This weeks Blog is a little departure form the norm. Just to keep things a little crazy! We’ve gone for a really interesting case study of someone who felt like he’d been shot in the leg this time last year with a really severe calf strain.
We are always looking for better ways to explain exactly what it is that we do in our physiotherapy and sports therapy treatments. Why is it so different to the norm and who exactly does it work?
Up step Mike McCaffery. A very satisfied customer. He just so happens to be a professional copywriter and was so chuffed with how we helped him recover from his nasty calf injury he offered to do a case study for us to share the joy of his experience!
So over to Mike…
About Me
Mike before he felt like he’d been shot in the calf!
Aged 46 and a bit. Generally healthy and reasonably fit, I regularly cycle, go for long walks in the country and around the city and play volleyball once a week through the summer. Not quite as bouncy as I used to be but I reckon I’ve still got it!
Reason for Physiotherapy Treatment
A torn calf muscle whilst making a heroic leap at volleyball 5 months prior had caused a number of issues and the calf itself hadn’t fully recovered. I couldn’t go on long walks which I love and was fearful of more injury during exercise and when I returned to play volleyball in the spring. The ongoing compromise of movement and loss of physical confidence meant I was doing less, putting weight on and feeling down.
I had benefited from BST’s help before when a previous injury had a knock-on effect on how I was moving and feeling. It was time to call them again.
How I Set It Up
I had a lovely chat with their impressively professional admin team and they got me booked in at short notice and offered assurance that the physio team could get me right. The initial assessment was immediately revealing, showing how my injured calf had resulted in a multitude of compensations which were continuing to affect my posture and movement. Even before treatment began my therapist had a good idea what he’d find and how to treat it. I was really glad I’d re-contacted Brighton Physiotherapy & Sports Therapy!
The Treatment
Interestingly it wasn’t the calf that needed treating
I hesitate to use the term ‘miracle’ cure but I started to feel the benefits of treatment pretty much immediately. After the first session, I felt more agile and found the stretching exercises my therapist had given me were getting easier and my walking was definitely improving. I also felt motivated to exercise more, with daily low impact routines at home and in the office – I didn’t want to leave it all to my therapist!
After the third session, the volleyball season re-started. I was a bit nervous (not to mention freezing!) before our first game and my team mates ‘supportive banter’ helped to keep me mindful of previous injuries. I needn’t have worried. Gently easing myself in I soon realised my freedom of movement was higher than before my injury and I soon found my ‘form’ again. I was chuffed.
Ongoing Treatment
I could have stopped there. But I wanted to feel even better. I continued with my sessions at BST every couple of weeks and I was fascinated and delighted at the way my therapist methodically traced problems to their source, finding trouble spots that had been causing me issues for years! They were even able to trace the underlying problem that had likely caused my calf injury in the first place.
I certainly knew when they hit the spot and I began to suspect they were getting a kick out of prodding those elusive tender spots. Most importantly each of the therapists at BST just seemed to have a gauge on the right level of pressure to apply for maximum effectiveness and minimal discomfort.
Lasting Effects
Interestingly, after a couple of the sessions, I noticed I was unusually clumsy over a few days. I didn’t make the link at all but casually mentioned this to my therapist. It made sense when they explained that because my movement had changed, my brain had to re-calibrate as my mind-body coordination had altered. Good to know those odd spillages and breakages could be blamed entirely on my therapist. These ‘side-effects’ were short-lived.
I wanted to provide this ‘case study’ so others can benefit from my experience too. I wanted to give a real clients eye view of what it was like. We’re 6 sessions in as I write this. I am in markedly better physical health and my freedom of movement has improved greatly from when we started. I am fitter, stronger and very much back to my old self and I am in no doubt that the professional team at BST with their specialist physiotherapy and sports massage techniques are largely to thank for this. And I’m looking forward to volleyball tonight!
If you enjoyed this case study you may enjoy some more. Jenny’s Slipped Discs and Katie’s Mystery Ankle Injury.
