Waitt Physiotherapy

17/05/2023

A welcome announcement!

I am delighted that the WHO has officially announced that the coronavirus pandemic is over and the Scottish Government has followed this up with announcing that we no longer require to wear face coverings for routine healthcare.

We are still required to follow National Infection Prevention and Control guidelines, similar to pre pandemic times and on attendance I do send out guidance notes on this as well as other relevant information.

I look forward to welcoming you to Waitt Physiotherapy!
16 May 2023

23/12/2021

Wishing all my clients and Waitt Physiotherapy friends a very Happy Christmas. At the start of this pandemic I joined a newly formed 'Physio & Therapist Support Group' which created a forum to ask questions and to receive help and support. I have really valued sharing the experience of working through this pandemic with this group and this 'message of joy' I noticed had been posted in that group. I hope sharing it with you brings you some joy too at this festive time.

10/01/2021

How to stay positive through lockdown
The link below provides advice from leading mental health experts. It includes a link on 'how to be happier while working from home' and there are some excellent tips and ideas.

Tips on how to stay positive through winter 2020-21 - in the new Covid-19 lockdown and beyond.

06/01/2021

The freezing weather in Edinburgh and throughout Scotland has meant that we need to take extra care when outdoors. Living in the Braids we have seen first hand what nasty fractures can arise from falls on the ice. Here's a picture of the 'Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance' on one rescue mission.
So my friends wrap up warm, take your phone with you, wear boots with grippy soles and if you don't have some form of 'ice grips' to put onto the bottom of your shoes I'd certainly recommend buying a pair. I liked this post on 'how to walk on ice' too - so let's 'walk like a penguin'!
Finally, if you are elderly and particularly at risk perhaps choose to stay indoors but make sure you do walking laps around the house and some strength and balance exercises.
Take care out there during this new lockdown but do get in touch if you require physiotherapy. I am still open.

30/12/2020

30 December: Wishing you all a happy festive period. I have been enjoying the sunrises this week in our local Pentland Hills accessible in Tier 4. I hope you have had similar adventures wether they be indoor or outdoor. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has again reassured us in healthcare that we can remain open. We have, however, been urged to use our judgement and reduce face-to-face contact where able to do so. My flow chart for appointments therefore continues to be valid.

17/11/2020

Reassurance during current Covid restrictions

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has reassured its members that we should continue to provide physiotherapy services whilst following the existing public health rules. Here I am in the practice in my PPE, with plenty space to promote social distancing along with good ventilation via the french door entrance.
Appointment guidance still as per the flowchart posted in July to keep you and I as safe as possible.

16/09/2020

Do you sit at a desk all day?
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has produced this leaflet
of easy exercises if you are working from home. They are designed to build into your working day to help avoid aches and pains associated with being sedentary.
https://www.csp.org.uk/system/files/do_you_sit_at_your_desk_exercise_sheets_a4.pdf

07/07/2020

07/07/20: Waitt Physiotherapy is OPEN

The ‘new normal’ is based on guidance from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Scottish Government and Public Health England and Scotland.

Follow the flow chart to understand my current working practice.

17/06/2020

Female Athlete Health

This week I attended a webinar on ‘Female Athlete Health’. The surge in online webinars during lockdown has opened up CPD learning from the comfort of one’s own home and this lecture even came all the way from Australia.

To optimise women’s health care and ultimately their performance we need to better understand the health and sports needs that they in particular have. There is now more research into looking at the particular needs of females in sport but more is still required.

I thought I’d share a few key points from the lecture:
1/ Injury prevention is key and along side any chosen sport a strength and conditioning programme and effective warm ups have been shown to dramatically reduce injuries.
The times to be particularly sensitive to this are: during puberty and growth spurts, which last for around 4-6 years and between the ages of 8-13 in females; and during and after the menopause. The risk of Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries during puberty and hamstring and gluteal tendinopathies during the menopause are two prevalent injuries to watch out for.

