The Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort

Backpain management

Almost 90% of people will have back pain at sometime during their lifetime, with nearly half the UK population suffering from back pain lasting more than 24 hours every year. The first bout of back pain can occur in the teenage years, however, it is more common to start in adulthood.

Most back pain will ease in a few days or weeks but some people will go on to have persistent problems and "niggles". However, less than 1% of people suffering from back pain will go on to need surgery.

We at the Vale Clinic provide a team of highly skilled professionals with a wide range of expertise. Our osteopath, podiatrist and spinal surgeons, whose roles and specialities are described elsewhere on this site, work together with our physiotherapists to create an environment where our clients' visits can be as quick and easy as possible. Communication between professions to facilitate the best possible treatment for the client regularly occurs, with a multi disciplinary approach often being used.

After an initial assessment by one of our team members, regardless of profession, the client is given information on what is considered the best treatment approach at that time. This can take many forms, referral on for a surgical opinion, further investigations in the form of x-ray or MRI, physiotherapy or osteopathic treatment and podiatrist assessment, all of which are described on this site.

Using the most up-to-date research and with a minimum of seven years' experience in their speciality, our team of physiotherapists will design a plan individually for the client that takes account of their needs and problems.

This can incorporate many aspects of treatment. Here are examples of some of those available at the Vale Clinic:

Manual Therapy
The "hands-on" approach can take many forms with treatment being applied to mobilise the joints of the spine, to reduce spasm in the muscles surrounding them to normalise the pattern of movement and reduce irritation to the nerves, amongst other things.

Electrotherapy
In the acute stage of treatment there are several machines, such as ultrasound, interferential therapy and curapuls that can be used to reduce pain and inflammation.

Exercise
Keeping active is essential in the treatment of back pain. There is a wide variety of reasons to exercise, with specific exercises being given to achieve each goal. Exercise to improve range of movement reduce pain and prevent reoccurrence of pain through improving core stability and correcting any imbalance in the muscles.

Hydrotherapy
If the physiotherapist feels it is appropriate then the use of water can be a valuable addition to the treatment plan. Many people find that they can do a lot more and move a lot further in the pool than on land and this can be a good stepping stone in their recovery. The pool in the Vale Clinic is ideal for this type of work, being a constant depth throughout with steps down into it for easy access.

Post-operative care
Due to our close relationship with the spinal consultants we feel that we are in the ideal position to provide excellent rehabilitation after your operation. We have developed a dynamic series of protocols in co-operation with the consultants that ensures that you progress as swiftly as possible after your operation without risk of further problems.

Information

We at the Vale Clinic believe that the more information that we can provide to the client about their condition and treatment the better the recovery that occurs. We are always open to questions and are more than willing to go over any areas where the client has queries.

ACTION FOR BACKS
This is our highly successful back pain management program. Combining exercise in a group environment with a series of informative lectures to empower the client to move forward with their life and start to achieve their goals, this unique program is based on the latest research and cutting edge techniques. The feedback we have received from the courses that have been completed is very positive and all participants report improvements in confidence and lifestyle.