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Services A to Z

We have developed a range of free mental health planning tools and resources that span the life course.

Planning Tools

Listed below is a range of planning tools across the life course to assist with planning and prioritising mental health improvement.

Children and Young People’s Mental Health
Adult Mental Health

Resources

We have developed a range of free resources on a range of themes that cut across the life course which are available for use:

Perinatal and Infant Mental Health

Resources
Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Good Practice Guide

resource to support Health Care Workers, Third Sector Partners, and any community organisations that are in contact with, supporting and/or working with new and expectant parents. It is underpinned the nine protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act (2010).

Greater Glasgow and Clyde Prevention and Early Intervention Guide

The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Prevention and Early Intervention Guide helps staff have conversations with parents about their mental health during the perinatal period and signpost to supports appropriate to their needs to prevent a mental health crisis from developing.

Download the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Prevention and Early Intervention Guide or you can order free from the Public Health Resource directory.

For more information and resources, visit our Infant, Early Years, and Maternal Mental Health page.

Children and Young People’s Mental Health

Accessing Mental Health Support 
Transforming Child and Youth Mental Health Poster

Transforming Child and Youth Mental Health Poster: The resource illustrates what the Child and Youth Prevention and Early Intervention Framework can look like in action to support partners from across sectors to use it.

Accessing Mental Health Support – Child and Youth Poster

Accessing Mental Health Support – Child and Youth Poster: A poster illustrating the different ways in which mental health supports can be accessed; from 1 to 1 support, reading, group work, phone, and online. Anyone working with children and young people can download it to populate it with their own update to date information on an ongoing basis, relevant to their organisation, locality area, and wider.

Healthy Minds Pocket Guide

Healthy Minds Pocket Guide : Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Card provides details for mental health support organisations in each of the 6 Health and Social Care Partnerships; Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, and West Dunbartonshire. It also provides helpful tips for looking after your mental health and wellbeing and who to contact if you feel someone is in distress.

Child and Youth Mental Health Apps, Helplines, and Websites Supports

Child and Youth Mental Health Supports: A document that maps out the range of available mental health supports for children and young people to access, including websites and helplines.

Loss and Bereavement
Grief after a Bereavement

Grief After A Bereavement: A poster resource sharing information on healthy ways in which we can manage our grief. Available to download in various languages, including: ArabicCantoneseFarsiKurdish SoraniMandarinPolishPunjabiRomanianSlovakUrdu

Resilience
Resilience Toolkit

Resilience Toolkit: This Emotional Resilience Toolkit provides practical guidance in promoting the resilience of young people as part of an integrated health and wellbeing programme.

Resilience Poster

Top 10 Tips Poster: A downloadable poster that includes top 10 tips for developing resilience. Available to download in ArabicFarsiKurdish SoraniPolishPunjabi, RomanianSimplified ChineseSlovakTraditional ChineseUrdu.

Resources for Early Years, Schools and Youth Providers
Resources for Early Years, Schools and Youth Providers

Resources for Early Years, Schools, and Youth Providers: A comprehensive document that offers a range of suggested resources that can be used in early years, schools, and by youth providers to help protect, promote, and support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, the resources highlighted have been developed by Education and Health colleagues and National Mental Health organisations.

Whole School Approach to Loss and Bereavement

Whole School Approach to Loss and Bereavement: This guidance aims to support practitioners to increase their knowledge and understanding on the subject of bereavement, loss, and change and how to support children and young people through this.

Whole School Approach to Loss and Bereavement and CYP Mental Health Framework: Illustrates how the loss and bereavement resource links to the NHSGGC Child and Youth Mental Health Improvement and Early Intervention Framework.

A Whole Establishment Approach to Self-harm Training and Awareness for Early Years and Schools

A Whole Establishment Approach to Self-Harm Training and Awareness for Early Years and Schools: A resource to support schools and early years’ establishments take a planned and co-ordinated approach to self-harm awareness and training that will help equip staff with the self-harm knowledge and skills appropriate to their role. Watch the video. (Please note, if this resource is used by schools and early years, they should always refer to the Government Whole School Approach Mental Health and Wellbeing).