2/ Awareness of the female athlete triad and the impact on performance if one, two or all three of these aspects are problematic. It is important to eat the right amount of healthy food to meet the demands that sport requires. Menstrual trailing is key to ensure healthy monthly cycles whilst monitoring for irregularities or amenorrhea. Finally, these can impact on bone health with the risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis as one gets older.

3/ Incontinence can occur at any age but is more prevalent after childbirth and the menopause. This can put women off exercising but it is worth remembering that this is a common problem and help is available.

Watch out for: fatigue, reduced performance, irregular periods, poor concentration, urine leakage and recurring injuries. I am happy to assist with any aspect of these or signpost you on, if more appropriate.

26/05/2020

Are you ‘Fit for Golf’?
If you are a golfer in Scotland I wonder if you have already booked your tee time for this Friday, 29 May, when golf is allowed to resume as lockdown eases? Here’s some thoughts on return to golf:

Golf is a game involving significant rotational torque on the spinal joints and limbs. Power, flexibility and precision are required to make your swing happen with maximum comfort and efficiency. Endurance is also required for this to be repeated about 100 times during your round at maximum speed. In addition, your body needs to remain comfortable bending down to collect your ball and you’ll need basic fitness to walk the 7-8km per round.

The way your body moves affects the way you swing your club. If your body has a problem such as poor postural control or stiffness in certain muscles or joints you will need to adjust your swing to hit the ball. The body takes the path of least resistance and will subconsciously make compensations so that other parts of your body have to work harder. This will affect your swing and technique and can create stresses in various parts of your body.

Studies have shown that the lower back and upper limb (wrist, elbow and shoulder) are the most common areas injured. The vast majority of upper limb injuries occur on the lead side i.e. if you are right handed on your left side.

Some take home messages:
• Go for a walk prior to playing and follow this up with some practice swings as warming up your muscles first x 10 minutes can reduce the incidence of injuries by as much as 50%
• Ease back carefully by playing 9 holes to start with along with a full day’s rest between rounds
• Review how you plan to transport your clubs – it may be worth using a trolley, at least to start with
• Consider a professional golf lesson to check out both your technique and your golf equipment &/or watch some on line videos
• Golf involves psychology so if you notice you are getting anxious try some shoulder shrugs and take some slow, deep breaths to ease tension
• Keep aerobically fit and add in a strength and conditioning programme specific to golf
• Do not ignore any existing or emerging niggles – seek help before they become a problem.

In summary, ensure you are ‘fit for golf’ and if you need help in regard to your strength and conditioning fitness or management of aches and pains I can offer musculoskeletal screening followed by specific postural, stretching and strength exercises. During my career I have attended specific golf related physiotherapy courses to help with injury prevention and golf related injury management.

23/05/2020

In lockdown are you doing any routine stretches and if you’re not have you wondered if you would benefit from stretching? Here’s some simple guidance based on current best evidence:
Regular stretching increases the ability of a joint to move through its full range of movement and is thought to increase muscle flexibility. We are all susceptible to injury if we lack sufficient flexibility to meet sport-specific demands and this becomes even more important as we become older. Stretching is likely to be most effective post-exercise but if you have undertaken a high intensity session avoid aggressive stretching and instead keep it gentle and light.
Simple recommendations for effective stretching include:
• A gentle warm up first, such as jogging, cycling or an online class such as pilates or yoga, to warm up your muscles
• Careful instruction &/or knowledge on correct stretching positions with the stretch felt in the appropriate area
• Stretching type considered i.e. static, dynamic or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation
• Duration of stretch – static holds should be for a minimum of 10-15 seconds and may be progressed to up to a minute or longer
• Stretching should always be pain free i.e. awareness of tightness without pain
• At least 4 weeks of regular stretching is required to notice any changes and changes will revert if the routine is stopped
Post injury the regaining of full flexibility of joints and soft tissues is an essential part of the rehabilitation process to minimise long term pain, spasm, stiffness and injury recurrence. Remember, I am available to assist with this through video consultation.