Advice & guides

Specialist MSK Physiotherapist and Physiotherapy Development Lead at Ascenti, Kirsty Lee, explores a common issue in pregnancy – diastasis rectus abdominis: what it is, the impact it can have and how physiotherapy can help.

Ascenti physiotherapist Paul Carson explores the upper limb nervous system and shares his advice for treating injuries to the two types of nerves within it.

Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, and according to Parkinson’s UK, it is estimated that around 145,000 people live with a Parkinson's diagnosis in Britain.

CrossFit has become a popular form of exercise and is known for its “high-intensity” strength and conditioning workouts that are made up of functional movements. These movements are actions that we perform in our day-to-day life, like squatting, pulling, and pushing.

More than 36 million people in the UK have already had a Covid booster jab, with many more people planning to get theirs over the coming weeks and months. One of the most common side effects is a sore arm following the injection.

After the excesses of Christmas, a lot of you will be looking to embark on a New Year fitness regime and ensure you’re in the best shape possible.  However, in all the excitement to get started, it’s easy to forget to prepare your joints properly or to simply overdo it, which can put you at risk of pain or injury.

We take a look at whether or not it’s necessary for you to hang up your training shoes, and when you need to modify your running load if you experience back pain.

We explore the research into how staying active by walking can have huge benefits for relieving back pain.

Ascenti Physiotherapist, Chris Stokes, provides advice on recovery following a respiratory illness like coronavirus.

If you’re not the most confident with technology and are wondering where to begin with the whole concept of ‘online’ physiotherapy appointments, check out our advice here.

It's now quite common for people who would usually work in an office to work from home, either full or part-time. Here are some tips for home workers to keep healthy and mobile.

Physiotherapist and Women’s Health Lead at Ascenti, Kirsty Lee shares five tips for pregnancy during self-isolation to help keep you healthy at home.

Working from home might be causing you long-term problems including back and neck pain. Take our quick quiz to find out whether your home office is up to the job.

Don’t let your temporary workstation cause you permanent problems. Here are five simple stretches that you can do whilst working from home to keep you healthy.

Slips, trips and falls are a fact of life, but there are things that we can all do to prevent mishaps that may lead to injury.

Ascenti physiotherapist Laura Slocombe shares some simple adjustments you can make to help reduce the risk of aches, pains or injury and create a more comfortable and productive home working environment. 

Working from home? Here's how to get yourself set up with a good ergonomic office space to help you to reduce pain, avoid injury and keep productivity up.

Sciatica during pregnancy is not something that you have to put up with - learn more about the symptoms, causes and effective treatment of pregnancy-related sciatica.

Sciatica is a common complaint that can be extremely painful, but you do not have to put up with it. Find out more about what it is, what causes it and how you can treat it.

Lovely Figueroa is an Ascenti Physiotherapist based in the East Midlands. The sudden onset of neck pain and stiffness when you wake up is a common condition that can be very worrying. Lovely explains why this happens, what you should do and how to prevent future problems.

Afsaneh Abedi is an Ascenti Physiotherapist based in the East Midlands. Having worked in a hospital setting and with a keen interest in musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy, Afsaneh has seen many ankle injuries. Here is her expert advice about ankle sprains and how to manage them.

Colleen Magee is an Ascenti Advanced Physiotherapist Practitioner based in Lincoln. Here she answers common questions about Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP), hip, leg and back pain during pregnancy.

Since qualifying as an MSK physiotherapist, Kirsty Lee has pursued a particular interest in women’s health issues through a range of specialist courses and additional training.  Here, she covers a hot topic amongst many new mums – what can I expect from my physical recovery and when can I exercise again?

Although injuries vary considerably, management of the majority of musculoskeletal complaints is often very similar. This brief guide is not exhaustive, but will help advise you on the basic management of your injury or condition.

Jacek Garbacz is an Ascenti Physiotherapist based in Plymouth and East Cornwall. In this article Jacek provides some practical advice about how office workers can stop pain before it starts with simple stretches and small changes. 

Alan Young is an Ascenti Physiotherapist based in London.   He is an experienced clinician and a walking enthusiast himself, having climbed the Himalayas, the Alps and more recently mountains in Japan as part of an eleven-day trek.  Alan combines his physiotherapy expertise with his own personal walking experiences, to bring you his top tips. 

