Is physiotherapy a waste of time?

Lily-Rose_3

I have heard people who have arthritis say they had it offered to them, but one person I know who had it said it made it worse and she would never go back.

Works for some, not for others. I have heard some say it was painful and made their condition worse, and some say it helped them. There is no correct answer.

teddysmum

I think it depends on what the physio is for.


Years ago, I had a sciatica and was given exercises to do which were excruciatingly painful. I told a different therapist and she said the exercises given were for a bilateral problem ,while my sciatica was on one side. She gave me an exercise and after just one day, the pain vanished.


Now I have multiple herniated discs, the worst being thoracic and the physio, that my GP sent me to, said exercises wouldn't help in that particular region.


After a slight car accident, my neck is affected, but I've had to have an MRI to see if physio will even be safe to try.

Ames

It was a physiotherapist who diagnosed my bursitis and treated it with a steroid injection.

The one I'm seeing now is helping by suggesting stretches, while I wait for hydrotherapy. It's obviously not a quick fix like the injection was but I'm starting to see signs of improvement. Stretching is about strengthening muscles and tendons etc, I'm not sure why you think it's rubbish rather than a physical process.

(Holistic just means looking at the whole body, it's not about waving crystals or similar).

cashmonger

Hmm isn't it like having a rabbit's foot in that for those it helped you have no idea whether it would have gotten better on its own so you attribute magical healing powers to the lucky charm?

As for my condition I think it was an overextended knee from what I read about on the internet.

SueMaggie

I'm currently having physiotherapy for ongoing knee problems. I had an operation on one knee 6 years ago and had a flare-up of symptoms on both knees last autumn. Scans etc show no need for surgery but was referred for physio and it's doing wonders. It's made me much more mobile and reduced my pain levels considerably.

I started with a weekly session for a month, then fortnightly, and I'm now on one every three weeks to be reduced further in time. I have exercises to do at home and the physiotherapist has been using massage to loosen muscles at the back of one knee. The tightness has been causing a strange gait which has aggravated the other knee.

The sessions and doing the exercises at home have improved things immeasurably so I'd recommend physiotherapy to anyone - as long as you're ready to commit to doing your homework.

cashmonger

How long is the waiting list on the nhs generally to see one?

With psychotherapy in the past the waiting list was 6 months!

So is physio that long or shorter to see someone?

rach_k

cashmonger wrote: »

Hmm isn't it like having a rabbit's foot in that for those it helped you have no idea whether it would have gotten better on its own so you attribute magical healing powers to the lucky charm?

No, it isn't. Does the NHS prescribe rabbits' feet? Usually, the NHS has to see a clear and proven benefit to any treatment offered as resources are limited. If it wasn't proven and cost-effective, it wouldn't be offered.

That said, if you accepted physio but were adamant that it would not work, you may well negatively affect the outcome anyway, so unless you are able to get your head around the fact that it's not rubbish, I'd suggest that you don't accept the treatment - leave resources available for somebody who might be open to it working.

Katiehound

I have had and am having post op physio after replacement knee. The exercises are for building up strength in the muscles.

Saying that I swear by osteopathy. Many years ago that was the last ditch attempt when I had a dead foot and could hardly walk, and had tried private & NHS physio.. She has kept the arthritic knee going for many years before the operation was vital.

I have also had acupuncture, very helpful.

And no, it's not magic or all in the mind! Some years ago there was a survey among consultants to see who they would consult if they had a back problem. the figures were something like 4 out of 5 would choose osteopathy! (uses hands on, not machines.)

cashmonger

rach_k wrote: »

the NHS has to see a clear and proven benefit to any treatment offered as resources are limited. If it wasn't proven and cost-effective, it wouldn't be offered.

That isn't true. NHS funds acupuncture and homeopathy which have no scientific value. Richard Dawkins did a show on it saying how outrageous it is that taxpayers are paying for these bunk therapies.

https://richarddawkins.net/2013/12/new-study-exposes-acupuncture-as-pseudoscience/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCbVAr3iGWo
-The dawkins documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=866YvYJRvWw
-Another skeptic's look at acupuncture

Nick_C

Homeopathy and possibly acupuncture may benefit patients by a placebo effect. If it helps some people, and costs less than providing other forms of treatment, then I see no harm in it. People who believe in are likely to benefit from it.