Are you experiencing consistent pain that stops you from your daily activities? Have you tried physio before but nothing seems to be working? Then the causes of your pain might have been missed, which means you’re not accessing the right treatment. In this blog post, I share the case study of a client from Bristol (we’ll call him David for confidentiality reasons). David had an initial virtual physiotherapy assessment followed by in-person treatment that significantly improved his condition.
A case of ‘unexplained’ left hip pain
A few months ago, I received a call from a gentleman from Bristol who’d found us through our website. He was calling on behalf of his brother, David, who’s in his mid-twenties, had experienced no trauma, but was affected by severe pain in his left hip.
This situation had been ongoing for about 8-9 months. David had seen a number of professionals in Bristol and done his exercises religiously (mainly glute strengthening work). But he was struggling to walk for longer than five minutes and, due to his physical job, he was unable to work. An ultra-marathon runner who also likes to box, David was otherwise healthy. But when his brother got in touch, it was clear that David was struggling both mentally and emotionally (as well as physically) with his situation.
After speaking to David’s brother and explaining how I could help through my holistic approach, I asked David to send me a video of himself walking in the garden. I asked him to walk with his top off, so I could see how he moved from the side and from the back. Despite all the physiotherapists David had seen, it was clear something had been missed. There had to be something that had happened before the gradual onset of pain in his left hip that had caused this situation.
Virtual physiotherapy assessment via video
When I saw David walking, I could immediately tell from the way he was moving that something on the right side of his body was putting pressure on his left. Here’s another video of David walking.
When speaking to David directly, I could see he’d done a lot of research. He was articulate and knowledgeable about what previous physiotherapists had advised him to do. But when I asked more about his history, he shared that he’d fallen off his bike a year earlier. And this hasn’t been taken into consideration in any previous assessments. In fact, over a period of 2 or 3 years, David had experienced issues that had gone untreated – such as discomfort in his back, his right shoulder, and knee.
In-person consultation and follow-up treatment
Following my conversation with David after watching his video, he came into the clinic. We had a thorough two-hour assessment to identify the key drivers of his problem. I gave him a series of targeted exercises, and the pain in his left hip has since disappeared.
Two months later, David also found a Functional Movement Practitioner in Bristol whom I liaised with directly. Functional training perfectly complements and enhances the exercises I gave David. And while for months David hadn’t been able to do much more than his rehabilitation exercises, I’m happy to share he’s now back at work.
How virtual physiotherapy assessment can help
David had been seen by a number of professionals who had consistently missed the signs. They had looked at his left hip pain in isolation. And as a result, they had missed the signs, not noticed how the right side of his body was affected and had given him the wrong treatment.
I was able to assess David remotely. And as you can see from the video above, we didn’t use any high-tech equipment. Contrary to what many people believe, we didn’t even need a treadmill! This was a simple video of David walking in his own garden that he recorded on his phone. It worked for a virtual assessment, but we do the same for clients who visit the clinic in person. We watch them walk or run and then ask them questions about their health, lifestyle, injuries, and history.
Above everything, I believe this case study shows how our approach differs from other professionals. We make the time for the client so we can work things out. We always strive to get to the key cause of the issue, even if that means the consultation takes longer. When we work with a client, we’re in their corner. We not only assess them and treat them, but we also advise them on what additional help they might benefit from seeking out. With the right assessment and analysis, we got David better, and I’m proud to be able to share his success story.
Would you like some help?
If you’re experiencing persistent pain that came on gradually without any obvious trauma, please get in touch to see how we might be able to help you. Even if you don’t live in London, we are able to discuss your history and any previous injuries and analyse your gait through a virtual physiotherapy assessment. You can call us on 07976 202 766 or email us at info@londonsportstherapy.com. Or, if you’d like an in-person consultation, you can book online here.
