Adult Health

Muscular and Joint Conditions

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LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

Many muscular and joint conditions will improve without any specific actions within a short period. However, in addition, to the self-care information on exercises for many conditions covered in the frequently asked questions below, you are also able to get advice and simple treatments from your local pharmacist. If your symptoms do not improve with self-care, you can also now self-refer yourself, if available, to your primary care network physiotherapist attached to your practice. You can also self-refer to an NHS podiatrist for feet problems (providing you meet their referral criteria). For longer physiotherapy sessions and very regular podiatry sessions some people are referring themselves privately.   All of this is explained in more detail below.

PHARMACIST

Advice and support from a pharmacist
Your local pharmacist can provide you with advice on simple pain relief and anti-inflammatories.

From the NHS
Find a pharmacy Find a pharmacy – NHS

There is further information on the support from your local pharmacist under

If self-care has not helped then you have the option of seeing a physiotherapist

PRIMARY CARE NETWORK PHYSIOTHERAPIST

In Buckinghamshire groupings of practices called PCNs (see under primary care networks for more information on PCNs) now normally employ a physiotherapist who can see you in your practice (or locally) without you needing to see a GP first.

To find details of the practice/ PCN physiotherapist, if available, look on your practice site under “contact details and self-referral” for details of the in practice self-referral to a physiotherapist.

THE BUCKINGHAMSHIRE MSK TEAM AND REFERRALS TO HOSPITAL

Only occasionally does an NHS referral to your local orthopaedic or pain team consultant need to be done but only the Buckinghamshire Musculoskeletal (MSK) team can do such routine referrals (Not your GP).  If need be your practice/PCN physiotherapist can refer you to the MSK team without you needing to see your GP. For more information on this service see under Physiotherapy and diagnostics (Buckinghamshire MSK team) in NHS Community Services. They can order investigations, though again these are not commonly needed. The vast majority of patients are treated in this service without ever requiring a hospital assessment.

TREATMENT FROM A NHS PODIATRIST

Local community podiatrist treat people who have a medical/podiatric problem that puts your foot at risk of deterioration. Conditions include:

  • painful corns and callus – but not verrucae (warts) or fungal nails
  • ingrowing toe nails
  • foot ulcers

To self-refer to the service see “podiatry” under

There are many private local podiatrists and physiotherapists.  Both the Royal College of Podiatry and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy provide details of local podiatrists and physiotherapists respectively. This is not an exhaustive list and you can also look at local private hospitals and other locally advertised services.

PRIVATE PODIATRIST

For more information and to find a private podiatrist see under

PRIVATE PHYSIOTHERAPIST

For more information and to find a private physiotherapist see under

RHEUMATOLOGY SPECIALIST NURSE SUPPORT FROM WEXHAM PARK HOSPITAL

If you are already under the rheumatology team you can contact the rheumatology specialist nurse for advice, just put in “rheumatology” into the search box which is just to the right side and above the blue banner “specialist nurses” for Wexham or Heatherwood. If you contact switch board and ask for the named nurse you will at least be able to leave a message with the specialist nurse to ring you back. If you continue to have difficulties contacting the specialist nurse then you should contact the rheumatology department secretary, through switchboard, who can relay a message to the specialist nurse.
Specialist Nurse Directory Specialist Nurse Directory | NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust

NATIONAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

FOR ARTHRITIS IN GENERAL

From Versus Arthritis
Call our helpline Get help | Helpline, online community, arthritis virtual assistant

FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

From the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
Call our Helpline Get support | NRAS | How NRAS can support you

FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS

Everyone is affected by muscular or joint pain at some point in their life. In most cases it is self-limiting, resolving without any specific action. In the areas below, covering common muscular and joint conditions seen, there is information on simple self-care including how a pharmacist can help and also simple exercises for each condition. There is also information when you should see a GP or when rarely you need to attend A&E (in red and black in NHS articles e.g., see sciatica Sciatica – NHS ).

Remember even if you are under the care of an NHS MSK physiotherapist, they can only spend a short time with you every 4-6 weeks, so what exercises you do yourself can be key to your condition improving. There is also some information on a number of long-term muscular and joint conditions.

GENERAL information – including on rehabilitation exercises

From Versus Arthritis
Excellent advice on “exercises for health joints” showing some of the same exercises that a physiotherapist might provide you with. Exercises for healthy joints | Back, neck, knee and foot exercises

From NHS Inform (Scotland)
Very well set out information on muscular and joint conditions
Muscle, bone and joints: simple general advice in every area, including when you should seek professional advice and exercises for every joint  Muscle, bone and joint injuries / problems | NHS inform

From the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

From Patient info
Bones, Joints and Muscles centre Bones, Joints and Muscles | Patient which provides numerous articles and specific sections on: Back and Spine pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, and sports injuries. There are also for many conditions videos presented by a physiotherapist.

