The Support Therapies Team
As part of her specialist rheumatology treatment, Dr Kaye Barrett liaises with a number of therapists in different fields. Patients may require treatment from more than one therapist if it is indicated. Often a patient will respond better to one type of therapy than another. It is important for both the patient and the doctor/specialist to keep an open mind and monitor the progress of these therapies.
PHYSIOTHERAPY
PODIATRY
DIETICIAN/NUTRITIONIST
OSTEOPATHY
PHYSIOTHERAPY
For many of Dr. Kaye Barrett's patients presenting with rheumatological symptoms, physiotherapy is the most appropriate treatment intervention other than medication or injections. In these most complex of conditions physiotherapy is uniquely able to re-address muscular and nerve tension commonly associated with joint pathology. This involves investigating the cause of a person's complaint (usually pain), and then linking this to an individual’s muscles, joints, nerves and movement patterns.
Once the symptoms have been alleviated, then longer term physiotherapy is essential to maintain joint mobility, core muscle control and strength, general fitness, and management of the condition.
PODIATRY
Podiatric Management
Specialists in musculoskeletal and sports injury
Podiatric Management (PM) works closely with Dr. Stephanie Kaye Barrett and other rheumatologists. Often aches and pains from the waist down can stem from poor foot posture and gait. The podiatrist assesses your body alignment from a foot up perspective. A static, a dynamic video (walking or running), and a couch examination allows the podiatrist to assess your body and make a specific treatment plan for you.
Podiatric Management specialises in assessing and treating musculoskeletal injuries, sports injuries and general biomechanical ailments. PM is also very experienced in providing chiropody care, nail surgery and diabetic foot assessments. Podiatric Management (PM) provides a wide range of podiatric services across central and south west London.
Common conditions assessed by PM include:
Leg length differences
Back pain
Hip pain (trochanteric bursitis)
Knee pain
Leg pain including ‘shin splints’, Achilles tendinosis, stress fractures etc
Foot pain including plantar fasciitis (heel pain)
Arthritic changes within the feet
Ingrowing toenails, corns, calluses and verrucae
Common treatments range from heel lifts for leg length differences, orthotics to improve the foot function and foot-to-leg alignment (custom made and off-the-shelf), strapping and padding, footwear advice, stretching and strengthening exercises, to acupuncture and general chiropody care.
DIETITIAN/NUTRITIONIST
Diet can also have an important role in managing gout. Purine-rich foods such as offal, mackerel, sardines, yeast extract, asparagus, cauliflower and mushrooms should be avoided or restricted. Gout sufferers are advised to limit alcohol consumption and increase water intake to 3-3.5 litres a day. In those who are obese, gradual weight loss is often advised.
In rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis conditions, a healthy weight can be beneficial. Those with osteoarthritis may get some benefit from improving their intake of Vitamin C and D, and supplementing their diet with glucosamine and chondroitin (unless allergic to shellfish). Eating oily fish can have a beneficial effect on joint tenderness, morning stiffness and pain in those who experience RA. Food exclusion, vegetarian and vegan diets can bring a moderate improvement in some people with RA.
In all cases, it is important to assess patients individually and to check their dietary intake for adequate supply of necessary nutrients, and also, to check for foods that should be eliminated from the diet. Diets that will help treat rheumatoid conditions can be tailored to the patient's requirements by the dietitian taking into account risk of toxicity, drug nutrient interaction and nutrient deficiency.
OSTEOPATHY
Osteopathy is a therapy which treats the whole body structure. The main principle and concept behind osteopathy is the relationship between structure and function of the body as a whole.
This means that where there are restrictions or compensation it will have a direct result on the function of the body - and pain and illness might occur. Osteopathic treatment will aim to restore normal function and regain equilibrium which defines good health.
The maintenance of good mechanical function is essential to good health. Problems in the framework of the body can disturb the circulatory system or nerves to any part of the body, and affect any aspect of health. Thus mechanical problems can lead not only to aches and pains in joints and muscles, but also to disturbances in the internal organs and the way they work.
The Osteopath helps to achieve this by treatment methods that are in harmonious accord with the human organism's own biological constitution and organisation. The treatment methods are aimed to enable or help the organism recover from displacements and disorganisations. Osteopaths do this through their knowledge of the anatomical, physiological and psychological structure and function of the human body.
Osteopaths are trained and taught a variety of treatment methods and techniques, and they vary their treatment methods depending on their own preference and individual patients’ problems.
Cranial Osteopathy is a refined and subtle type of osteopathic treatment that uses very gentle manipulative pressure to encourage the release of stresses throughout the body, including the head. It is extremely effective in treating a wide range of conditions in people of all ages, from birth to old age. People with long standing chronic problems, immune disorders and inflammatory conditions usually respond very well to this type of treatment.