As a seasoned gym goer, a passionate runner and someone who competes in endurance challenges regularly, Patrick gives us his top tips on how to reach your goals, build muscle and avoid injury.

Ascenti physiotherapist and former rugby pro Huw Dimond shares his top tips on how to minimise the risks of the game, reduce the long-term effects of injury and return to action faster.

Ascenti physio and snowboard instructor Huw Dimond gives his top tips on how to prevent injuries, perform better and fully enjoy your time on the slopes.

Slips, trips and falls are a fact of life, but there are things that we can all do to prevent mishaps that may lead to injury.

Back pain is a common complaint that can affect different people in different ways. Here we talk through the common symptoms, causes and treatment.

Persistent pain is complicated and is not easily ‘fixed’. However, there are steps you can take to manage your pain and reduce the impact that it has on your life.

Feeling frustrated by pain? Following these steps can help you to manage pain and move forward with your life.

Discover how to use ice and heat effectively to treat pain or injury at home.

Cycling is an increasingly popular form of exercise in the UK. Here are some top tips to help prevent pain and enhance your performance while long-distance cycling.

Although injuries vary considerably, management of the majority of musculoskeletal complaints is often very similar. This brief guide is not exhaustive, but will help advise you on the basic management of your injury or condition.

Sleep is essential if you are recovering from an injury or looking to improve your physical wellbeing generally. Read our six tips for a restorative night's sleep.

Your mental health can have a big impact on your physical health and vice versa. Take our stress test and discover 10 tips to help you stress less.

Injuries can be frustrating, especially when they interrupt your ability to regularly play sport or workout. Before trying to jump back to your normal levels of exercise, here is some guidance to help you safely and effectively return to exercise.

Nick Kommatas is an Ascenti Physiotherapist based in Stoke on Trent.  In his clinic he sees a lot of patients with whiplash who have been referred to us for treatment by a medical agency or solicitor.  Nick explains what whiplash is and the best way to manage your recovery. 

Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries can be painful, frustrating and sometimes hard to shake off. Find out the best way to effectively treat your injury here.

Back pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint, but it is often misunderstood and there are lots of myths associated with it that can be really unhelpful.

Helen Davison is an Ascenti physiotherapist based in London. Here she combines her personal experiences of travelling the world with her clinical expertise, to bring you top advice about coping with the aches and pains associated with long-haul travel.

You use most of the joints in your body every single day, so when they become acutely painful it can be a real problem that impacts on your day to day life.

Peter Gizauskas is an Ascenti Physiotherapist based in Bristol. He is an experienced clinician, as well as a keen music fan who regularly attends festivals.  Here he gives us his top tips on how to avoid injury and the best way to recover from those aches and pains afterwards. 

Ascenti Senior Physiotherapist, Matt Rawlins, explains what you can do to protect yourself and minimise the risk of injury when playing football.

Ascenti Physiotherapist, Beverley Gorbutt, shares some advice on the steps you can take to stop lower back pain before it starts.

Ascenti Physiotherapist and running enthusiast, Olukayode Faleye, shares his top tips on avoiding common injury pitfalls when training for a running event.

Ascenti Physiotherapist and our resident kayak expert, Ryan Sneddon, shares his top tips on how to prepare for an extreme challenge event.

Eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy weight will help you to feel your best. It is especially important if you are recovering from an injury, are training hard or if you are managing a long-term condition or complaint.

Pain at the front of the knee is a common problem experienced by around 25% of the population at some point in life. Clinicians and physiotherapists call this anterior knee pain, or patellofemoral pain.

The achilles tendon is the large band of tissue at the back of your ankle and heel. Achilles tendonitis or tendinopathy is when this tendon becomes inflamed, causing pain and discomfort.

Neck pain and stiffness is a common complaint and can occur for a variety of different reasons. It can feel painful and uncomfortable because there are so many different muscles, ligaments, joints and nerve ends within your neck.

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a long-term condition causing the cartilage in the knee to gradually wear away. This is a normal part of the ageing process known as degeneration.

Shoulder pain and stiffness can occur for many different reasons, but it is usually a result of the muscles surrounding the shoulder becoming irritated and inflamed. Symptoms may be related to posture, or there could be an underlying condition, such as shoulder impingement or frozen shoulder.

Pain in the lower back (lumbar spine) can be triggered by many different factors. It’s the most common reason people seek physiotherapy and can be painful and frustrating.