This week we launch our series of articles featuring the therapists who work at Osteo and Physio – and the problems they help solve and treat – beginning with sports therapist Alice Weekes.
Educator, problem solver, listener… just some of the traits I utilise on a daily basis in my role as sports therapist at Osteo and Physio.
I typically treat up to 10 clients a day, with issues ranging from acute to long term lingering injuries. It may sound cliché, but no two people are the same, so thinking on my feet is essential and a part of the job I really enjoy.
My clinic day doesn’t start until 2pm, however, the morning is taken up with writing clinic notes, planning rehabilitation programmes and Pilates sessions for my clients. I also like to fit in some exercise for myself, which may be a run or Pilates session, and sometimes both.
I arrive at the clinic 20 minutes before my first client to ensure that my room is set up and I have all the equipment I may need for the afternoon. Most of my appointments are either 30 minutes or one hour long.
Usually if it is a client’s first visit, the appointment is an hour so I can gain a comprehensive understanding about the presenting injury and also get to know them, their job, hobbies, and what they hope to achieve from treatment. I also have appointments for 1-1 Pilates where we will focus on specific exercises tailored to the client. The 30 minute appointments tend to be follow up sessions or, specifically, sports massage sessions.
One of the most common problems that I see almost daily is pain and stiffness in the upper back and neck area. One particular client presented with this exact problem. They suffered from achy pain through their shoulder blade area and they had spent many years trying to manage the pain through the use of painkillers. Through the initial appointment and case history we discovered this was a result of long hours spent on a laptop. We addressed the height and sitting position they were working at, treated the area with massage to relax the over-worked muscles and slowly introduced a variety of exercises. These were specifically tailored to help build strength through the shoulder blade area, and the client quickly found that the achy pain started to dissipate and painkillers were no longer required.
I see a huge variety of different injuries caused by a number of different factors. A common problem I see in runners is what is known as shin splints, pain in the front of the lower leg. One client I treated recently suffered from this problem and seemed very confused when I explained that the problem may be coming from the back of the leg in the calf. But after a few treatments of massage and stretching of the calf and advice on footwear, the client was amazed that the pain in the front of the leg had eased completely.
The part of my job I most enjoy is working with a client to establish why they are in pain and what we can do in order to reduce it and make them feel better.
My working day at the clinic ends at 8pm but I still try to make time to see family and friends, so my day typically ends around 11pm when I try to get some sleep, which is essential for recovery and ensures I’m on the ball for the next day in the clinic.
