30 Mar 2020

Spring 2020 - The physiotherapy perspective

This issue was prepared and in print prior to the Covid-19 events that overtook us earlier this month (March 2020). It is undeniable, therefore, that some perspectives of our members' physiotherapy practices will have changed from the point of view of the content of this edition, but we hope that you will still find the articles on guided decision-making useful, informative and educational for your practice now, and in the future.

Contents

What no one tells you about ACL reconstruction

Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, reconstruction and rehabilitation are key topics for any MSK physiotherapist, and these have evolved in many formats over the past 30 years. What warrants a successful outcome varies between the non-athletic and professional athlete patient, and involvement with each end of the spectrum educates any therapist who works in this field. Dedication to a full recovery is a key component of the make-up of the patient and this needs to be mirrored by the physiotherapist’s role in the process. A majority of professional athletes will return to sport within a six to nine month window. This article aims to demonstrate some of the possible reasons for such a recovery process which may be educational and beneficial to both patient and therapist alike.

David Fevre

 

Hamstring injuries

Hamstring injuries are common in athletes at any level of their sport. Rehabilitation methods should aim for a safe return to sport, while reducing the risk of recurrence of the injury once the athlete is back in competition. This article explores how best the physiotherapist can work with the patient towards their goal of a timely return to sport, while at the same time achieving the best patient outcome with regard to reducing the risk of further injury.

Stuart Butler

 

The knowns and unknowns of Greater Trochantetic Pain Syndrome

Physiotherapists will be aware that defining Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS) is difficult. The work presented here provides some background to my PhD studies for the 3T – 10000 Tendons Study, the main aim of which is to build a usable clinical model that predicts outcomes for GTPS patients by comparing their data, in terms of prognostic factors, to that of individuals with other hip pathologies and healthy controls in order to predict a treatment outcome based on how patients present and are managed, using the various options available

Tobias Bremer

 

Aren't children just small adults?

Children and young people are different from adults. They are continually developing physically, emotionally and psychologically. Due to the physiology and biomechanics of growth, young people show a unique set of age-related symptoms. While many conditions seen in childhood are self-limiting, some more serious pathology can occur. The differential diagnosis relevant to musculoskeletal symptoms is so broad that adequate paediatric training is essential. Clinicians working in this specialist field must have a clear understanding of the biological differences between children and adults. Physiotherapists are personally accountable for their practice and are responsible for their own actions. This article provides an insight, but is not exhaustive, of common paediatric MSK conditions.

Di Coggings