Q&A with Jill Kerr of Jill Kerr Physiotherapy
What is Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy?
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy is the specialism within the profession that can assess, diagnose and treat all aspects of your outer shell: BONES, JOINTS, MUSCLES, LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, FASCIA AND NERVES. Damage and injury to these structures can happen to every single member of the population from young to not so young, from elite sports participants to those whose aim is to keep walking to the bus stop.Aches and pains can arise from all of the above structures and will give varying amount of symptoms and alteration to normal daily function.Pain is a unique experience to every individual and understanding why we are in pain and how our body responds to an injury is extremely important to aid recovery.How is a Sports Injury Different to the above?All individuals have the same anatomical make up and therefore there is no difference between receiving an injury to an anatomical structure during sport or in normal daily activities. The difference is in the degree of damage depending on the forces involved during the incident and the level of rehabilitation needed. The rehabilitation needs to be relevant and appropriate for the level of activity the individual needs to return to.Our musculoskeletal tissues need to be fit for purpose and early input to all injuries benefits the healing process. Early intervention and knowing the right thing to do for each injury will speed up recovery and prevent recurrent injuries and chronic pain.
What happens in a Physiotherapy Initial Session?
On the first appointment you can expect to be asked questions about the history of your problem with specific questions to rule out more serious pathologies, any medications you are taking and interventions already tried and investigations carried out.A thorough clinical examination will be performed of the relevant structures so wearing shorts for a lower body complaint and a vest top for upper body problems can be helpful as we need to see the area.An explanation of the potential diagnosis and treatment options available will be given. Where and when appropriate treatment and advice on self-management/exercises will also be discussed and given on that day.
How many sessions will I need?
This will vary from individual to individual and the number of sessions and frequency can differ depending on the severity of the problem and response to treatment. The key aim is that you are improving with each session. If you are not improving further examination will take place to ensure the diagnosis is correct and other treatment options will be considered.We aim to get you back to full fitness as soon as possible.