On Edge Learning about Self-harm

A resource pack for teachers and professionals working with children and young people. It includes teaching support materials and further information in the form of signposting to external resources and advice services, references, and linked where relevant to the Curriculum for Excellence and other national guidance. Download via the links below:

Supporting Materials

Self-Harm
Self-Harm Resources and Supports

Self-Harm Resources and Supports is a comprehensive document for the wider public health workforce that brings together a range of self-harm information for staff relating to learning, resources and websites, helplines and keeping safe. The information is targeted at the Informed and Skilled levels as set out in the Mental Health Improvement and Suicide Prevention Framework.

Suicide Prevention
Suicide Alert Resources

Suicide alert resources: for staff working in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to support you if you are talking with someone who may be at risk of suicide. It explains the ‘ALERT’ model and provides some ideas for putting it into practice, as well as useful information about support services and suicide prevention resources. Resources include a briefing note and prompt sheet. A resource directory of mental health apps, helplines, and websites to support staff with signposting and sharing of information that is appropriate to need.

Suicide Prevention Resources and Supports

Suicide Prevention Resources and Supports: a comprehensive document for the wider public health workforce that brings together a range of suicide prevention information for staff relating to learning, resources and websites, helplines, and keeping safe. The information is targeted at the Informed and Skilled levels as set out in the Mental Health Improvement and Suicide Prevention Framework.

For more information and resources, visit our Children and Young People’s Mental Health page.

Adult Mental Health

Accessing Mental Health Support
Adult Mental Health Supports Poster

Adult Mental Health Supports Poster: A poster showing the ways in which mental health supports can be accessed; from 1 to 1 support, reading, group work, phone, and online. The resources allow anyone working with adults to populate with their own update to date information on an ongoing basis, relevant to their organisation, locality area, and wider. It is a reusable, wipe-clean resource.

Healthy Minds Pocket Guide

Healthy Minds Pocket Guide – Our mental health and wellbeing card provides details for a mental health support organisation in each of the 6 Health and Social Care Partnerships; Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, and West Dunbartonshire. It also provides helpful tips for looking after your mental health and wellbeing and who to contact if you feel someone is in distress.

Adult Mental Health Apps, Helplines and Websites

resource directory of mental health apps, helplines, and websites to support staff with signposting and sharing of information that is appropriate to need.

Loss and Bereavement
Grief after a Bereavement

Grief After A Bereavement: A poster resource sharing information on healthy ways in which we can manage our grief. Available to download in various languages, including: ArabicCantoneseFarsiKurdish SoraniMandarinPolishPunjabiRomanianSlovakUrdu

Resilience
Resilience Poster

Top 10 Tips Poster: Downloadable, easy-to-follow tips. Available to download in ArabicFarsiKurdish SoraniPolishPunjabi, RomanianSimplified ChineseSlovakTraditional ChineseUrdu.

Self-Harm
Self-Harm Resources and Supports

Self-Harm Resources and Supports is a comprehensive document for the wider public health workforce that brings together a range of self-harm information for staff relating to learning, resources and websites, helplines and keeping safe. The information is targeted at the Informed and Skilled levels as set out in the Mental Health Improvement and Suicide Prevention Framework.

Suicide Prevention
Suicide Prevention Resources

Suicide Prevention Resources and Supports: a comprehensive document for the wider public health workforce that brings together a range of suicide prevention information for staff relating to learning, resources and websites, helplines, and keeping safe. The information is targeted at the Informed and Skilled levels as set out in the Mental Health Improvement and Suicide Prevention Framework.

Suicide ALERT Resources

Suicide ALERT resources: for staff working in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to support you if you are talking with someone who may be at risk of suicide. It explains the ‘ALERT’ model and provides some ideas for putting it into practice, as well as useful information about support services and suicide prevention resources. Resources include a briefing note and prompt sheet. A resource directory of mental health apps, helplines, and websites to support staff with signposting and sharing of information that is appropriate to need.

