WHAT TO EXPECT
Our initial meeting
You will attend a 45 minute appointment initially, if you think you require longer, this can be arranged. We will sit and you will tell me about yourself and the reason for your visit. Emphasis will be placed on a detailed initial interview/ informal chat about your presenting problem, what happened? We will consider any change to training, work, lifestyle, recent or previous surgeries that might be causing or ‘driving’ your injury/ discomfort. Tell me about yourself and your story of your injury. You may have training plans, strava, garmin data we can use to look for possible causes. Or you may have a hospital discharge summary or consultant letters.
Moving onto movements
The assessment will progress to a more functional look at how you move and your alignment starting in standing, all the time guided by your ability to move and any discomfort- you are in control! We will then move onto more focused strength and joint mobility tests. All the time I will be asking for your input and you can raise any questions you have. Once the tests have been carried out, we should have a good idea of your issues and how best to deal with them. This is when we make a plan.
Making our treatment plan
The plan might be a change or adaption to your training plan- this might involve a discussion with your personal trainer, running coach, Sports medicine Doctor or pilates instructor to maximise your recovery if you have one. We might discuss a change in postures, try and work out a routine if you are sedentary. We might look at your walking (or running if you are a runner) gait and consider optimising certain aspects using cues. I may supply you with a bespoke training program to address the issues that we identified in your assessment. This might be very specific or more of a global strengthening plan. I might feel that certain joints feel stiff and would benefit from expert joint mobilisations and myofascial release to name a few options. I may signpost you towards information I think you would find beneficial. I may, with your agreement, refer on to an orthopaedic consultant, your GP, Sports Medicine Consultant, Pain specialist, vascular surgeon or Rheumatologist for specialist tests if I feel this is the best for you.
The treatment plan will involve your and my input and your lifestyle/ time demands will be discussed to make sure we can achieve optimal results.
