Hello, Moira That's a great question. As physiotherapists, we don't consider clicky joints a problem unless the clicking is painful. The clicking is called crepitus and is usually due to gas bubbles popping in the synovial fluid of your joints. Synovial fluid is the lubricant in our joints. It's qui...

Hello, Sarah Yes, I think that is a very common problem in people who have had the sorts of surgeries you mentioned. There are a number of possible reasons for this, for example: - the underlying condition/injury may have caused proprioceptive (position sense) and balance issues - the surgeries and ...

Dear Sarah I would highly recommend chatting to your GP to find out where your local Hands Therapy unit is and to ask to be referred there. The hands therapists are specialist physiotherapists and occupational therapists who are highly trained and experienced in hand and wrist conditions. They would...

Dear Joanne You're quite right to want to strengthen your muscles, especially in preparation for orthopaedic surgery. It can make a big difference to your recovery. David's suggestion of keeping a notebook of your exercise and your symptoms is a very good one. Pacing yourself is so important. If you...

Hello I agree with David's comment. You can still enjoy running, as part of a wider exercise plan. There are some really good exercise plans for managing knee pain: https://escape-pain.org/ESCAPE-pain-Online https://www.csp.org.uk/conditions/knee-pain/video-exercises-knee-pain https://www.versusarth...

Hi, Julie David has made some lovely suggestions for you. On the issue of pilates, I recommend pilates classes as a management tool for back pain for many of my patients. The only very small caution is that pilates is a relatively complicated skill and so a good teacher is imperative. I recommend fi...

Hello, David's suggestion of water-based exercise is a great idea. Your GP might be able to refer you for hydrotherapy if there is a hydrotherapy pool near you. If not, it might be worth asking your GP whether there are any chair-based exercise programme groups near you. This has the benefit of bein...

Dear Carol Osteoarthritis is very common in knee joints and can cause a great deal of discomfort. Well done on your commitment to exercise and to losing a few pounds, which could potentially also help with your knee pain. Here are some lovely websites with gentle exercise programmes for knee pain: h...

Dear Tom Thank you for your question. Osteoarthritis is very common in knee joints and can cause a great deal of discomfort. On the whole, exercise is pain relieving for joints and our bodies need regular movement for a whole raft of reasons. Here are some lovely websites with exercise programmes fo...

Dear Joanne Matthew Rogers has set out some really good resources. I would agree that self-management is the goal. A musculoskeletal physiotherapist would be able to help by performing a detailed assessment of your current condition, prescribing a specifically targeted exercise programme, goal-setti...