For more information and resources, visit our Adult Mental Health Page.

General Resources Across the Life Course

Resilience Poster

Top 10 Tips Poster: Downloadable, easy-to-follow tips for promoting resilience. Available to download in ArabicFarsiKurdish SoraniPolishPunjabi, RomanianSimplified ChineseSlovakTraditional ChineseUrdu.

Grief after a Bereavement Poster

Grief After A Bereavement: A poster resource sharing information on healthy ways in which we can manage our grief. Available to download in various languages, including: ArabicCantoneseFarsiKurdish SoraniMandarinPolishPunjabiRomanianSlovakUrdu

Self-Harm Resources and Supports

Self-Harm Resources and Supports is a comprehensive document for the wider public health workforce that brings together a range of self-harm information for staff relating to learning, resources and websites, helplines and keeping safe. The information is targeted at the Informed and Skilled levels as set out in the Mental Health Improvement and Suicide Prevention Framework.

Suicide Alert Resources

Suicide Alert Resources: for staff working in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to support you if you are talking with someone who may be at risk of suicide. It explains the ‘ALERT’ model and provides some ideas for putting it into practice, as well as useful information about support services and suicide prevention resources. Resources include a briefing note and prompt sheet. A resource directory of mental health apps, helplines, and websites to support staff with signposting and sharing of information that is appropriate to need.

Suicide Prevention Resources

Suicide Prevention Resources and Supports: a comprehensive document for the wider public health workforce that brings together a range of suicide prevention information for staff relating to learning, resources and websites, helplines, and keeping safe. The information is targeted at the Informed and Skilled levels as set out in the Mental Health Improvement and Suicide Prevention Framework.

LGBTQ+ Resources

LGBTQ+ Resources and Supports: A document that brings together a range of information and supports for LGBTQ+ communities across the life course, from perinatal and infant mental health, children and young people, through to adults.

We will continue to add to this page – please contact us at ggc.mhead@nhs.scot* if you have any questions or would like to make a suggestion.

*Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999 or NHS 24 on 111.

Please read the following information and then use the links at the bottom of the page if you are looking for further information or exercise.

Important information to read if you have any concerns about your elbow pain

Please click below to expand relevant section; these sections outline some of the main issues that we would advise you get checked by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

If your symptoms are caused by a recent traumatic incident (e.g. a fall, football tackle) and you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Significant bruising and swelling in the area
  • Difficulty in moving elbow or seems locked in one position
  • Looks a different shape to the other side, new lumps and bumps that have appeared since the injury.
  • Loss of ability to use your hand normally.

Note: If you have an underlying poor bone density (e.g. osteoporosis) smaller amounts of force can cause the problems listed above.

Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved
  • Hot, red and/or swelling of elbow
  • Tingling, numbness and/ or pins and needles into arm, hand or fingers
  • Worsening weakness in your arm and/or loss of movement
  • Unexplained lumps or bumps which are changing/growing
  • Fever and generally feeling unwell at same time as elbow pain developed
  • Pain and/ or stiffness in other joints at the same time as elbow pain developed
  • Constant pain which appears to not change with rest/ activity.
  • Significant worsening pain at night in bed
  • Unexplained weight loss and/ or previous history of cancer.

NOTE: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid use/immunosuppressive drugs, recent joint replacement, surgery, steroid injection. Rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease. Recent infection, intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.

Elbow Pain- Information and Exercises

Elbow Information leaflets

Exercises

Here are some specific exercises to help you get your arm moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

These are self help exercises:

  • Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe
  • Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try
  • The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.
Beginner elbow Exercises
Tennis elbow information and exercises
Golfer’s elbow information and exercise

Please click below to expand relevant section; these sections outline some of the main issues that we would advise you get checked by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

