Absolute Physiotherapy

Absolute Physiotherapy www.absolutephysiotherapy.co.uk
www.bookwhen.com/absolutephysio Absolute Physiotherapy started in 2010 by Jemma Donald.

Jemma qualified as a chartered Physiotherapist in July 2004 from Birmingham University. She worked for the NHS at the Royal Preston Hospital for three years where she worked alongside leading spinal surgeons, lower limb and shoulder specialists gaining valuable experience in acute and chronic musculoskeletal and orthopaedic problems. During this time she also worked for a private sports injury cli

nic where she furthered her knowledge and skills in sports injury assessment, treatment and prevention. In 2007 she moved back to her hometown of Penrith where she continued to work as a Senior Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist for the NHS. Jemma took over a private clinic in Penrith in 2007 before taking a break to start a family. In 2013 she set up Absolute Physiotherapy and now works part-time private and part-time NHS. Since qualifying Jemma has undertaken extensive postgraduate study gaining a diploma in orthopaedic medicine, certificates in acupuncture, clinical pilates, biomechanics of the lower limb, orthotics, achilles tendinopathy treatment and dynamic taping. Currently she is studying towards a PGC in higher Education on a part-time basis and her diploma in Injection therapy allowing her the scope to inject steroid and viscosupplements into joints. She has a specialist interest in biomechanics and uses her skills in analysis of movement to underpin her assessment and diagnosis. Outside of work Jemma has a long history of running and competitive squash. More recently she has started competing in the popular sport of triathlons in between adding to the family. As the business has progressed Jemma has taken on two members of staff on a part time basis. These are Paul Hetherington and Helen Jackson, both of whom have brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the practice.

14/08/2026

A little snapshot of life at Absolute Physio ❤️💙

Another busy week doing what we love — helping people move better, feel stronger and keep doing the things they enjoy.

Lots of different services. One team. One place.

That’s a wrap for this week 🙌

10/08/2026

Apparently Ronaldo does this one… 👀⚽️

Well, according to my sons anyway !!! so obviously I had to give it a go in clinic 😂

This is part of some later-stage rehab following a tibial plateau fracture. He’s come a long way , back cycling, starting some running and, following successful HA injections alongside progressive rehabilitation, we’re continuing to see just how much function we can get back.

Here we’re challenging single-leg control, proprioception and eccentric quadriceps control, while gradually becoming more comfortable allowing the knee to travel forwards over the toes.

The unstable surface adds another coordination and balance demand but it’s worth saying that BOSU work isn’t a replacement for good old-fashioned strength training.

Heavy, stable strength work builds capacity.
Exercises like this add control, balance and variability.

And later-stage rehab is often about bringing those pieces together.

Still progressing. Still loading. Still seeing where we can get to. 💪

And if anyone can actually confirm Ronaldo does this exact exercise, my sons will be delighted to know they were right. 😂

08/08/2026

6 weeks post re**us femoris injury 🏃‍♀️

Back running again! Nothing fast yet — just an easy 3 miles/5K with Simba, with plenty of stopping, walking and sniffing along the way 🐶😂

At this stage it’s simply about gradually rebuilding my running capacity and getting the legs turning over again.

My injury was a re**us femoris “bullseye” lesion, meaning there was involvement of the central/intramuscular tendon as well as the surrounding muscle.

That’s important when planning rehab. Tendon involvement can influence recovery times, so rather than progressing purely based on how many weeks have passed, I’m gradually restoring the capacity of the whole muscle–tendon unit to tolerate increasing load, speed and force.

At six weeks, my rehab now includes:

🏋️ Strength
Heavy strength work is staying in. Back squats are back — yes, front squats might give me a little more quad bias, but I love a back squat and rehab has to include things you enjoy too!

🦵 More specific re**us femoris loading
Because the re**us femoris crosses both the hip and knee, rehab needs to progress beyond general quad strengthening and prepare it for the positions and forces it experiences during running.

⚡ Plyometrics
I’m gradually introducing more reactive work to rebuild the muscle–tendon unit’s ability to absorb and produce force quickly.

