Don Kelly physical therapy and Acupuncture clinic

Don Kelly physical therapy and Acupuncture clinic Feel better and move better with solid recovery. Our patients get better results.
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RANK # 1 in LIMERICK & CHARLEVILLE

We are confident that anyone who walks through our doors can be helped with our care and commitment to your recovery. Physicall Therapy is a hands-on healthcare, providing a client-centered approach in the field of musculoskeletal health in Ireland. It is concerned with identifying the underlying factors causing pain and affecting movement and function within the body's musculoskeletal system and it intervenes to achieve agreed goals and objectives in maximizing function and alleviating pain. i also specialise in Advanced methods of Acupuncture which have proven to alievate most cases of internal and external disease from back pain to sinus infection,eczema, and migranes

25/11/2025

Spine flexion and knee bending

Stand with your feet hip distance apart.
Breathe in and roll your head and upper chest downwards from the top of your spine by bringing your chin towards your chest opening your neck.
Roll into yourself, gathering your tummy to control your descent, and let your arms and shoulder blades hang on either side freely.
When your hands pass your hips, allow your knees to bend a little until your hands are in line with your mid shin.
Breath in, then as you breath out straighten the left leg whilst at the same time bend your right knee and and reach your right hand further down.

Here are the main benefits, often seen in exercises like the Knee-to-Chest Stretch, Cat-Cow (Cat Pose), or proper bending/lifting mechanics:

1. Lower Back and Pelvic Mobility
Decompresses the Lumbar Spine: In exercises like the supine Knee-to-Chest Stretch, bending the knees and pulling them toward the chest (which naturally causes the spine to flex or round) helps to gently stretch the ligaments, fascia, and muscles of the lower back (lumbar spine). This can create space between the vertebrae and is often used for temporary relief of lower back stiffness or pain.

Stretches the Spinal Extensors: Spine flexion stretches the muscles that run vertically along your back (the erector spinae), releasing built-up tension from prolonged sitting or standing.

2. Hip and Gluteal Flexibility
Stretches the Gluteal Muscles: The act of simultaneously flexing the spine and bending the knees (especially when done unilaterally, or one side at a time) can apply a beneficial stretch to the hip extensors and deep rotators, such as the gluteus maximus and piriformis. Tightness in these areas often contributes to lower back pain.

25/11/2025

Supine isometric knee extension in 20 degrees flexion

Lie on your back with your legs straight.
Place a rolled towel underneath your knee on the leg to be exercised.
Your heel should rest on the ground with your toes pointing directly up towards the ceiling.
Tighten your thigh muscle and push the back of your knee into the towel.
Your leg should remain still as you tense your thigh.
Hold this position.
Relax, and repeat.

The supine isometric knee extension in 20 degrees flexion is a highly valuable therapeutic exercise, especially in orthopedic and sports rehabilitation.

This exercise is often referred to as a "quad set with a towel roll" because the 20 degrees of flexion is achieved by placing a small rolled towel or foam under the knee while lying on your back (supine).

Here are the primary benefits:

1. Quadriceps Activation and Strength (Patellofemoral Focus)
Muscle Re-education: It is a foundational exercise used to restore the brain-to-muscle connection, especially after knee injury, surgery (like ACL reconstruction or total knee replacement), or periods of immobilization. Swelling in the joint often inhibits the quadriceps muscle, making it difficult to contract—this exercise helps "wake up" the muscle.

Targeted Strength at End-Range: The final 20 degrees of knee extension (known as Terminal Knee Extension or TKE) is crucial for a normal gait (walking) and locking out the knee for stability. Performing the isometric hold in slight flexion specifically strengthens the quadriceps (especially the vastus medialis oblique, or VMO) in this critical range.

2. Joint-Friendly and Pain Relief
Low/No Joint Load: Since it's an isometric exercise (no joint movement), it minimizes the compressive or shear forces on the knee joint and cartilage, making it ideal for painful, swollen, or acutely injured knees (e.g., in early-stage arthritis, patellofemoral pain, or post-surgery).

Knee-strengthening exercises are one of the most effective and critical non-drug treatments for managing the symptoms of...
25/11/2025

Knee-strengthening exercises are one of the most effective and critical non-drug treatments for managing the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (OA). They don't just temporarily relieve pain; they fundamentally improve the way the joint functions.

