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The latest Shawe Physio news & Healthcare science

27Jul, 2026
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Golfers Elbow Vs Tennis Elbow

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Elbow pain can make everyday activities such as lifting, typing, gardening, DIY or playing sport surprisingly difficult. Two of the most common causes are Golfer’s Elbow and Tennis Elbow. Despite their names, you don’t have to play golf or tennis to develop either condition. What is the difference? Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis) Golfer’s Elbow is caused by irritation of the tendons that bend your wrist and fingers (the wrist flexor tendons) where they attach to the inside of the elbow. Common symptoms include: Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) Tennis Elbow affects […]
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27Oct, 2025
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Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injuries in Football

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Injury to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee is the most reported injury in men’s football (Lundblad et al., 2014). It is estimated that a team of 25 players will suffer 2 MCL injuries per season, compared to one anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury each year (Waldén et al., 2010).  Mechanism of Injury: A study by Buckthorpe et al (2021) reviewed video analysis of 37 MCL injuries over two seasons in professional football matches. This study noted that of the injuries analysed, 62% were direct contact, 24% in […]
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20Oct, 2025
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Understanding Hand Tendon Injuries and Tendonitis

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Our hands are essential for nearly everything we do—gripping, typing, cooking, even communicating. So, when something goes wrong with the tendons in our hands, it can seriously impact daily life. Let’s explore what hand tendon injuries and tendonitis are, how they happen, and what you can do to treat and prevent them. Tendons in the Hand: A Quick Anatomy Lesson Your hand contains two main sets of tendons: 1) Flexor tendons are located on the palm side. They allow you to bend your fingers andthumb—think of making a fist or […]
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24Jan, 2024
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Text neck tightness

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Modern communication and media technology advancements have created enormous benefits for us in many social and business domains. However many individuals suffer from what has been described as a ‘text-neck’ posture by Dr Dean Firhsman. Spending extended periods at a desk, or looking at a phone or tablet postitions the muscles of our upper back and neck under long periods of load, which as a result creates feelings of stiffness, discomfort and pain in these regions. As with all muscular imbalances our bodies adopt a compensation pattern to work around […]
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13Dec, 2023
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Climbers Injury Corner – Lumbrical Shift Syndrome

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Lumbrical shift syndrome The lumbricals consist of 4 muscles within the hand, with some unique qualities. They are described as “intrinsic” as they only have attachments within the hand, rather than down the forearm to the elbow like many of our other hand moving muscles. The lumbricals attach to tendons within the hand which means unlike most muscles which attach more directly to the bone, they are mobile rather than static, however, this means they can move the fingers in more ways than just bending or straightening at one joint. […]
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6Dec, 2023
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Reducing the risk of ACL tears in football

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The nature of football can place increased risk on structures of the body. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has a propensity towards injury in football and can be significant enough to keep a player sidelined for up to 9 months. There are 2 major issues which increase the likelihood of this type of injury occurring, however, these can be mitigated with a personalised corrective exercise programme.  Issue 1: Less than ideal biomechanics The knee joint tends to adopt a bowing-in position when there is a lack of mobility and strength […]
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22Feb, 2023
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Runners Knee Pain

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Knee pain is a common complaint for runners. With the London marathon only a couple of months away many individuals have begun their training an it would be unfortunate for anyone to pick up injuries along the way that would force them out of the event. We previously explored how mobility and strengthening of the ankle joint can significantly reduce the risk of knee pain. Knee pain and injury can originate from dysfunction at the ankle joint, hip joint, or a combination of both. In this post, we will explore […]
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17Nov, 2022
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Improve your running technique with these simple calf and ankle exercises!

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At Shawe Physio, calf muscle tightness is the most common complaint we receive from runners. Shortened calf muscles can lead to a multitude of postural and movement compensations creating a steadily more complex case for us to unravel later down the line when these compensations also start causing pain. Research has shown that a lack of ankle mobility is correlated with an increased risk of low back pain and is associated with conditions such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis, flat feet, inward-turning knees during running and having to lean the […]
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2Aug, 2022
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The Importance of Massage – Dan Bryan

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  Soft tissue massage helps tissue recover from significant use and injury quickly, mainly by increasing blood flow to a given region, as well as allowing tissues to move freely by breaking down adhesions between soft tissues of the body like muscle, fascia, ligament and tendon to them to perform with less resistance to movement that we would call stiffness. Massage also has the additional benefit of providing a chance to unwind and destress (depending on how deep / intense you like your massages!) Who am I? Well hello there! […]
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30Sep, 2021
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Growing Pains Part 3 – Hip Pain – Perthes Disease

