We are trialing a live diary! starting Thursday 26th March. The details will be posted here next week! This will give you the opportunity to book an appointment with Faris online.

If it proves popular we can increase availability and include other physio’s. We are taking it slowly as we dont want to lose control of the diary for those who continue to call in.

You will always be able to continue to book via phone or email as you can at the moment.

Watch this space!!!

Just remember Sciatica is NOT a diagnosis, it is a symptom of your sciatic nerve being compressed by something…….

This is a simple drawing in plan and side view of a healthy disc sat between two vertebra and with the longitudinal ligaments in place at the front and the back of the disc.

Above is a good diagram that highlight’s the disc in its correct position identifying the difference between a healthy disc and a degenerated disc. The yellow indicates the peripheral nerves coming out from the spinal cord. Note in the healthy disc picture, the peripheral nerves are not touching anything but in the degenerative disc picture, the disc is touching the nerve.

Above is a good example of what happens when a disc degenerates and starts to lose its integrity and structure. At this point often the case is that people experience low back ache and pretty much ignore it.

If the degeneration is allowed to continue then ultimatley an Annular tear can form as shown above.

From the annular tear a prolapse or herniation can occur and as you can see above on the left a nerve root can be compromised.

This is a good illustration showing a disc herniation which has compromised the nerve root.

If the nerve root being compromised, is one of the nerve roots that makes up the sciatic nerve then here is your diagnosis. Sciatica has occured as a consequence of the nerve root being compressed.

This is a very simple overview of why you may be having pain or pins and needles in your leg and pain in your back.

If a bulge or herniation occurs in the centre of the disc at the back then this could result in central cord compression which is far more serious. That explanation is for another day.

Thanks for reading

So Abi, who we discussed a couple of weeks ago also came to me approximately 8 weeks back, with an ongoing pain behind her right knee when running. Abi has a good coach, Joshua Schofield, who has been working with Abi getting her up to speed to do a PB in her next marathon.

Everything was going well except this niggly pain behind Abi’s right knee which would get progressively worse the longer she ran. Joshua sent me some video’s so I could assess Abi’s running style. I have included one of the video’s with Abi’s permission, to highlight the issue I identified.

Joshua had all bases covered with Abi doing some running and a lot of strength training, so she was strong through the core and buttocks. Despite being very strong she appeared to sit back in her stance towards the end of a long run which suggested loss of pelvic control due to core exhaustion.

When I brought Abi in and assessed her however, the issue was her right hamstring insertion, not her knee and the cause of her sitting down in her stance was as the hamstring became sorer, she was unable to extend through her right knee before heel strike so to be able to get her foot to the floor she was dropping her pelvis.

We could not afford for Abi to stop her training so we treated the hamstring, inhibited the hamstring that was injured with K tape and most importantly explained to Abi in clear language what the problem was.

Subsequently Abi was able to continue training, including running, monitor her right knee extension and override her subconscious when needed to maintain correct knee extension before heel strike subsequently stopping the sitting back in her stance towards the end of a long run.

Thankfully this has enabled Abi to get back to her full schedule without losing time and remains on schedule for a PB in her next marathon.

If you are a runner, walker or a hiker and you have a niggle that effects your performance we might be able to help.

Happy New Year to you all, lets make 2026 a year to remember!!