Here are the key benefits of incorporating knee-strengthening moves for osteoarthritis:

1. Pain Reduction and Symptom Relief
Reduced Joint Stress: Stronger muscles, particularly the quadriceps (front of the thigh) and gluteals (buttocks), act as natural shock absorbers and stabilizers for the knee joint. This structural support lessens the pressure and strain on the worn cartilage.

Analgesic Effect: Regular, gentle strengthening exercises have been shown to have a direct pain-relieving (analgesic) effect, which can lead to a decrease in the reliance on pain medication.

2. Improved Joint Function and Mobility
Enhanced Stability: Strengthening the muscles around the joint makes the knee more stable, reducing the feeling of "giving way" or instability, which is common with OA.

Better Gait and Balance: Exercises that target the hips and thighs (like straight leg raises, step-ups, and side-lying leg lifts) directly improve walking mechanics (gait) and balance, decreasing the risk of falls.

Easier Daily Activities: By increasing strength, these movements make everyday functional tasks significantly easier, such as:

Getting up from a low chair (Sit-to-Stand).

Climbing and descending stairs (Step-Ups).

Getting in and out of a car.

3. Joint Health and Longevity
Nourishes Cartilage: Contrary to the fear that exercise causes "wear and tear," low-impact, controlled movement is essential. The compression and release of strengthening exercises help pump synovial fluid (the joint's natural lubricant and nutrient source) through the joint, which nourishes the cartilage and keeps it supple.

Combats Muscle Weakness: Joint pain naturally leads to reduced activity, which causes the surrounding muscles to weaken (known as disuse atrophy). Strengthening exercises reverse this cycle, building back the muscle mass necessary for support.

25/11/2025

Knee flexion stretch on step

Place your affected leg on a step.
Move steadily into a lunge from this position, pushing your weight through your affected knee to increase the bend.
Hold this position then relax and repeat.

Here are the main benefits:

1. Improved Knee Flexion Range of Motion
Direct ROM Gain: The elevation of the step allows you to push your knee into a deeper bend than you could on flat ground, effectively increasing your maximum knee flexion angle.

Combats Stiffness: This is particularly beneficial after an injury or surgery, like a total knee replacement, where scar tissue and inflammation can limit bending. The stretch helps to gently mold the forming scar tissue for better long-term mobility.

2. Enhanced Functional Activities
Full or near-full knee flexion is crucial for many daily tasks. Improving this range can make it easier to perform:

Squatting: Bending the knee to sit down or pick something up.

Stair Negotiation: Climbing up and down stairs.

Sitting: Tucking your feet under a chair or sitting comfortably.

24/11/2025

Helping people move better, feel better, and get back to the life they love — one treatment at a time. 💚
Don Kelly Physiotherapy & Acupuncture — over 26 years of expert, hands-on care.

24/11/2025

Shoulder pain treatment combined with physio and dry needling modalities. Helping people move better, feel better, and get back to the life they love — one treatment at a time. 💚

Don Kelly Physiotherapy & Acupuncture — over 26years of expert, hands-on care.

24/11/2025

Knee extension on a stability ball

Sit on a stability ball with both feet firmly on the floor.
Roll your hips forward and backwards to find your neutral sitting position.
Holding this posture, straighten one knee.
The back of your thigh should still be resting on the ball.
Hold, before you bring your foot back down to the floor.

Here are the key benefits of incorporating this stability ball exercise:

1. Safe and Targeted Quadriceps Strengthening
This is the primary benefit, especially in a rehab context.

Quadriceps Isolation: The movement specifically targets the quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the thigh), which are essential for straightening the knee and providing stability.

2. Enhanced Core and Posture Stability
If performed seated on the ball (dynamic version), the instability of the ball adds a significant core challenge.

Core Engagement: Sitting on the unstable ball forces the deep core stabilizers and smaller supporting muscles of the back and hips to engage constantly to maintain your balance.

