November 13, 2024
Recently at Beachside, we’ve noticed an increase in patients coming to see us after first visiting their GP. While there’s nothing wrong with this, it can actually delay recovery and end up costing more than necessary.
Let’s talk about how this can slow the recovery process. I’ll use the example of a recent client—let’s call him “Jim.”
Jim works in finance, is a father of three, and loves surfing. Over the weekend, he injured his ankle while surfing, awkwardly twisting it as he fell off a wave. He limped off the beach and soon noticed mild swelling and bruising. He did the right thing by icing it over the next 24 hours and decided to see his local GP when it wasn’t improving. His GP referred him for an ultrasound and X-ray, advised him to wear a boot for four weeks, and suggested taking a week off work.
Poor Jim—he took a week off work, and it took him ten days to get his scans done. The scans revealed a simple lateral ligament sprain, something a physiotherapist could have easily diagnosed. The week off work came at a significant cost. Jim missed four weeks of surfing and had to deal with the cumbersome boot during this time.
Jim followed the doctor’s orders, wore the boot as prescribed, had his scans performed, and continued icing the injury. Unfortunately, once he removed the boot, his ankle wasn’t better. It felt stiff and sore, and he struggled to go up and down stairs due to a loss of ankle mobility, let alone surf. When Jim shared his concerns with the doctor, he was told, “Just give it time, Jim. It’ll come good.”
But Jim didn’t have time to spare. By this point, he was frustrated and upset—he couldn’t play with his kids, surf, or even climb stairs comfortably. He needed help.
This is when Jim called Beachside after a friend referred him. We assessed him, reviewed his history and scans, and performed some objective testing, revealing that his injury had been mismanaged. If Jim had come to a physiotherapist first, he would have been fully recovered in four weeks, with no need for a boot or scans. A simple ankle sprain, when treated correctly from the beginning, would have meant a quick recovery, saving him time, money, and a great deal of frustration.
However, by the time we saw Jim, his ankle was very stiff from four weeks in the boot. He needed seven physiotherapy sessions to regain full mobility and strength. Had he come to physio initially, he likely would have been “fixed” in four sessions, saving even more time and money.
Physiotherapists are experts in managing musculoskeletal pain and injuries. Around 99% of our caseload consists of these types of complaints, so we’re well-equipped to assess and treat them accurately. We also know when injuries are not healing as expected, at which point we can refer you to a GP for appropriate scans or medications to reduce pain and inflammation.
Jim’s story is just one example of many we’ve seen recently. If I may be candid, it’s frustrating for us as physiotherapists to see patients who’ve been managed in this way. There’s nothing worse than seeing someone come in feeling frustrated, sore, and often angry because they’re not getting better. They’ve had all the scans, seen the doctor, spent considerable money, and still have no resolution. PLEASE SEE A PHYSIO FIRST FOR ALL MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN OR INJURIES.
It’s worth clarifying that musculoskeletal injuries include more than just muscles. The term encompasses tissues like bones, tendons, nerves, ligaments, and joints. Physiotherapists treat and assess the whole system, as these structures are closely interconnected. We can’t treat one part of the body properly without considering how it affects and is affected by other parts.
So, this raises the question: When should you see your GP for a musculoskeletal injury?
Great question! The simple answer is pain management. GPs can prescribe pain medications to make you more comfortable if the pain is severe. This can help you move more freely and enable you to participate in physiotherapy to address the root cause of your pain. GPs play an essential role in managing our health, but when it comes to musculoskeletal injuries, that’s a physiotherapist’s specialty.
The takeaway here is to see a physio first for musculoskeletal issues. We don’t want you to waste time and money like Jim did. Our goal is to get you feeling better as soon as possible so you can enjoy the activities you love. Early intervention leads to better outcomes and saves time and money. If we believe you’re not improving as expected, that’s when we’ll refer you to a GP for scans or a specialist consultation.
Finally, if you’re unsure whether to see a physio or a GP, feel free to call us. We’d be happy to discuss your condition over the phone and recommend the best course of action. It’s genuinely our biggest frustration to see people with musculoskeletal injuries mismanaged, and it’s something we’ve been encountering too frequently lately.
