Orthopaedic Physiotherapy

What we do

The Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Team works alongside ward staff to assist patients who have an orthopaedic problem, such as a fracture of a bone. The aim of physiotherapy is to help manage the recovery process, promote movement of joints, and restore the ability to complete daily functional tasks. The physiotherapy team will help provide education on how to recover and assist you in moving, which may be done by providing you with a temporary walking aid such as a frame, stick or crutches.  

In orthopaedics, the types of patients may include someone who has an injury related to trauma, such as a fall, or someone who has elected to have a surgery to reduce pain caused by osteoarthritis, such as a total knee replacement.

We cover a wide range of wards including Trauma (Wards 11 and 12), elective (Ward 14b and Minster Ward) and The Day Case Unit.   

Orthopaedic physiotherapy also provides:

• A pre-operative education class for patients awaiting surgery for a total hip or total knee replacement 
• Advice and instruction to patients who are awaiting shoulder surgery 

Bracing

Braces are supportive devices used to control range of motion, provide stability, or protect a particular joint of the body. Some braces are fixed, and others come with moving parts to allow certain degrees of movement. It may be that movement is to be restricted, so a fixed brace may be requested to help this.  

Braces are mostly fitted by physiotherapists and orthotists, who will also teach you how to care for your brace. There are several types of braces used in orthopaedics, please see the links below to view videos on each type.