Ullswater Physiotherapy & Pilates

04/06/2026

Beach life blue hour sweet vibes. How blue do you like your blue?

Peace ✌️

04/06/2026

03/06/2026

Afghanistan’s refugee women’s cricket team will return to international competition this summer after the Taliban banned women’s sport as part of its return to power in 2021.

Many of the players have since resettled in Australia and will travel to England to play a series of matches after an invitation from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The team will also attend the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final at Lord’s on 5 July.

We stand in solidarity with Afghanistan’s female cricketers, and with every woman and girl denied the freedom to participate in sport.

Their return to the international stage is a reminder that sport can create hope, even in the face of exclusion.

03/06/2026

Fatigue in : It’s Not Always About Disease Activity

Feeling exhausted is one of the most common and frustrating symptoms for people living with lupus. It’s often much more than simply feeling tired, and it can have a huge impact on daily life.

A recent study looked at people with lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or SLE) to better understand what might be linked to fatigue.

Interestingly, the researchers found that fatigue was not strongly linked to how active the lupus was. In other words, people could have well-controlled lupus but still experience significant fatigue.

Instead, fatigue was more common in people who had:

Damage caused by lupus, particularly affecting the lungs or nerves

A higher body weight

The study didn’t tell us exactly why these factors were linked to fatigue, so there is still a lot we don’t know.

What does this mean?

It suggests that medication alone may not always improve fatigue, even when it helps control the lupus itself. Many people with lupus find that fatigue can remain a challenge despite good disease control.

While there is no single solution, focusing on overall health and wellbeing may help. Areas worth considering include:

✅ Staying physically active (aiming for around 150 minutes of moderate activity each week if appropriate for you)

✅ Getting good quality sleep

✅ Eating a balanced diet with enough protein

✅ Managing stress

✅ Maintaining a healthy weight

✅ Avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol

✅ Managing other health conditions such as diabetes

It’s important to remember that fatigue is complex. What helps one person may not help another, and there is currently no proven “best” target for reducing fatigue in lupus.

Most importantly, lasting changes usually happen gradually. Rather than trying to change everything at once, it can be helpful to focus on one or two areas that feel realistic and important to you.

If you live with lupus and struggle with fatigue, you’re not alone. Fatigue is real, common, and deserves attention just as much as other symptoms.

03/06/2026

𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐤

​Headaches are one of the most common complaints in clinical practice, frequently labeled as Migraines or Tension-Type Headaches. However, when patients do not respond to neurological medications or stress management, the true source of the pain is often cervical: Cervicogenic Headache (CGH).

​Recent literature emphasizes that the upper cervical spine is a major, yet frequently overlooked, pain generator for unilateral headaches, largely due to the complex neuroanatomy connecting the neck and the head.

​👉 What Is a Cervicogenic Headache?
​CGH is a secondary headache disorder originating from dysfunction in the cervical spine or its surrounding soft tissues, typically involving the C1-C3 spinal segments.
​Because the nerves supplying the upper neck share a pathway with the nerves supplying the face and head, dysfunction in the neck translates into head pain.

​👉 Pathophysiology
​The mechanism relies on a critical anatomical junction: the trigeminocervical nucleus (TCN) in the upper spinal cord.
​Afferent nerve fibers from the upper three cervical nerve roots (C1, C2, C3) and the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V) converge here. When joints, ligaments, or muscles in the upper cervical spine are inflamed or restricted, the brain misinterprets these pain signals as originating from the forehead, eyes, or temples (the trigeminal nerve distribution).

​👉 Typical Pain Distribution
​Patients typically present with:
​• Unilateral pain that starts in the suboccipital region (base of the skull)
• Pain radiating forward to the temporal, frontal, or orbital (around the eye) regions
• A dull, non-throbbing ache that can occasionally become sharp
• Pain that is mechanically provoked by awkward neck postures or sustained reading/screen time

​👉 Key Clinical Signs
​Several clinical findings can suggest CGH over a migraine:

​✔️ Positive Cervical Flexion-Rotation Test (CFRT): A significant restriction (loss of 10 degrees or more) in upper cervical rotation when the neck is fully flexed
✔️ Pain reproduced by deep palpation of the upper cervical facet joints (C2-C3) or the greater occipital nerve
✔️ Restricted active cervical range of motion
✔️ Ipsilateral shoulder or arm pain (occasionally accompanying the headache)

​👉 Why It Is Frequently Misdiagnosed
​Because the primary symptom is head pain, it frequently mimics:

​• Migraine without aura (especially since CGH can sometimes cause nausea)
• Tension-type headaches
• Occipital neuralgia

​👉 Evidence-Based Treatment Approaches
​Treating the head won't fix a neck problem.

📌 ​Conservative management
​• Sustained Natural Apophyseal Glides (SNAGs) focusing on C1-C2 rotation
• Deep neck flexor (craniocervical flexion) strengthening to restore postural control
• Manual therapy targeting upper cervical joint mobilization
• Postural re-education to reduce forward head posture
📌 ​Interventional options
​• Diagnostic and therapeutic nerve blocks (e.g., greater occipital nerve block)
• Radiofrequency ablation of the C2-C3 facet joint nerves in severe, refractory cases

​📌 Clinical Takeaway
​If a patient complains of a one-sided headache that worsens with desk work or driving, always clear the upper cervical spine. A simple Cervical Flexion-Rotation Test can instantly differentiate a true migraine from a neck issue, guiding the patient to the right treatment rather than lifelong medication.

​✅ References
• Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache, 2025 - Integration of nociceptive activity from orofacial, cranial and cervical regions in the trigeminocervical nucleus
• Validation and Test–Retest Reliability of the Cervicogenic Headache Severity Questionnaire (CeH-SeQ), 2026 - EPJ Web of Conferences

03/06/2026

02/06/2026

Thought I’d share my favourite rock of late. I reckon it looks like a reptilian dude dancing…and red is my favourite colour so there…just in case you’re interested. 🤔

Pretty cool. 👌

The End.

02/06/2026

Learn to Nordic Walk on the Dacre/Stainton loop on this Thursday 4th June 11am.

£16 for 2 hrs training/walk (4 miles). Poles provided.

Space for a few more. Message me to book in or if you have any questions.