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What is it and how does it present?   Perthes’ disease, also known as Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, affects the hip joint of children aged between 3 and 11 years old. The disease is uncommon affecting around 1 child in 9,000 and the exact cause is unknown. The condition can be generalised as the softening of the head of the femur bone (the ball part of the hip socket), which is eventually permanently damaged due to an inadequate blood supply to the bone cells. The damage caused can lead to arthritis of […]
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18Aug, 2021
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Growing Pains Part 2 – Knee Pain – Osgood-Schlatter Disease

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What is it and how does it present? Osgood-Schlatter disease is an inflammation of the knee cap tendon’s attachment to the shin bone that causes pain at the front of the knee during adolescent growth. This area of bone can become inflamed and painful due to strain on the growth plate in this area from repeated contraction of the thigh muscle (quadriceps). This issue is particularly prevalent during or after significant growth spurts. It tends to develop earlier in girls than in boys, corresponding with their growth spurts. Typical onset […]
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11Aug, 2021
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Growing Pains Part 1 – Heel Pain – Sever’s Disease

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Children between the ages of 8 and 14 are at risk of developing Sever’s disease – a painful heel condition that is caused by a difference in the rate of growth between bones, tendons and muscles. Levels of loading through sports and activities is also a contributing factor to this issue as the Achilles tendon attachment is very close to the growth plate (end of the bone where growth takes place) of the heel. Symptoms of Sever’s Disease, include the following, although not all may be present: Pain in the […]
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25Mar, 2021
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Improve Your Trunk Mobility for a Better Golf Swing

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Increase the effectiveness of your swing and get more speed through the clubhead   Why is trunk rotation so important? Generation of clubhead speed and the ability to maintain a stable posture during your golf swing relies on your ability to separate movement between the upper and lower body. Lacking effective rotation through the trunk is a common problem and may result in excessive rotational forces through the lower back or overuse of the shoulder during your golf swing in compensation. This may lead to an inefficient and ineffective swing […]
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22Sep, 2020
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Covid-19 Restrictions and osteoarthritis of the knee

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Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen some unprecedented changes in our day to day life. With government restrictions on daily activities and social distancing measures being put in place, for the majority of people this has meant more time indoors at home and less time being out and about.  This has had a huge impact on a full spectrum of our normal weekly activities, from daily tasks such as walking around a supermarket, through to going for a weekly swim, gym workout, or even playing a […]
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19Jul, 2020
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All you need to know about Runner’s Knee!

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The term "runner’s knee" often refers to patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). The patellofemoral joint is the joint between your knee cap (patella) and the lower part of your thigh bone (femur). Often when there is an increase in forces going through this joint, sensitivity and irritation of the joint can develop, which can sometimes cause pain.
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7Jul, 2020
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Injury Prevention for Rock Climbers

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It is quite likely that at some point during a person’s climbing carrier, they will have to put up with some sort of shoulder, finger or wrist injury or pain, which may limit training, climbing or progression. To help you address those issues proactively, we have put together a list of top tips for you!
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21Jun, 2020
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Back pain prevention at home

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Over the past few months many of us have seen sudden and dramatic changes in our work environments, often requiring a transition from a purpose-built office to using our laptops on our laps or at our dining tables. With back pain being the biggest cause of disability worldwide and costing healthcare systems billions every year, it is important that we take some simple steps during these challenging times to help keep our backs healthy.  Around 33% of all patients seen at Shawe Physio attend due to back pain and receive a multifactorial approach to help patients by not only easing their immediate pain, but also improving the health of their backs in the long term.
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15May, 2020
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Exercising with Osteoarthritis

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Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition which typically comes on later in life, with symptoms including joint stiffness, restricted movement, joint clicking / creaking and bony enlargement of the joints. Sometimes pain is a symptom of OA as well, but not always – this phenomenon was addressed recently in our blog post about X-rays and OA. When experiencing symptoms of OA, many people believe there isn’t much that can be done besides painkillers and surgery. But this just simply isn’t true! Appropriate levels of exercise is a proven way to […]
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15Apr, 2020
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What is causing your shoulder pain?

