How I became more effective.

After I qualified in 1996, I followed the same path as everyone else and became disillusioned. Although I was doing what I’d been taught and was told I was doing it well, I felt that my treatments were ineffective and the results and outcomes were poor. I had always believed that physiotherapy could be more effective.

Then it all changed. In 2009, whilst as owner of Exeter Physio, I was introduced to an alternative way of working that made sense of all my frustrations of being a physiotherapist and it was all backed up by science and research.

I began to practise differently and saw dramatically improved results. Patients were getting better so quickly they didn’t need more than one or two sessions and they were able to maintain their own wellness. I felt really embarrassed about the treatment I had been “selling” up to then. I couldn’t continue to practise in the same way, I had to change.

I stopped using the ineffective, dependency-creating treatments – they were short-term treatments that helped to create a fear of pain and a lack of confidence. They can provide somerelief but don’t address the true drivers of someones symptoms, so they require return visits for more short-term symptom relief treatments.

I knew they could be replaced by a research-based and patient-focused method that reduced the need for treatment and provided long-lasting improvement and lower costs.

Since then I have focused on developing skills that benefit patients and dropped all the unproven treatments. The new approach, a development of physiotherapy known as cognitive functional therapy (CFT), shows great promise in helping people who suffer from musculoskeletal pain and disability. It is a powerful solution to both short term or long term problems.

Boring Biography

B.Sc. (Hons) Physiotherapy 1996 at the University of Birmingham

Worked in the NHS until 2001

Worked in private practice from 2001 to present

Worked with high-level sports teams:

• European PGA Golf tour over five years
• Exeter Chiefs RFC over five years.

Played county cricket with Worcestershire, Hampshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset County Cricket Clubs.