. And even though the sound is quite often pain-free, it can be loud and worrying – loud enough even for others to hear!
However, if this popping and clicking is pain-free, it is considered normal. If, for any reason, you experience pain or swelling with your talkative joints, this warrants further attention with a medical professional.

Why do joints click?

While we do know that it’s nothing serious, and doesn’t cause any harm, the honest answer is that there’s no clear scientific answer for why our joints can click and pop. There are a number of different theories: the noise is from nitrogen bubbles escaping in the joint, from bubbles in the synovial fluid of the joint, or from tendons and ligaments passing over each other or bony surfaces of the joint.
Are joints clicking a symptom of something more serious?
Don’t believe the old wives tale that clicking/cracking joints will cause arthritis or bigger joints. Unless this sound is accompanied by pain, swelling or signs of inflammation it’s considered normal and is nothing to worry about. Should you experience pain, discomfort or swelling with the popping then do reach out to your local physiotherapist or doctor as an assessment would then be warranted to rule out any injury.
How can you stop joints clicking?
Motion is lotion! Gentle regular movement, which can include stretches, mobility exercises, body weight strength work and light weights will all help. The more active you are, the more your joints move and lubricate themselves. identifying areas of your body that are restricted in range of movement, or have a tendency to get stiffer or tighter, and then addressing this with mobility work, will often help.

Blackpool Physiotherapy Centre

01/02/2026

12/01/2026

17/12/2025

20/11/2025

29/10/2025

12/09/2025

28/08/2025

24/07/2025

28/06/2025

05/05/2025

10/04/2025

23/03/2025

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Monday	8am - 7:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 7:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 7:30pm
Thursday	8am - 7:30pm
Friday	8am - 6pm