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Shoulder pain is a very common problem affecting many of us at some point in our lives. One of the main reasons as to why this occurs is due to the shoulder sockets being very shallow to allow for the huge ranges of motion we require for our daily activities. Due to the shoulder sockets’ shallow nature it is dependent upon a group of muscles known as the rotator cuff. These muscles make up the capsule which surrounds the ball and socket of the shoulder and are the key to […]
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15Mar, 2020
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Strength Training for Runners

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If you are a keen runner, you have probably already heard that a strengthening programme is something worth spending some time on as it’s been shown to improve running performance (get you faster!) and reduce injury risk (help keep you running pain-free!). The scientific evidence is hard to ignore and now you want to get going with the benefits. So here are a few common questions and answers to consider as you are heading to the gym.   What muscle groups should I focus on? A well-rounded programme should target […]
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15Feb, 2020
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Preventing Achilles Tendon Pain

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With the the nation busy increasing their activity levels over the last 2 months, it is no coincidence physiotherapists across the UK are about to see an influx of people with Achilles tendon and calf pain, but in an effort to give you some proactive support, read on for some useful tips for you to avoid developing these painful issues.     Firstly, why does your Achilles tendon become painful? The simple science of the matter is this: by increasing the load on the cells of your Achilles tendons or muscles too quickly […]
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15Feb, 2020
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The Truth About Osteoarthritis X-ray Results

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Osteoarthritis – Do I need an X-ray and what does my X-Ray really mean?   Being diagnosed with Osteoarthritis (OA) can be scary and can lead to a lot of questions. There’s a lot of misinformation out there and it’s easy to see why: OA is very common, with about 1 in 5 adults over 45 years of age in England having been diagnosed with OA of the knee, and with over 6.5 million people having sought treatment from their GP for OA of the hip and knee. We can […]
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15Jan, 2020
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Anterior Knee Pain

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Pain in the front of the knee is one of the leading reasons for reduced activity and sport participation. Read on to find out about potential causes of anterior knee pain and strategies that can help avoid or eliminate it.   Limited knee range of motion A reduction in available range of motion in your knee can lead to a significant increase to the forces applied through the front of your knee. A simple way to test this yourself is to lay on your back on a hard surface, then […]
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17Dec, 2019
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Science Behind Pain

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Pain is a very complex and important phenomenon. Most of us have experienced it at some point, and want rid of it as soon as it starts but sometimes it can be very persistent. In this article, we will discuss the science behind pain as the current research understands it. Future articles will apply this science on how to manage and eventually decrease your pain.   What is pain and how does it work? Pain is defined as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue […]
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15Nov, 2019
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Combating the negative effects of sitting.

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For most adults living in Great Britain, a normal lifestyle includes sitting for about 14 hours per day. Between sitting for our commutes to work, at a desk at work, the commute home then possibly a few hours in front of the television before bed… all that sitting adds up quickly.   Sitting has become a well known health concern in the past 10 years with studies linking it with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers. Sitting also contributes to tight muscles and stiff […]
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15Oct, 2019
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Chronic Ankle Instability

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Although the ankle may begin to look and act normal to you, after a ligament has been stretched, the small cells that make up the ligament might have been altered in such a way that can lead you to sprain your ankle repeatedly...
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15Sep, 2019
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Chronic Pain

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Pain can be a tricky, misleading and frustrating problem to have. People who suffer from chronic pain have usually been through the ringer when it comes to looking for treatments. In this post we’ll discuss what pain is, how it can become chronic and how physiotherapy can help.   What is pain and how does it work? Pain is defined as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage”.  Not only can pain be caused by physical tissue damage (like a broken bone, cut on the […]
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20Jul, 2019
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Physiotherapy – The Science Of Movement

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  I often get enquiries from the general public who are not sure what physiotherapy really is and whether it is something that can help them with their issues. As such I felt inspired to improve the public perception of the profession that I know and love so well.   The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, our governing body, provides the following definition of our profession: “Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability.” However, this only the tip of the iceberg when it comes […]
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16Jul, 2019
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All You Need To Know About Gait Analysis

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Our gait is a key part of our body’s efficiency, power and balance, so if you notice any pain when running or competing in sports, or if you want to simply maximise your potential, gait analysis is definitely something you should consider.   The overall aim of a gait analysis is to assess your unique biomechanics and, if necessary, form a specific treatment programme to optimise your performance and reduce pain.   Before we move on, I would like to quickly address the common misconception that having had your gait […]
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28Apr, 2017
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Acute Low Back Pain

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More than likely, you have heard someone say that they “threw their back out” at some point. Maybe it was when they went to bend down to pick something up, when they were twisting in an awkward way, or it might have just happened while they were sitting down without moving at all. If the pain came on less than 3 months ago and is located in the lower back, it is known as acute low back pain. The sudden onset of symptoms can severely impact your life by immediately causing […]
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