If your symptoms are caused by a recent traumatic incident (e.g. a fall, sprain, bad cut or burn) and you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Significant bruising and swelling in the area
  • Difficulty in moving fingers, thumb or wrist or seems locked in one position
  • Looks a different shape to the other side, new lumps and bumps that have appeared since the injury
  • Loss of ability to use your hand normally.
  • Note: If you have an underlying poor bone density (e.g. osteoporosis) smaller amounts of force can cause the problems listed above.
Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved
  • Hot, red and/or swelling of elbow
  • Tingling, numbness and/ or pins and needles into arm, hand  or fingers
  • Worsening weakness in your arm and/or loss of movement
  • Unexplained lumps or bumps which are changing/growing
  • Fever and generally feeling unwell at same time as wrist, hand or finger pain developed
  • Pain and/ or stiffness in other joints at the same time as hand and/or wrist pain developed
  • Constant pain which appears to not change with rest/ activity.
  • Significant worsening pain at night in bed
  • Unexplained weight loss and/ or previous history of cancer.

NOTE: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid use/immunosuppressive drugs, recent joint replacement, surgery, steroid injection. Rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease. Recent infection, intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.

Resources, Exercises, & Advice – Self-management leaflets and webpages

Below, there are some advice and information leaflets specific to wrist and hand conditions. There are also some specific exercises to help you get your hand and wrist moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

These are self help exercises:

  • Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe
  • Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try
  • The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.

Further Resources

Please read the following information and then use the links at the bottom of the page if you are looking for further information or exercise.

Important information to read if you have any concerns about your upper back pain

Please click below to expand relevant section; these sections outline some of the main issues that we would advise you get checked by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

If your injury is caused by a recent significant traumatic incident to your head, neck or body (e.g. a fall from a height, significant car accident) please have this checked out by a health professional before commencing with an exercise program.

NOTE: if you have a known diagnosis of osteoporosis (low bone density) a small amount of force (e.g. strenuous lifting) may cause problems that require medical assessment.

Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved

If you feel any of these signs appear rapidly or over a longer period of time please have these checked out by a health professional.

  • Severe restriction in the movement of your neck/ trunk or arm
  • Changes in your balance and the way you are walking e.g. tripping, falling
  • Weakness and/ or altered sensation into both arms and/ or legs at the same time
  • Electric shock sensations into both arms and legs on forward bending of your head or looking down
  • Problems with coordination of upper and/ or lower limbs e.g. writing, standing and walking
  • Pain or altered sensation around your trunk e.g. can be described as a band of pain/ numbness around the chest
  • Chest pain, excessive yawning and/or altered/ difficulty breathing
  • Fever or generally feeling unwell at same time as mid back symptoms developed
  • Constant severe pain which does not change with rest or activity
  • Significant pain and/or night sweats
  • A previous history of cancer/ unexplained weight loss
  • Unexplained lumps or bumps that are changing/ growing
  • Increasing number of joints that are painful and/ or stiff
  • Sudden change in height and/or curvature of your spine, inability to be upright
  • Significant changes to bowel, bladder habits and/or sexual function required IMMMEDIATE MEDICAL ASSESSMENT. WARNING: Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) This a rare but extremely serious spinal condition that requires immediate assessment. 

For further information on CES: 

NOTE: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid/ immunosuppressive drug use, recent joint replacement, dental surgery or steroid injection, rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease, recent infection, previous history of tuberculosis, intravenous drug use history or alcoholism

Upper Back Exercises

Please make sure you have read through the important information about upper back pain before proceeding.

Here are some exercises to help you get your upper back moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

These are self help exercises:

  • Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe
  • Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try
  • The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.
Beginner exercise
Progressive upper back exercises

This page contains low back pain self-help information, as written by musculoskeletal physiotherapists. Please read the following information and then use the links at the bottom of the page if you are looking for further information or exercises.

Important Information About Your Low Back Pain – Please read

Here is a list of the main problems and concerns we would recommend you get checked out by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises (please click to expand relevant section below). These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES)

Warning: CES is a rare but extremely serious spinal condition that requires immediate assessment.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms please have these checked out urgently – usually your GP if within normal hours (8.30am – 6.00pm) or call NHS 24 on 111 at other times:

  • Significant changes in your bowel or bladder habits and/or sexual function. This includes difficulty passing or controlling your urine flow/ signs of recent bowel incontinence
  • Changes to sensation in between your legs e.g. difficulty feeling the toilet paper when you are wiping your bottom.