Benefits of Arch Exercises1. Improve Foot StabilityStrong arches help your foot maintain proper alignment, reducing wobb...
24/11/2025

Benefits of Arch Exercises
1. Improve Foot Stability

Strong arches help your foot maintain proper alignment, reducing wobbling and preventing excessive inward (pronation) or outward (supination) rolling.

2. Reduce Foot, Ankle & Knee Pain

A strong arch absorbs impact more efficiently. This reduces strain on the plantar fascia, ankles, knees, and even the hips and lower back.

3. Prevent Overuse Injuries

Strengthening the arch lowers your risk of:

Plantar fasciitis

Shin splints

Achilles tendon strain

Ankle sprains

4. Improve Balance & Proprioception

A stable arch improves how your foot senses the ground, giving you better balance and movement control.

5. Enhance Walking & Running Efficiency

When your foot mechanics improve, each step becomes more fluid. This reduces fatigue and makes walking, running, and sports more efficient.

6. Support Better Posture

The feet are the foundation of the body. Strong arches help reduce compensations up the kinetic chain, improving posture and alignment.

7. Reduce Fatigue in Prolonged Standing

Strengthened arches help distribute weight evenly, lowering pressure on the heels and forefoot — especially helpful for people who stand all day.

24/11/2025

Arabesque to forward step up knee lift

Stand up straight with a clear space behind you and a step in front of you.
Stand just in front of the step.
Transfer your weight to stand on your leg to be exercised.
Lift the other leg and hold it straight behind you.
Bend forward at the hips so that your body moves towards the foot on the floor.
Your elevated leg should move backward at the same rate.
Make sure you move through your hip and that you keep your spine in neutral.
As you move forward, allow your arms to dangle towards the floor.
Quickly return to the starting position and swing your elevate leg through and up onto the step.
In one continuous fluid motion step up onto this leg.
Swing your other leg through and up in front of you.
Bring your knee forward until your thigh is horizontal.
Step back down with your elevated leg and repeat the movement.

Here are the key benefits of this specific, continuous chain of motion:

1. Maximum Stability and Proprioception (The Arabesque/Hip Hinge)
The arabesque (or single-leg hip hinge) is the starting point that establishes control.

Hip and Core Stabilization: Maintaining a level pelvis and a straight spine while the opposite leg lifts behind you forces the smaller stabilizing muscles around the hip (like the Gluteus Medius) and the entire core to fire intensely. This builds high-level balance and body awareness (proprioception).

2. Explosive Transition and Unilateral Strength (The Step-Up)
The step-up is the strength phase that drives power.

Translates Strength to Power: The fast, fluid transition from the slow, controlled arabesque into the powerful step-up trains the body to rapidly switch from stability to acceleration.

3. Athletic Function and Coordination (The Knee Lift)
The final knee drive adds a functional, sports-specific element.

Hip Flexor Power: The sharp, quick knee lift (or drive) forcefully engages the hip flexors (psoas and iliacus). This is the key movement for cycling the leg forward during sprinting and running.

23/11/2025

Quick walking alternating high knee march – weighted bar above head

Stand up straight with a weighted bar held above your head.
When ready, bring one knee up as high as you can in front of you, maintaining your balance.
Keep your torso upright and avoid twisting.
Lower your leg down, taking a forward step.
Repeat, leading with your other leg.
Continue to travel quickly in a forward direction.

The Quick Walking Alternating High Knee March with a Weighted Bar Overhead is a fantastic drill for athletes and those seeking to dramatically improve their foundational movement control.

Here are the key benefits, broken down by the major components:

1. Maximum Core Stability (Anti-Extension & Anti-Rotation)
This is arguably the most demanding benefit of the exercise.

Anti-Rotation (Prevents Twisting): As you alternate lifting your knees, your center of gravity shifts, and your hips naturally want to rotate. Your obliques and deep core stabilizers must powerfully engage to resist this twisting motion, leading to a rock-solid, stable trunk.

2. Overhead Strength and Shoulder Health
The overhead hold provides immense benefits for the shoulder girdle.

Shoulder Stability and Endurance: Holding the bar overhead for time (or distance) builds incredible endurance in the deltoids, upper traps, and rotator cuff muscles. This trains the smaller stabilizing muscles to keep the shoulder joint securely locked out, which is vital for injury prevention.

