Colin Symmonds
Physiotherapist

I became a physiotherapist because I fundamentally believe that manual therapy has the potential to profoundly enhance the body's ability to bounce back from injury and dysfunction. This, coupled with functional rehabilitation can speed recovery but also prevent the structural wear and tear caused by everyday life.

Pain and disability is something we all face at some point; it may be due to injury, sports activity or just spending too long sitting at your desk at work. The causes are myriad and the human system can only tolerate so much. It's about having our structures, bone, muscle and nervous tissue in balance with each other and working together that provides for pain free living. If this balance gets disrupted then something's got to give: usually, it hurts!

Your first visit
Expect to be assessed. I need to find out what's going on for you and what factors contribute to what you are feeling. Although the term holistic is clichéd, you truly are more than the some of your parts, and I need to see you as a whole to figure out what's making you hurt. You will be asked to perform movements for me to see how far you can go and also to assess what the quality is like. I will check your muscle tissue and joints too.

Treatment options
These are individual and specially tailored to your body and condition: They will include various types of massage for the muscles and connective tissues of the body; mobilization and occasional manipulation of joints to re-establish normal biomechanics; therapeutic exercise to help maintain, restore and develop strength, and functional activities to promote optimal movement and posture.

Your part
Funnily enough, I actually expect you to do your exercises! I give them to you when you are ready because I know they can make a difference to your recovery. They won't be arduous or difficult, but as always, the choice is yours.

Who should have treatment?
Anyone with pain or dysfunction, or if you just feel your body needs a tune up. This really covers sports injuries, muscle and joint pain, and work related pain or if you need to enhance your performance in an activity.

Me
As a practicing clinician for more than 20 years I have seen a huge number of different conditions. I have managed a busy hospital outpatient department and ICU in South Africa; worked with national and international athletes in Commonwealth and Olympic settings in the UK; treated dancers and singers in New York and I have worked with all age and ability ranges.

I passionately believe in physiotherapy and manual therapy can make a difference in how we recover, function and lead full and active lives.