In this blog I thought it would be good to have a look at a recent success story for ThreeSpires Physiotherapy and the difference that high quality physiotherapy can make to recovery and rehabilitation for a patient.

The patient (Kate - mid 60s) on our initial home visit was approximately 4 weeks post brain surgery to remove a meningioma and was experiencing right sided weakness in both her upper and lower limbs as a result of the surgery. She was in a positive mood but was also clearly anxious about her chances of making a full recovery and was at present on the waiting list to see the NHS physiotherapy department.

A initial physical assessment showed that her right arm was significantly weaker than her left in most movements including grip strength, there was minimal activation / independent movement of her toes on the right foot and she found it very difficult to pull her ankle backwards.

Her gait when walking was also significantly affected with a clear foot drop on the right side and she was using a hip hitching technique to avoid catching her foot on the ground. Balance was also reduced and she was unable to balance on her right foot. Overall, although the surgery had clearly been successful in terms of removing the meningioma it had unfortunately left her with significant physical deficits that would need a lot of physiotherapy and hard work to make a full recovery.

After the initial physiotherapy assessment Kate was given an exercise program to follow independently, this was clearly demonstrated at the time in order to ensure that she could complete each task and also to give a base level of performance for each task, so that progress between sessions could be more easily judged. Each exercise and movement component of the exercise program was designed specifically to target a physical deficit or difficulty that had been observed in the initial assessment. Once the patient was completely happy with the exercises and how to complete them a follow up session was booked for a week later in order to judge progress and fine tune any exercises.

At ThreeSpires Physiotherapy we believe that a follow up session soon after an initial assessment is a key part of a recovery and rehabilitation program as this allows the physiotherapist to make any adjustments to the exercise program that might be necessary and it also allows the patient a chance to communicate any concerns or questions that might have arisen once they start on the exercise program. At the follow up session Kate was doing remarkably well, she was completing all the exercises well, felt more positive and was improving in terms of both upper and lower limb movements. A few minor adjustments were made to some of the exercises and Kate was given a few more exercises to complete in order to further progress her balance. A follow up session for approximately 3 weeks later was booked in, this would give the patient ample time to work independently and allow her physical and neurological system to adapt.

By the time of the next physiotherapy session she had made great progress, gait had improved, arm and hand strength was almost full and balance and lower limb movement had improved lots. Some exercises were progressed and some more difficult challenges to her balance were added in to the program.

At this point it was decided to have a review of progress in approximately 2 months time. This may seem like an excessively long period of time but for neurological conditions it is necessary to allow sufficient time for the patient's neurological system to make an adaptation to the new challenges. Furthermore in this case Kate still had room for improvement on several of the exercises and therefore there was no need to see her again for a few months.

Two months later at her final session the patient Kate had made almost a complete recovery, her upper limb strength had fully recovered. Her walking and gait had massively improved with only the slightest hint of a hip hitch and foot drop. Balance and strength in the right leg had improved and was now almost equal to the left side. Needless to say the patient was over the moon with her progress and felt that she was now likely to make a full recovery given some more time. At this point it was agreed that there was no need for anymore visits as it seemed highly likely that she would make a full recovery as long as she continued to work hard on her exercises and that if the patient had any concerns she could communicate these via email if she wanted to.

Hopefully this case study has demonstrated some of the benefits of physiotherapy and how having immediate access to high quality physiotherapy (especially at home) can improve both speed and quality of recovery. The best feedback as ever comes from the patient herself which is below but can also be found on our testimonials page:

"Finding ThreeSpires Physiotherapy has enhanced my recovery tremendously. Meeting my physiotherapist for the first time following surgery in May this year to remove a brain tumour was such a huge relief, as I felt reassured that working with my physio at home was going to be a success. The next three months saw my mobility slowly returning in my right side simply by utilising exercise techniques and objects that my physio provided. Visits to my home were to my convenience and wonderful value for money. It was a pleasure and I have no hesitation in recommending ThreeSpires Physiotherapy". Kate

For anyone who has not seen this blog before: ThreeSpires Physiotherapy delivers a home visit service within a 25 minute drive of Lichfield, this includes areas such as Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield, Rugeley, Cannock and Burton to name but a few. Our services include post-operative rehabilitation, neurological physiotherapy, back and neck pain relief and sports massage. If you have any questions regarding our service or would like to book an appointment then you can contact us via: 0788 428 1623, enquiries@threespiresphysiotherapy.co.uk or by using the contact form

REQUEST A CALLBACK

Just fill in the form below and give us a quick idea of your problem/request so that we can be better prepared to help you. 

Alternatively you can call us on:
07884 281623 or email us at
enquiries@threespiresphysiotherapy.co.uk

At ThreeSpires Physiotherapy we aim to provide the highest standard of physiotherapy in Staffordshire and the West Midlands. Our services are available 8 am - 7pm Monday to Friday. Call Us Today on 07884 281623

Newsletter Signup

Signup to our newsletter and stay up to date with the latest news from ThreeSpires Phyisotherapy