🏃 Running exposure
Easy running first. Then gradually building towards strides, acceleration and higher-speed running before eventually returning to maximal sprinting.

And of course… never forget the calf complex!

The plantar flexors make a huge contribution to force absorption, force production and propulsion during running, so calf strength has to be part of the rebuild too.

The goal isn’t simply to be pain-free or to reach a particular week on the calendar.

It’s to progressively rebuild enough strength, capacity, reactivity and speed that the whole system is ready for the demands I want to put back through it.

Slowly putting the pieces back together… 🏃‍♀️💪

One of the biggest things we notice in clinic is that many people are active… but not necessarily strong.Walking, cyclin...
20/07/2026

One of the biggest things we notice in clinic is that many people are active… but not necessarily strong.

Walking, cycling and keeping generally active are all brilliant for your health, and we actively encourage them. But if strength training isn’t part of your routine, you’re missing one of the most powerful tools for healthy ageing.

From around our 30s onwards, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass and strength. The good news? Resistance training can slow this decline, helping to maintain muscle, improve bone density, reduce the risk of falls and injuries, support your joints, and keep you doing the things you love for longer.

You don’t need to become a bodybuilder. Even two sessions of strength training each week can make a real difference.

A few evidenced based facts!

* 💪 We begin to lose muscle mass from around 30 years of age unless we challenge it with resistance.
* 🦴 Strength training helps maintain bone density and reduce osteoporosis risk.
* ⚖️ Improves balance and coordination, reducing falls.
* ❤️ Helps improve blood sugar control, insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.
* 🔥 Increases or preserves lean muscle, helping support metabolism.
* 🚶 Improves everyday function - climbing stairs, carrying shopping, getting up from the floor.
* 🤕 Reduces injury risk by improving the capacity of muscles, tendons and connective tissues.
* ⏳ Greater muscular strength is consistently associated with lower all-cause mortality and healthier ageing.

At Absolute Physio, our Lift for Longevity classes are designed to help people build strength in a safe, supportive environment whether you’re completely new to lifting or looking to stay strong as you age.

13/07/2026

💥 One exercise I prescribe almost every day…

Not because it “fixes” everything, but because thoracic mobility influences so many different problems.

Whether you’re struggling with:
✅ Neck pain
✅ Shoulder pain
✅ Mid-back stiffness
✅ Some forms of low back pain

…improving movement through the thoracic spine is often an important piece of the puzzle.

This is one of my favourite ways to encourage thoracic extension.

⚽️ Use a football, a weighted Pilates ball (0.5–1 kg works brilliantly), or if you’re feeling brave… a spiky massage ball! 😅

How to perform it:

• Position the ball just below your shoulder blades (not directly on the lower back or neck). Feet up in the wall.
• Support your head with your hands.
• Take a slow breath in through your nose.
• As you breathe out, gently allow your upper back to extend over the ball.
• Don’t force the movement or push into pain you’re looking for a comfortable stretch, not discomfort.
• Move the ball slightly higher or lower to target different levels of the thoracic spine.

✨ Think of it as encouraging movement, not forcing it.

Why does this matter?

The thoracic spine is designed to move. When it becomes stiff, other regions particularly the neck, shoulders and lower back often have to compensate.

Research suggests that improving thoracic mobility can:
• Improve thoracic extension range of motion.
• Enhance overhead shoulder movement in some people.
• Reduce movement compensation elsewhere in the kinetic chain.
• Form an effective part of rehabilitation programmes for neck and shoulder pain when combined with strengthening and movement retraining.

As always, this isn’t a magic exercise, but it’s one I regularly include because it helps restore movement where many people have lost it.

Movement is medicine. The right movement, at the right time, is even better.

10/07/2026

Knee pain? Don’t ignore the calf. 👣

One of my favourite exercises for patients with knee pain is a simple calf raise using a small wedge beneath the forefoot.

Why?

