In this blog post I thought we would take a break from our recent series on helpful physiotherapy hints and return to looking at a case study of a successful treatment of low back pain from our home visit physiotherapy service for a more mature gentleman despite a terrible prognosis from his GP.

The patient Ivan was an active and physically strong 71 year old male who was currently struggling with a debilitating episode of low back pain. He had recently had an X-Ray and been told by the GP that his back pain was due to severe degeneration and that although he would be referred through to NHS physiotherapy it was likely that he would always have back pain! So, rather than wait for approximately 10 weeks for NHS physiotherapy, Ivan decided to contact us here at ThreeSpires Physiotherapy and arranged a home visit.

On initial assessment Ivan was indeed in a lot of pain, he was unable to sit for an extended period of time and his general mobility was very poor but our detailed assessment also showed a lot of promise as he had very good muscle strength and tone and had previously been very active. Furthermore a large number of the changes that were described on the radiologist's report from the X-Ray could easily have been described as "age normal" and had more than likely been present for many years even when he had no back pain! 

So, over the next approximately 4 - 6 weeks Ivan received 7 sessions of physiotherapy with a range of treatments including soft tissue massage and spinal manipulation to reduce muscle tension and improve mobility. He was also prescribed a series of exercises designed to improve mobility and flexibility, especially in his lower back. Over the 4-6 week treatment period Ivan consistently improved and at his last follow up appointment he was almost completely pain free and very close to being back to his original fit and active self which was a great result and far removed from the original prognosis by his GP.

I guess this raises the question of "what are the benefits of having a scan?" considering that his original X-Ray results looked pretty terrible but he is now almost completely pain free! Patients often want a scan and sometimes we see them after getting the results of an X-Ray or MRI and they are commonly very worried about these results. This is a difficult area and one of much debate (as most areas of medicine and physiotherapy) but often the "wear and tear" or "degenerative changes" that are found on scans would be found in the majority of people of a similar age - most of whom don't have back pain. Now this isn't to say that there isn't a benefit to having a scan sometimes, just that often the changes that are found are unlikely to be the exact cause of the pain that patients are getting. This subject is probably worthy of a blog post in its own right.

As with any service it is the patient's point of view that is the most important and below is an extract from a testimonial by Ivan:

"I would have no hesitation in recommending ThreeSpires Physiotherapy to anyone. From a position in late August 2015, as a 71 year old man, where it was difficult to drive, work at a computer, sit to eat a meal at the table or even sleep, the physio worked with me over 7 sessions. With excellent physio, manipulation and teaching some yoga exercises I have been restored to full mobility, enabling me to live my life again largely pain free. This has made such a difference to the quality of my life." Ivan Ould.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog post. For anyone reading this blog who hasn't come across our site before: we are a home visit physiotherapy service, based in Lichfield but serving anywhere within a 25 minute drive including areas such as Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Cannock, Burton and Rugeley. We offer a wide range of services including paediatric physiotherapy, post-operative rehabilitation, neurological physiotherapy and neck and back pain relief. If you need further information or would like to book an appointment we can be contacted on 0788 428 1623 or via enquiries@threespiresphysiotherapy.co.uk