From NICE
Musculoskeletal Musculoskeletal | Specialities | CKS | NICE

From Practice Plus Group MSK and Diagnostics (Buckinghamshire)

From Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
These leaflets have mainly been provided for patients after surgery but there are some general physiotherapy leaflets for common conditions such as acute neck pain
Physiotherapy patient leaflets   Physiotherapy patient leaflets – Oxford University Hospitals

The advantages of exercise

From Gov UK
Health matters: getting every adult active every day  Health matters: getting every adult active every day – GOV.UK

reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders at work including with good posture and handling technique

From the NHS

From the NHS and Patient info
Repetitive strain injury (RSI)

From the Health and Safety Executive 

From the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

MUSCULOSKELETAL CHEST PAIN

From the NHS

From Patient info
Costochondritis Costochondritis | Chest Pain | Symptoms and Treatment | Patient

NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Neck pain

Whiplash

Shoulder pain

From the NHS
Shoulder impingement Shoulder impingement – NHS

Also look at “Polymyalgia rheumatica” under long- term conditions in the area covered below for an uncommon but important cause of shoulder/ neck pain (generally found in over 50-year-olds)

EXERCISES TO HELP

From NHS Inform
Muscle, bone and joints Muscle, bone and joint injuries / problems | NHS inform

From Versus Arthritis
Exercises for health joints Exercises for healthy joints | Back, neck, knee and foot exercises

From the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Rehabilitation exercises with videos Rehabilitation exercises | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

From Patient info
Video: Neck pain exercises Neck Pain Exercise Video | Lilly Sabri | Patient

 Also see under the first question information on Work posture.

HIP, KNEE AND THIGH PAIN

Pain felt in the leg can come from the back, hip and knee, as well as from the leg. Some of the common muscular and joint conditions causing pain are considered below.

Hip

From the NHS and Patient info
Hip pain in adults

From NICE
Greater trochanteric pain syndrome Greater trochanteric pain syndrome | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE

Knee

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Knee pain

Housemaid’s Knee

Leg

From the NHS

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Leg cramp

Osteoarthritis, gout and inflammatory arthritis are covered in detail under the question on long term conditions but are all possible causes of pain in the knee pain. Common long term conditions involving Bones, Joints and Muscle are covered under Bones, Joints and muscles

EXERCISES TO HELP

From NHS Inform
Muscle, bone and joints Muscle, bone and joint injuries / problems | NHS inform

From Versus Arthritis
Exercises for health joints Exercises for healthy joints | Back, neck, knee and foot exercises

From the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Rehabilitation exercises with videos Rehabilitation exercises | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

From Patient info

ANKLE AND FEET PAIN

Overview

From the NHS
An excellent summary of different causes of foot pain, when a pharmacist or self- care might help and when you might need to call 111 or have a medical appointment: Foot pain Foot pain – NHS

From the Royal College of Podiatrists

Ankle pain

From the NHS
Ankle pain: a good summary of common causes to consider and what to do Ankle pain – NHS

Heel pain

From the NHS
Heel pain: a good summary of common causes to consider and what to do Heel pain – NHS

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Plantar fasciitis

Toe pain

From the NHS

Common long term conditions involving Bones, Joints and Muscle are covered under

Pain in the top of the foot

From the NHS
Pain in the top of the foot: a good summary of common causes  Pain in the top of the foot – NHS

Pain in the bottom of the foot

From the NHS
Pain under the foot: a good summary of common causes Pain in the bottom of the foot – NHS

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Plantar fasciitis

Pain in the ball of the foot

From the NHS
Pain in the ball of the foot : a good summary of common causes Pain in the ball of the foot – NHS Pain in the ball of the foot – NHS

EXERCISES TO HELP

From NHS Inform
Muscle, bone and joints Muscle, bone and joint injuries / problems | NHS inform

From Versus Arthritis
Exercises for health joints Exercises for healthy joints | Back, neck, knee and foot exercises

From the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Rehabilitation exercises with videos Rehabilitation exercises | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

From Patient info
Video: Foot pain exercises Foot Pain Exercise Videos | Lilly Sabri | Patient

FALLS

Information to help reduce your risk of falls is particularly helpful for people over the age of 65 and can be found under

Long term conditions

Common long term conditions involving Bones, Joints and Muscle are covered under

This includes not just information on the common long-term conditions but also information about managing the impact of a long-term condition.

Videos and podcasts

On the videos and podcasts page there are links to some relevant videos and podcasts covering the topic of muscular and joint conditions.

NHS 111

If you think you need medical help right now, 111 online can tell you what to do next.

Campaigns

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Information on Covid-19 including symptoms, testing and vaccination.

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