Further information on CES

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

If symptoms are caused by a traumatic incident to your back (e.g. a fall, car accident), please have this checked out by a health professional before commencing with an exercise program.

NOTE: If you have underlying low bone density (e.g. osteoporosis) or long-term steroid use then smaller amounts of force may cause problems that require medical assessment.

Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved

If you feel any of the following signs develop rapidly or over a longer period of time please have these checked out by a health professional.

  • Severe restriction in the movement of your lower back and legs.
  • Sudden or newly worsening leg pain which extends below the knee
  • Changes in your balance and the way you are walking e.g. tripping, falling
  • Weakness and/ or altered sensation into both arms and/ or legs at the same time
  • If one or both feet are feeling very floppy or feel very weak on walking
  • Problems with coordination of upper and/or lower limbs e.g. writing, getting dressed, walking.
  • Pain or altered sensation around your trunk e.g. can be described as a band of pain/ numbness around the chest
  • Pain and/or stiffness in other joints at same time as low back pain developed
  • Fever and generally feeling unwell at same time as low back pain developed
  • Unexplained lumps and bumps that appear or are changing/ growing
  • Constant pain that does not change with rest or activity
  • Significant worsening night pain, unable to lie flat
  • Night sweats
  • Unexplained weight loss and/or previous history of cancer
  • Increasing number of joints that are painful and/or stiff.

NOTE: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid/ immunosuppressive drug use, recent joint replacement, dental surgery or steroid injection, rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease, recent infection, previous history of tuberculosis, intravenous drug use history or alcoholism.

Resources

Information leaflets/links

Lower back exercises

Please make sure you have read through the important information about lower back pain before proceeding.

Here are some exercises to help you get your lower back moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

These are self help exercises:

  • Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe.
  • Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try.
  • The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.
Introduction
Beginner lower back exercises
Progressive lower back exercises
General lower back exercises

Please read through the following information and then use the links at the bottom of the page if you are looking for further information or exercise.

Important information to read if you have any concerns about your hip pain

Please click below to expand relevant section; these sections outline some of the main issues that we would advise you get checked by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

If your symptoms are caused by a recent traumatic incident (e.g. a fall, football tackle) and you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Extensive bruising and/ or swelling around your hip and thigh
  • Severe pain and very limited movement of your hip/ Leg
  • Leg deformity e.g. foot not sitting in normal position
  • Difficulty putting weight through the injured leg.

NOTE: If you have underlying low bone density (e.g. osteoporosis) smaller amounts of force can cause the problems listed above.

Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved
  • Severe pain and/or inability to stand on one leg
  • Significant loss of hip movement
  • Heat, redness and swelling around your hip
  • Fever or generally feeling unwell at same time as hip pain developed
  • Pain and/ or stiffness in other joints at the same time as hip pain developed
  • Constant pain which does not change with rest or activity
  • Significant pain at night with or without night sweats
  • Unexplained weight loss and/ or a previous history of cancer
  • Unexplained lumps and bumps that appear or are changing/growing.

NOTE: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid use/ immunosuppressive drugs, recent joint replacement, surgery or steroid injection. Rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease. Recent infection, Intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.

Resources

What is Osteoarthritis video (video 3 min watch)

Lower Limb Osteoarthritis information video (16 min watch)

Hip Exercises

Please make sure you have read through the important information about hip pain before proceeding.

Here are some beginner-to-progressive exercises to help you get your hip moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

These are self help exercises:

  • Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe.
  • Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try.
  • The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.
Hip exercise introduction – please watch
Hip mobility and stretches
Hip activation and strengthening
Lateral hip pain/outer hip pain exercises

Information Leaflets

This page contains knee pain self-help information, written by musculoskeletal physiotherapists.

