What I treat

Spine and nerve

Neck and lower back pain, nerve-related symptoms travelling into an arm or leg, and headaches arising from the neck.

Shoulder, elbow and wrist

Rotator cuff and shoulder pain, tendon problems at the elbow, wrist and hand complaints, and rehabilitation after shoulder surgery.

• Why does the outside of my elbow hurt when I grip? Pain on the outer elbow that shows up when you grip, lift a kettle or shake hands. Most cases have nothing to do with tennis, and loading beats rest.

Hip, knee, ankle and foot

Hip impingement, knee pain, Achilles and plantar heel problems, and bone stress injuries in people who run.

• Why does my Achilles hurt when I run? Pain and stiffness at the back of the heel that is worst on the first steps of the morning and eases as you warm up. It responds to progressive loading, not rest.

Head, jaw and balance

Jaw pain and restricted opening, positional vertigo, and persistent dizziness or imbalance. Fewer physiotherapists work in this area, and it takes specific training.

• Why does the room spin when I roll over in bed? Brief, intense spinning triggered by head position changes. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is common, mechanical, and usually resolves in one to three treatment sessions.
• Should I try the Epley manoeuvre at home? Sometimes yes, and sometimes it is the wrong manoeuvre for the problem you have. The difficulty is not performing it — it is knowing which ear, which canal, and whether what you have is positional vertigo at all.