Physiotherapy (Community Musculoskeletal) Service

The Community Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Service helps people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice. Our aim is help patients manage pain and improve full function in addition to preventing re-injury and promoting health and wellbeing.

We carry out the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal problems which affect bones, joints and soft tissues. These generally affect the:

• Spine – from the neck through to lower back
• Hips, knees, feet and ankles
• Shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands.

We also treat incontinence caused by weakness in the muscles of the pelvis. 

The Community Orthopedics Service (COS) provides specialist assessment, investigations if required and management or onward referral of musculoskeletal conditions which are serious or have not resolved following GP and Physiotherapy management. Physiotherapists who work in this service have received extensive training in areas such as blood and radiological investigations and treatments such as joint injections.
We are unable to accept a self-referral for this service.

Our staff can refer patients to other departments for specialist advice, an opinion for surgery or other specialist treatments such as spinal injections.

For more information about disabled access for this service, please click here.

Services

Many Musculoskeletal problems are long-term conditions. We aim to maximise a patient’s ability to function independently by providing support with education, treatment and advice and pain management strategies.

For each patient we carry out a face-to-face assessment that includes a consultation and examination.

The nature of a musculoskeletal examination, involves observation of the body movement, touch and therapeutic handling. Please come appropriately dressed and let the therapist know if you prefer not to expose the affected body area.

The physiotherapist will aim to assess any pain and certain procedures may produce some discomfort.

You will have the opportunity when you book an appointment to request a clinician of the same gender if preferred.

The physiotherapist will ask about your problems, listen to your concerns and together agree goals so that treatment can be planned to meet your individual needs. In most cases you will receive advice about what you can do at home to help manage the condition.

Physiotherapy may involve:

• Patient information in a variety of formats
• Patient advice – group and individual sessions
• Pain management advice and programmes
• Home exercise programmes
• Pelvic exercises for patients with continence problems
• Gym-based exercise classes
• One-to-one gym sessions
• Manual therapy
• Injection therapy
• Splinting

Services are delivered at:

• Sandwell General Hospital
• City Hospital
• Rowley Regis Hospital
• Victoria Health Centre
• Neptune Health Park
• Lyng Centre for Health and Social care
• Portway Leisure Centre
• Sandwell General Hospital Physiotherapy Gym
• Ladywood Leisure Centre

We work closely with other departments across the Trust including Trauma and Orthopedics, Rheumatology, Hand/Plastic Surgery, Pain Management, Foot Health and Sandwell Community Rehabilitation Services.

Patient Information

For more information about hydrotherapy click the following link: Hydrotherapy patient information.

If you want to understand what information we hold about you, what we do with this information (including who it may be shared with) and how long we will keep the information for please go to the below link Privacy and Cookies | Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (swbh.nhs.uk)

For back pain advice see the link: https://youtu.be/24P7cTQjsVM

Information about acupuncture can be accessed via the following website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acupuncture/

Versus arthritis Decision support Tools

Decision support tools are a set of questions and answers to help people living with a health condition make informed choices about their treatments.

Musculoskeletal Decision Support Tools | Versus Arthritis

Low Back Pain advice

Advice from the Chartered society of physiotherapist (CSP) can be seen here Back pain | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (csp.org.uk))

https://youtu.be/24P7cTQjsVM

Fact sheet for clinicians: Opioid Analgesic Stewardship in Acute Pain Clinical Care Standard 2022 (safetyandquality.gov.au)

Information for patients: Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard 2022 – How to manage your low back pain (safetyandquality.gov.au)

Versus Arthritis virtual assistant which is very useful resource for arthritis and general musculoskeletal conditions

Chat to AVA, the Arthritis Virtual Assistant | Versus Arthritis

Information about acupuncture can be accessed via the following website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acupuncture/

COMQ SWBH MSK CoMetrica – Privacy Notice

Contacts

How Can I access Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Service?
We accept self-referrals, GP referrals and those from other healthcare professionals.

Physiotherapy and Hand Therapy:
Appointment booking line: 0121 507 2664 (option 3, option 3)
Email: sandwell.physio@nhs.net

Community Orthopaedic Service
Electronic referrals – Choose and Book
Appointment booking line: 0121 507 2664 (option 3, option 2)
Email: sandwell.cosref@nhs.net

Musculoskeletal service
Appointment booking line: 0121 507 2664 (option 3, option 3, option 1)
Email – sandwell.physio@nhs.net

To self-refer please go to the link https://phio.eql.ai/provider/swbh-nhs

Community Orthopaedic Service
Electronic referrals – Choose and Book
Appointment booking line: 0121 507 2664 (option 3, option 3, option 1)
Email: sandwell.cosref@nhs.net

Address: Sandwell and West Birmingham Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Service, Sandwell Hospital, Primary Care Buildings, Lewisham Street, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B71 4HJ.