Important information to read if you have any concerns about your knee pain

Please click below to expand relevant section; these sections outline some of the main issues that we would advise you get checked by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

re caused by a recent traumatic incident (e.g. a fall, football tackle) and you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Extensive swelling and bruising around your knee/ lower leg
  • Severe pain and very limited movement
  • Great difficulty in putting weight through your leg
  • Not able to straighten knee out
  • Joint deformity e.g. kneecap appears in the wrong place

NOTE: If you have an underlying poor bone density (e.g. osteoporosis) smaller amounts of force can cause the problems listed above.

Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved

Significant loss of movement with or without pain

Redness, heat and swelling of the joint or surrounding area.

Increasing number of joints that are painful and/or stiff

Fever and general feeling unwell at same time as knee pain developed.

Constant pain that does not change with rest or activity

Significant worsening pain at night with or without night sweats

Unexplained weight loss and/ or previous history of cancer

Unexplained lumps and bumps that appear or are changing/ growing

Note: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid/ immunosuppressive drug use, recent joint replacement, surgery or steroid injection. Rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease. Recent infection, Intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.

Exercises and advice

Please make sure you have read through the important information about knee pain before proceeding.

Information leaflets/Useful links

Exercise videos

Here are some beginner exercises to help you get your knee moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

These are self help exercises:

  • Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe.
  • Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try.
  • The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.
Knee exercise introduction – please watch
Knee mobility and stretching videos
Knee activation and strengthening videos
Knee exercise workouts videos (parts 1-3), designed to follow along with

Important Facts About Your Ankle

Here is a list of the main problems and concerns we would recommend you get checked out by a health professional before starting self-management exercises. These are called ‘Red Flags’ and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms that are present After Trauma

If your symptoms are caused by a recent traumatic incident (e.g. a fall, football tackle) and you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Extensive bruising and/ or swelling
  • Discolouration e.g. your foot looks pale, blue or red
  • Severe pain and very limited movement
  • Joint deformity eg foot looks like it is in the wrong place
  • New lumps and bumps that appear after the trauma
  • Great difficulty putting weight through your leg
  • Numbness/ tingling into your foot after trauma
  • Feeling of instability

Please Note: If you have a known diagnosis of osteoporosis (low bone density) a small amount of force may cause problems that require medical assessment.

Symptoms where No Trauma was Involved

  • Sudden loss of active movement with or without pain
  • Redness, heat and swelling of the joint/ surrounding area
  • Increasing numbers of joints that are painful and/or stiff
  • Fever or generally feeling unwell at same time as your foot pain developed
  • Unexplained numbness/ tingling into your foot
  • Constant pain which does not change with rest or activity
  • Significant worsening pain at night
  • Unexplained weight loss and/ or a previous history of cancer
  • Unexplained lumps and bumps that appear or are changing/ growing
  • Difficulty lifting the front part of your foot/ catching or dragging your foot when walking

Please Note: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid or immunosuppressive drug use, recent joint replacement, recent steroid injection, rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease, recent infection, Intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.

Our colleagues in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Podiatry team have developed a range of information resources for specific foot conditions – please click here to see what resources are available.

Exercises and advice

Foot and ankle exercises

Please make sure you have read through the important information about foot pain before proceeding.

Here are some beginner-to-progressive exercises to help you get your foot/ankle moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

Self help exercises

  • Try to enjoy the exercises and work at a pace and level that feels safe.
  • Please use a common sense approach when deciding which ones to try.
  • The exercises listed are not designed as an alternative to professional advice.
Exercises for ankle sprain
General foot exercises – videos

Warm up

Calf stretches

Calf strengthening

Foot strengthening

Exercises for Plantar Fasciitis – videos

Introduction

Heel raises for foot pain

Foot strengthening

Toe walking

For advice on managing sprains and strains: NHS inform

More Information

Resources you may find useful

What is Persistent/Chronic Pain

Websites that cover all aspects of persistent pain

  • British resource including podcasts, videos and workshops: The Pain Toolkit
  • Great small visual presentations (1 min each) on topics such as emotions, medication and sleep: Retrain Pain

Leaflets regarding self management 

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Pain Service

The Pain Service Website has information about how the service can help those living with persistent pain and more self management resources.