By encouraging pressure through the big toe, we’re promoting a more effective windlass mechanism. As the big toe loads and extends, the plantar fascia tightens, helping to create a stiffer, more stable foot for push-off. This is a fundamental part of normal foot biomechanics. (PMC)

As the foot moves into a more stable, supinated position, the tibia also undergoes a small amount of natural external rotation. I don’t ask patients to force this it should happen as part of good movement mechanics. The result is a more stable platform from which the knee can function.

There is also some evidence that changing foot position during calf raises can bias activation towards the medial gastrocnemius, although the effect is modest and both heads of the calf continue to work together. The goal isn’t to isolate one muscle, but to improve the quality of the movement.

Does this exercise “fix” knee pain? No.

But the foot, ankle and knee work as one kinetic chain. If the foot isn’t providing an efficient, stable base, it can influence how load is transferred further up the leg. That’s why, when assessing knee pain, I’m rarely looking at the knee in isolation.

Evidence-based rehabilitation is about treating movement, not just symptoms.

09/07/2026

Not every injection is a steroid injection…

This patient had a chronic degenerative rotator cuff tear and was progressing through a strengthening programme. The challenge? Pain was limiting his rehabilitation and stopping him from doing the things he enjoys, including gardening.

After discussing the options, we chose an ultrasound-guided hyaluronic acid (HA) injection into the subacromial bursa. In this case, HA was selected as a tendon-sparing option, allowing him to continue his rehabilitation without the concerns associated with injecting corticosteroid around a degenerative tendon.

Using ultrasound means we can accurately guide the needle into the subacromial bursa, helping ensure the treatment is delivered exactly where it’s intended.

At Absolute Physio, we believe treatment should never be one-size-fits-all. Every decision is based on a combination of the best available evidence, clinical experience and, most importantly, what’s right for the individual patient.

*permission granted by patient to use this video

Ultrasound-guided injections are performed under clinical supervision with GD Health - Physiotherapy and Well-being Clinic as part of my advanced musculoskeletal ultrasound training.

08/07/2026

New kit has landed! 🙌

Our new weighted Pilates balls have arrived… and they’re not just for Pilates!

These little balls pack a punch and are brilliant for:
✨ Strength
✨ Balance
✨ Mobility
✨ Stability
✨ Rehabilitation

They’re simple, affordable, and incredibly versatile. We’ll be using them across our Pilates, balance and rehab classes, so keep an eye out over the next few weeks as we share some of our favourite exercises and ideas.

Fancy giving one of our classes a try? Tap the link in this post or head over to our website to find out more. We’d love to welcome you! www.book when.com/absolutephysio
www.absolutephysio.co.uk

Not your usual physio post today… 👩‍💼💻At Absolute Physiotherapy Centre we’re really proud to offer occupational health a...
08/05/2026

Not your usual physio post today… 👩‍💼💻

At Absolute Physiotherapy Centre we’re really proud to offer occupational health and workplace assessment services alongside all of our clinical specialisms.

Emma spent today carrying out workplace assessments looking at desk set-up, posture, workstation ergonomics, movement patterns and helping people work more comfortably and efficiently. It’s actually an area Emma worked in extensively previously and holds specialist qualifications in, but something we’ve never fully promoted as a service before.

As our team continues to grow, it’s been brilliant to start utilising even more of the specialist skills we have within the clinic. From women’s health, paediatrics, balance and older adults, injections, diagnostic ultrasound and sports rehab, through to occupational health and workplace wellbeing it’s great to be able to support people in so many different ways. Happy weekend!

If your workplace, business or staff team would benefit from workplace assessments, occupational health input or ergonomic advice, it’s something we’d love to help with.

Huge congratulations to everyone who took part in the London Marathon today from elite winners to every single runner wh...
26/04/2026

Huge congratulations to everyone who took part in the London Marathon today from elite winners to every single runner who crossed that finish line 👏

Watching performances like this is a reminder of just how incredible the human body really is. The resilience, discipline, and sheer determination on display is nothing short of inspiring.

A special mention to the champions and to an unbelievable performance in the women’s and men’s race, pushing the limits once again and redefining what’s possible.

To our Absolute Physio clients who ran today we’re proud of you. What an achievement 💪

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CA110BJ

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