Thoracic Mobility: Maintaining a straight, locked-out bar requires sufficient mobility in the upper spine (thoracic spine), encouraging better range of motion.

3. Functional Leg Strength and Power
The "quick walking high knee march" component targets athletic movement patterns.

Hip Flexor Power: The sharp, quick high knee drive powerfully engages the hip flexors (psoas and iliacus). These are the muscles responsible for acceleration and quickly driving the leg forward during running and sprinting.

23/11/2025

Step up and press (bilateral) with knee raise

Stand up straight facing a step and holding a weight in each hand.
Bend your elbows so that the weights rest just in front of your shoulders.
Place one leg on the step.
Ensuring your knee travels directly forwards over your toes, step up while simultaneously straightening your arms directly up towards the ceiling.
Bend your elevated leg through, bringing your knee up in front.
Keep your gaze ahead and your abdominals strong throughout.
Control the movement as you lower back down to the floor, leaving the same leg on the step.
Repeat this movement.

The Step-Up and Press (Bilateral) with Knee Raise is a complex, functional movement, and its benefits are multi-layered:

1. Lower Body Strength & Muscle Building (Unilateral)
The step-up is the foundational movement, driving strength development.

Corrects Imbalances: By training one leg at a time, you force the working leg (the one on the box) to carry the entire load. This prevents your stronger side from dominating, directly addressing strength and size discrepancies between your legs.

Glute and Quad Focus: The movement heavily recruits the quadriceps for knee extension and the gluteus maximus for hip extension, which are essential for squatting, jumping, and climbing.

High Step: Using a higher box increases the range of motion, placing a greater stretch and emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings.

Reduced Spinal Load: Unlike heavy bilateral (two-legged) exercises like squats, the step-up allows you to achieve significant leg strength gains while placing less compressive stress on the lower back.

2. Total-Body Power & Core Integration
Adding the press and the knee drive turns this into a total-body power exercise.

Functional Strength: You are training the body to move a load from the ground up, linking the lower body (step-up) through the core (stabilization) to the upper body (press). This replicates real-world movements like lifting an object onto a shelf while ascending stairs.

23/11/2025

High step ups with knee drive - with barbel

Stand up straight.
When ready, bring one knee up as high as you can in front of you whilst you hop forward on your standing leg.
Simultaneously raise your opposite arm.
Hop forward on your standing leg once more, landing with both feet.
Upon landing, instantaneously repeat, leading with your other arm and leg.
Continue to travel forward for the desired distance.
Keep your torso upright and avoid twisting.

Here are the key benefits of this dynamic, multi-joint exercise:

1. Athletic Power and Plyometrics
This exercise is fundamentally a plyometric movement (a repeated bounce), making it excellent for power development.

Elastic Energy Development: The short ground contact time and forceful push-off train the lower leg muscles (calves, Achilles tendon) to efficiently use the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). This is the body's natural elastic spring that stores and releases energy, translating to higher jumps and faster sprinting.

Hip Flexor Power: The sharp, high knee drive forcefully activates the hip flexors (like the psoas and iliacus), which are the primary movers for cycling and bringing the leg through quickly during a sprint.

2. Coordination and Motor Control
This is one of the best drills for improving whole-body coordination, especially the natural running pattern.

Limb Coordination (Contralateral Pattern): It reinforces the natural, contralateral gait pattern—right knee with left arm, left knee with right arm. This efficient pattern minimizes rotational movement in the trunk, making running and walking more energy-efficient.

Address

8 The Stables, Huntsfield, Dooradoyle
Limerick
V94A5X6

Telephone

+353863239194

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Physical Therapy is a hands-on healthcare, providing a client-centered approach in the field of musculoskeletal health in Ireland.

It is concerned with identifying the underlying factors causing pain and affecting movement and function within the body's musculoskeletal system and it intervenes to achieve agreed goals and objectives in maximizing function and alleviating pain.

I also specialize in Advanced methods of Acupuncture which have proven to alievate most cases of internal and external disease from back pain to sinus infection,eczema, and migraines with over 85% success rate to our treatment modalaties using different styles of Acupuncture, osteopathic and physiotherapy techniques you will receive the most up to date techniques any clinic has to offer

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