Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine

Musculoskeletal medicine

What is musculoskeletal medicine?
Musculoskeletal medicine deals with the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the muscles and bones (musculoskeletal system) and the impact of these conditions upon your everyday life.
Musculoskeletal medicine incorporates aspects of physical therapy, spinal manipulation, joint, ligament and muscle injections, acupuncture, exercise therapy, and assistance in helping with your pain.
The Musculoskeletal Medicine team includes musculoskeletal physicians, acupuncturists, specialist nursing staff, a podiatrist, a physiotherapist and an osteopath.
What are musculoskeletal conditions?
Musculoskeletal conditions include common ailments such as neck and back pain in addition to discomfort in muscles and joints. Symptoms can result from injury, lack of exercise, inflammation, infection, or the normal aging process.
What conditions are suitable for musculoskeletal referral?
- Neck pain
- Shoulder, arm and hand pain
- Lower back pain and sciatica
- Sciatic pain
- Tennis and golfer’s elbow
- Hip, knee, ankle and foot pain.
- Joint pain and stiffness of both large and small
- Frozen shoulder
- Osteoarthritis
- Headache
- Repetitive strain injuries
- Sports related injuries
- Muscle, tendon and ligament pain
What does musculoskeletal medicine involve?
Musculoskeletal medicine offers a wide range of therapies including:
- Acupuncture and trigger point therapy
- Osteopathy and spinal manipulation
- Physiotherapy
- Injection therapy
- Exercise therapy and Pilates
- Back pain education
- Podiatry
Your appointment
If you are unable to attend your appointment please let us know at least 48 hours beforehand so we can offer your appointment to someone else. If you do not attend your appointment without telling us we may refer you back to your GP.
Following your treatment you will be referred back to your GP.
Professional education and training
The RLHIM is also a teaching hospital and from time to time other healthcare professionals may observe in outpatient clinics as part of a training course. We will always ask your permission for students to sit in during your consultation. You do not have to have students present if you would prefer not to.