
Peripheral Nerve Injury Physiotherapy
The Nerve Injury Clinic specialises in physiotherapy for all types of peripheral nerve injury and is renowned as a national centre of excellence.
Peripheral nerve injury physiotherapy focuses on the rehabilitation of individuals who have sustained damage to the peripheral nerves, which are the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord. These nerves are responsible for transmitting signals between the central nervous system and the rest of the body, including muscles, skin, and organs. When peripheral nerves are injured, it can result in symptoms such as weakness, loss of sensation, pain, and impaired motor function.
Common causes of peripheral nerve injuries include:
- Trauma: Physical injuries such as fractures, lacerations, or compression of nerves.
- Surgical Complications: Nerves may be accidentally damaged during surgery.
- Infections: Some infections can lead to inflammation or damage to the peripheral nerves.
- Repetitive Strain: Overuse injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can compress or damage nerves.
- Systemic Conditions: Diabetes and autoimmune diseases can cause peripheral neuropathy.
- Tumours, Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy: Benign and cancerous tumours as well as cancer treatments can cause localised nerve damage.
- Anatomical abnormalities: A person’s anatomy can be mildly different and cause pressure on nerves, such as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Neck and back disc bulges can compress spinal nerve roots causing nerve inflammation and damage.
Goals of Peripheral Nerve Injury Physiotherapy
The primary objectives are to promote recovery, restore function, and reduce pain or discomfort. Specific goals include:
- Restoring Muscle Strength: Helping the patient regain strength in the muscles affected by the nerve injury.
- Improving Sensation: If sensory nerves are involved, therapy can help improve or adapt to altered sensation.
- Enhancing Range of Motion: Preventing stiffness and muscle shortening and maintaining or improving joint mobility.
- Pain Management: Techniques such as electrical stimulation, soft tissue mobilisation, acupuncture and exercises to relieve nerve pain.
- Functional Training: Focusing on daily activities and movement patterns to improve independence.
- Preventing Muscle Wasting: If the injury has led to muscle atrophy (wasting), targeted exercises can prevent further loss of muscle mass.
Techniques Used in Peripheral Nerve Injury Physiotherapy
- Neurodynamic Mobilisation: Techniques that involve moving the soft tissues that surround nerves and the nerves themselves to reduce tension and improve mobility.
- Strengthening Exercises: To rebuild muscle function around the affected area.
- Sensory Re-education: Techniques to help patients adapt to changes in sensation or improve sensory input.
- Splinting: These devices can be used to protect the injured nerve or correct alignment during recovery.
- Electrical Stimulation: Sometimes used to treat pain and encourage muscle contraction in weakened areas.
- Myofascial Release and Massage: To reduce scar tissue, improve circulation, and relieve muscle tightness.
- Education: Teaching patients how to protect the nerve from further injury and adapt their daily activities.
Common Peripheral Nerve Injuries Treated
- Brachial Plexus Injury: Damage to the nerves that control the shoulder, arm, and hand eg brachial neuritis
- Peroneal Nerve Palsy: Injury to the peroneal nerve in the lower leg, causing foot drop and/or numbness.
- Radial Nerve Palsy: Weakness or paralysis of the wrist and hand due to radial nerve injury.
- Sciatic Nerve Injury: Compression or trauma to the sciatic nerve, leading to leg pain and weakness.
- Axillary Nerve Injury: Damage to the shoulder nerve, often from a humerus fracture, causing shoulder weakness.
- Long Thoracic Nerve Injury: This causes shoulder blade winging.
Neurological physiotherapists at The Nerve Injury Clinic tailor the rehabilitation program to the specific nerve injury and the patient’s unique needs, often working closely with doctors or neurologists to ensure comprehensive care.
See what people say about The Nerve Injury Clinic
Dominic Holding The nerve injury clinic have been brilliant, helping me with a very aggregated chronic RSI issue that a series of regular/ sports physios were unable to understand or help me with. The level of support and expertise has been brilliant and I can’t recommend the nerve injury clinic highly enough. Beverley Shone After a solution of medication and a 'you may just have to live with it' outcome from the NHS I found Claire whose treatment and ability to actually listen to a patient has given me the tools to gain control of my condition. I can highly recommend the services of The Nerve Injury Clinic for a professional, caring and holistic approach. George Carlisle I went to the nerve injury clinic for physiotherapy after undergoing nerve surgery. I had a complex surgical history and had struggled with neuropathic pain for many years. This place does not just provide a physiotherapy service but the some of the most comprehensive, caring and professional care I have ever received. I cannot recommend this place more highly to anyone recovering from nerve injury. My Physio (Kellie) has been there every step of the way and I cannot thank her enough. I look forward to continuing my journey with them. Greg Hunt I have been a patient with The Nerve Injury Clinic for 10 years. Exceptional level of care, empathy and highly professional bespoke treatment. I continued treatment with her at the recommendation of two NHS neurophysiotherapists who said my conditions were too complex for them to treat and that I was receiving excellent treatment from Claire. I am so indebted to Claire Downs as without her care I would have lost my mobility. Joanna Williamson I have been treated by Claire Downs for the past year for a nerve injury to my shoulder following an accident. I can't recommend the Nerve Injury Clinic and Claire highly enough. She is extremely professional, knowledgeable, explains things brilliantly and has helped me regain almost all of my shoulder function. When I first started seeing her, I was in a lot of discomfort, the biomechanics of my shoulder were all over the place and I was unable to lift my arm above 90 degrees. As well as being a brilliant physiotherapist, she is also a lovely person - very kind, calm, compassionate and relaxed. I will miss her! Tom Lloyd Excellent service and care. Couldn’t recommend enough! Primrose Moss Claire is both brilliantly knowledgeable and absolutely lovely - having had previous physio which I suspect (despite their best efforts) made my nerve pain worse, Claire took a completely different approach which made a massive difference to my symptoms. Having travelled driven a 6 hour roundtrip weekly for several months, it was definitely worth it. If you have nerve pain, I'd recommend travelling to see her. Christine Etheridge Having suffered a concussion and vestibular ear problems after a fall, I decided to try rehabilitation at the clinic. I have to say that my treatment was hugely successful, and I am incredibly grateful to feel "normal" again and would like to thank the staff, especially Katie, for their care and kindness. I wouldn't hesitate to return again, or recommend the Nerve Injury Clinic to anyone else. James B Most thorough, caring and effective treatment by Claire. This made a great improvement for me, especially with complex neurological & muscular problems. Even though it was a 2 hour car journey each time to visit it was well worth the effort. Melinda Sallaway-Royle I was recommended to see Claire Downs in July 2022 by the Neurogist Prof. Mark Roberts after I had been suffering with Peripheral Neuropathy for a while. Due to the nature of nerve pain, treament is a slow progress but with time I have felt a dramatic improvement in my nerve pain around my left ankle. I believe this is down to Claire’s specialised knowledge and expertise of how to deal with nerve pain, as my ankle was found to be very sensitive to small changes of movement. I can highly recommend The Nerve Injury Clinic to anybody suffering with nerve pain.Google rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 14 reviews