What we help with
Upper & Lower Limb
When Pain Holds You Back.
Your knees don’t seem to work like they used to when you were younger, maybe you notice a pain on the side of your knee two minutes into a light jog or walk. You notice that you keep rolling the same ankle over and over, despite having tried new orthotics or shoes.
Maybe the problem is up in your arm, a pesky tennis elbow that keeps coming back no matter how many anti-inflammatories or injections you have had. You want more out of your body, you want a solution that looks deeper at your problem and holds for longer.
Key Facts
CHIRO OR PHYSIO
Physio
AREA OF THE BODY
Upper and Lower limb
Pain Type
Dull ache, Sharp
Common in
Athletes, Sedentary jobs, Trades
Understanding the Extremities
The upper limb comprises of the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hands. The lower limb comprises the hip, knee, ankle and foot. Collectively these joints are known as the extremities. Extremity joint damage and inflammation can result from trauma from sporting injuries or surgery or simply from imbalances in the body’s alignment. These extremity joints are all linked and need to move together in one synchronous unit; as a ‘kinetic chain’. Imbalances in spinal and extremity joint alignment, combined with repetitive use and poor skeletal postures can wear down these joints and lead to degeneration (aka arthritis) over time.
Common Symptoms
Upper limb dysfunction:
- Shoulder: Often caused by overuse or injury. Condition examples; rotator cuff injuries, bursitis, or frozen shoulder. Pain may be sharp or dull and movement can be restricted.
- Elbow: Commonly associated with conditions like tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) or golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis). Pain may worsen with repetitive arm motions or lifting.
- Wrist: Can result from overuse, repetitive motions (like typing) or conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms often include throbbing, tingling or numbness in the hand or fingers.
- Hand and Finger: Often caused by arthritis, nerve compression (eg. carpal tunnel), or repetitive stress. Pain may involve aching joints, stiffness and difficulty gripping objects.
Lower limb dysfunction:
- Hip: Pain can be caused by conditions such as hip arthritis, bursitis, or muscle strain. It often worsens with movement, especially walking, running, or climbing stairs.
- Knee: Commonly results from osteoarthritis, ligament injuries (like ACL tears) or patellar tendinitis. Pain may increase with activity like walking, running, or kneeling.
- Ankle: Often due to sprains, strains, or fractures. Symptoms include swelling, bruising, and limited range of motion, especially after twisting or injury.
- Foot: Can result from conditions like plantar fasciitis, bunions, or metatarsalgia. Symptoms often include sharp or burning pain in the soles or toes, particularly when standing or walking.
Our Approach
If required, we will also refer out for x-rays and/or ultrasound to further image any degeneration present.
With this comprehensive information, we’ll meet at your second visit, the Report of Findings, to discuss your results and create a personaliased care plan tailored to your goals and lifestyle. Our treatment will generally incorporate soft tissue release, joint mobilisations, dry needling and ergonomic and exercise prescription, as well as any strapping/taping needed. Exercise based rehabilitation (primarily pilates reformer based) is also provided by our DMA qualified physiotherapists. (1)
If you are ready to get to the bottom of your limb pain and get pain free and moving again, please make an Initial Appointment with us today.