Discover The Whole Body Approach to Physiotherapy

I’ve been asked on numerous occasions recently, what we are doing when we assess you.  We are well aware that what we do is a little different!  In 2009 I was getting pretty frustrated with the traditional Physio approach not providing a holistic framework in which I could better understand my patients,  their symptoms and problems and then effectively treat them.

When I discovered the Integrated Systems Model (a collaboration between Diane Lee and LJ Lee) back in 2009 and it’s more recent evolution of ConnectTherapy™ (LJ Lee), it was so incredibly eye opening in how we,  as Physio’s,  can better serve our patients giving longer lasting answers for movement problems and pain.

ConnectTherapy™ is a whole body approach.  As the name implies,  everything is connected. Different regions and systems are connected,  your body and mind are connected and patient and therapist are connected.

ConnectTherapy™ provides a clinical reasoning framework that helps us Physio’s and our patients, understand the relationships between different regions and systems of your body,  how they impact one another and then treat them effectively.

Understanding your story is where we start. How you move and feel is influenced by so many things as discussed in a previous blog, http://www.healthhub-kingsbridge.co.uk/confused-what-action-to-take-to-make-you-move-and-feel-better/ .

ConnectTherapy™ is a biopsychosocial model of assessing and treating you as a whole person, incorporating not only your physical biology but also your emotions and beliefs.   All these areas are important to consider when assessing and treating the problems you have and for over all health.

Next we look at you MOVING!  Commonly patients can’t wait to lie down on the treatment couch. Before any of that we need to see where you live (stand in space) and how you move or your strategy as we like to call it!  We identify what regions are moving ‘optimally’ and ‘non-optimally’. Commonly the painful bits are moving non-optimally which is why they are sore!  However, it doesn’t mean that the sore bits are the things needing treatment.  The painful areas are commonly victims of other non-optimal regions.

We then make temporary corrections to non-optimal regions of your body and assess the impact of these corrections on the other regions,  also considering how it makes you feel when you move. By doing this we can identify the region(s) that ‘drive’ or cause the problems you are experiencing.

Treating the driver(s) provides our way in to your body to get the biggest change across all the other regions. It gets you the best long term outcome,  avoids returning with flare ups to areas that are victims of your non-optimal movement patterns.  Find the criminals and rehabilitate them instead of treating the victims!

When we find the driver(s) in your body you will feel instantly different.  You experience what movement should feel like when it is optimal.  You may feel lighter,  taller,  freer,  loser,  movement is effortless,  flowing,  can take a big breath or think clearer with no ‘muzziness’.  You will also go  “WOW”,  as one easily forgets how good movement should feel!

Your assessment enables us to identify the region(s) of your body that need treating,  i.e.  the driver(s). There may be more than one region involved but we will also know how they are connected and importantly which order we need to treat them in.

Then the fun part of treating and training change in your body can start!  More next time on that.

ConnectTherapy™ enables us to get you a long term solution to your pain and movement problems.  We can change how you experience your body and in the process learn to love it again.  Don’t put your problems down to your age or because you’ve had a baby or 3 or, simply that you’ve had the problem for years and nothing can be done.  We can help you live a happier,  healthier life.  Does that sound good to you?

If you have any questions or to book an appointment please contact us now on 01548 852355 or email [email protected]

originally posted 10th August 2017