Are you experiencing altered sensation, or severe or progressive weakness or numbness in the lower extremities, urinary or bowel incontinence, lower back pain and sharp stubbing pain in the leg? Cauda Equina Syndrome is caused by the compression of nerves in the lumbar spine and a narrowing of the spinal canal. If you are experiencing symptoms such as altered sensation, weakness, numbness in the lower extremities, together with urinary or bowel incontinence and lower backread more

Are you experiencing widespread heightened pain and fatigue? Fibromyalgia is a medical condition characterised by multiple symptoms. The primary symptom is widespread heightened pain in multiple regions of the body. It is believed that fibromyalgia amplifies your pain receptors via the mechanism that your brain receives these messages. Interestingly women are more commonly affected than men. Commonly affected areas include the neck with tension headaches, alongside the jaw region with TMJ disorders. The trigger ofread more

Have you noticed 1 or more of your fingers have become bent and you are unable to straighten it? You may have a Dupuytren contracture. A nodule may have developed over the past months or years, and is now causing your finger to bend. If it is now affecting daily life when gripping or trying to use your hand, a physiotherapist can help to maintain range of motion, strength and function of your hand. Dupuytrenread more

Do you have a winging scapula? Has physio tried to correct your posture with no improvement? You may have a Long Thoracic Nerve Injury. The long thoracic nerve arises from the lower part of your neck, and supplies to serratus anterior muscle. The serratus anterior muscle is very important in controlling your shoulder blade position, and thus the function of your shoulder. Damage to this nerve may occur from trauma in the neck or shoulderread more

“Pain with your first steps of a morning?” The plantar fascia is a thickened fibrous aponeurosis originating from the calcaneus running toward the five metatarsal heads and splitting into five bands of sheath for each digit. Generally, it is split into three parts; medial, central and lateral bands. The central band is most commonly involved in this condition even though it is the thickest and strongest section. In a normal working foot, the plantar fasciaread more

Having worked predominantly in private practice since graduating, I have co-owned/operated three practices in New Zealand with my Physio husband.  Additionally we have worked as Physios in the United States (New Orleans) and again in Canada (British Columbia), our home being Gladstone since 2005.  It is here that I opened my fourth practice ‘Elizabeth Orr – Physiotherapy and Acupuncture’ in 2008, operating as my kids grew in a part time, and now full time capacity.read more