FAQ’s

How long will it take to ‘fix’ me?

The honest answer is ‘I can’t tell you that precisely’, but what I do know is that we are all individuals; different ages and genders, past and present medical issues, different lifestyles (past and present), different nutrition (past and present), different activity levels and different drives to get better and stay better. ‘I’ do not ‘fix’ you. I help you to get better, faster and then stay better.

Generally the rule of thumb is – the amount of time you have left your issue before getting it treated IS the minimum amount of time it is likely to take to completely rehabilitate your problem.

Most musculo-skeletal muscle and joint pain can be improved in one to two sessions of my treatment, particularly if you have not been treated before. However, complete resolution will take longer and will depend on your willingness to commit to some altered training patterns, change of lifestyle and adherence to exercises that I give you. The graphic below represents some of the options you are faced with in ongoing treatment.

Initially you are ‘suffering and in pain’ and you are looking for pain relief from your issue (Relief Care). Our treatments, close together, will generally improve your symptoms faster. The white discs represent treatment in this graphic:

When I get you out of your pain you are then faced with a choice of stopping treatment – I hear a lot of this from patients treated by other healthcare professionals “the pain was gone so I stopped the treatment……but then it came back a few “days, weeks, months, years later” *insert the appropriate one for you.
Or you can continue with the rehabilitation and treatment which is normally carried out weekly. I discuss the options with you (Decision Time).
Once you decide that you don’t want to be injured or re-injured again then we discuss other options that you have to make sure that you don’t slip backwards into old habits and that you move forward into lifetime health. Often this involves discussing exercise options in your local area (Wellness Care).
If you need other healthcare professionals such as GP’s, Surgeons, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Personal Fitness Coaches, Sports Massage Therapists or Soft Tissue Therapists then I can advise you on a recommended professional that will suit your needs.

I have dedicated software that I use to provide you with online bespoke exercises for your particular condition.

The more often you are treated, in the early stages, the faster your recovery is likely to be. If you take my advice about exercise, lifestyle and nutrition then you stand a better chance of a quicker and long term recovery and return to activity.

What do I need to wear?

Ideally sports shorts for men and bra and shorts for women. If you are not comfortable then please say and we can assess through clothes, although this is not ideal, I appreciate your need to feel comfortable.

Will I be better after one treatment?

It is possible to feel better after the first treatment, but also expect to feel sore for one or two days afterwards, particularly if you have not been treated before – this is normal. If you are at all worried after treatment please call me and we can discuss your concerns and put your mind at rest. As I said you will likely feel better quality of movement and to some degree, less pain.

Previous therapists only saw me once a week, why do you see me more often sometimes?

The best frequency to get treated and rehabilitated is every day. But this is often prohibitive in both private practice and the NHS due to funding. When therapists are being trained they see patients in a college clinic usually once a week at a discounted price as they are training and need people to practice on, but there is no evidence base for treating once a week in any stage of recovery. After they graduate they often continue this practice as they do not know any different. In my 15 years plus experience the more frequent the treatment the better and the faster the recovery. If you can only afford to see me once a week that is your decision, but it is likely that resolution of your problem will take longer. It’s all about freedom of choice and we are here to discuss options with you.

Do you treat children?

I treat from age 7 years and upwards, always accompanied by a parent up until age 18 years. If your baby or infant needs treatment I can recommend a paediatric specialist.

How often should I be seen?

This depends on how recently you have experienced your symptoms. If within the week then as often as possible will likely get you better quicker – best case scenario – daily, depending on your commitments and financial ability.

Generally I will see you twice or up to three times in a week IF you are in acute pain. Otherwise once or twice a week for the first 3 weeks, then once a week after that is fairly normal, dependent on progression of your condition and your adherence to the exercises I give you.

How soon can I return to training or normal daily activities?

This depends on how you respond to treatment. We have a series of different techniques that individuals respond to differently – manual therapy, sports massage, dry needling, exercise rehabilitation and manipulation. If you respond well we can discuss return to activity but be aware that you will not be in the same conditioning level as you were prior to your injury, so we will suggest progressions to get you back there.