Osteopaths at The Osteopathic Clinic are happy to help patients with any treatment listed above.

Sciatica

Sciatica is caused by damage to one or more intervertebral discs which bulge causing compression of the sciatic nerve. This compression sends pain shooting down the leg on one side of the body, even as far as the foot. If, in the worst case, one of the nerve roots is irritated the condition can cause extreme pain, numbness and loss of muscle control. A damaged nerve root can take many weeks or even months to recover and, even then, residual numbness may take as long as a year or more to fully subside. Osteopaths treating sciatica will use very gentle techniques to address the bulging disc without irritating the nerve root. Experienced professionals will try to relieve any pressure on the root of the nerve, however this is an extremely delicate procedure as the treatment may risk exacerbating the underlying problem.

Groin injury

Groin injuries are typically caused by a strain to the adductor muscles of the upper thigh. A tear to the muscle is most often the result of an abrupt stop or change of direction whilst running fully stretched out. Hence, the injury is common in sports such as football, rubgy and hockey. Once the torn the muscle tissue will swell and be sore to the touch. These are particularly nasty injuries because they take a long time to heal. The traditional approach to treatment - resting up, application of ice to reduce swelling, compression of the muscle with an elastic bandage and elevation - are hard to continue for long enough to have an effect. As a result patients frequently believe they are cured too quickly and aggravate the initial injury with another muscle tear becasue the first is not yet full-healed. Osteopaths recommend lots of stretching rehabilitative exercises to avoid this common problem.