What a year! I feel it would be helpful to give you a flavour of the kind of work I’ve been busy doing this past year, what’s happening now, and any ideas and plans I have for the future.
In the clinic, I have really enjoyed seeing a variety of people, who have presented with all kinds of problems – here is a flavour of the variety:
Shoulder osteoarthritis, instability due to old Rugby injuries, and referred symptoms originating from the neck.
Hip joint symptoms due to altered lower limb biomechanics, pre and post-operative rehabilitation, and symptoms affecting the hip area – originating from inside the pelvis.
Pregnancy-related musculoskeletal aches and pains, continence and prolapse issues.
Post Natal return-to-exercise programmes, rehab of the abdominal wall/pelvic floor/continence/scar healing issues.
Male and female pelvic pain.
Foot and Ankle rehab, calf muscle tears and connective tissue disorders.
Rehabilitation of longer-term conditions: rheumatology, cardiac, diabetes management.
Back pain: acute and persistent – rehab, education, advice, manual therapy.
Recovery from hand & wrist fractures and injuries.
And the list can go on…but the key is – I love the variety; love the rehab and I work very hard to make sure my patients do well and benefit from treatment.
To maintain and develop my skills and knowledge, I have continued my learning experiences with numerous courses and webinars, some of which are:
Paediatric Bowel & Bladder treatment
‘Explain Pain’.
Rheumatology ‘Red Flags’.
A whole two study days on Pelvic musculoskeletal rehab and treatment.
I am now a ‘Bladder Hero’ after completing the ‘Happy Bladder’ course.
Menopause management update.
And in the pipeline, I’m booked onto courses about pain, mindfulness and more.
To make sure I am delivering the very best service – I have begun partaking in a structured mentoring programme, by a very respected colleague of mine – Bill Taylor – I am really looking forward to this.
I rose to new challenges and delivered an Instagram Live session with a woman I have enormous respect for, Jane Lewis, this has now had over 2,220 views – and is still available if you would like to watch it:
I love collaborating with the wider multi-disciplinary practitioners and have an established working relationship with many specialists and consultants, podiatrists, soft tissue and exercise therapists in our areas, PT’s, Yoga and Pilates instructors, as well as other fabulous physios in our area and beyond – all providing help, advice and cross-referrals when needed.
I have continued to volunteer in an amazing and important support group for pregnant and new parents. We meet weekly, to provide professional support to mums, dads and babies, check this out:
I am pleased to be the Physiotherapist providing input into the menopause specialist clinic: Newson Health Menopause & Wellbeing Centre in Stratford upon Avon. This collaboration enhances patients experience, and provides full wraparound care, as well as furthering GP/physiotherapy links and work.
My education workshops have continued online in the past few months – providing education, empowerment, and guidance to many, about menopause and pelvic floor related issues. I now hope these workshops can return in person, as well online – to be able to provide support to all. To receive information about my future workshops, follow this link: http://deborahthomas.eventbrite.com
I am really looking forward to my in-person pilates classes starting again, and I will continue to provide an online pilates experience as well. To find out more, go to: https://www.deborahthomasphysio.co.uk/pilates
So, in the short term:
At the clinic: although the governing body’s guidelines, as well as those from Public Health England and the government, seem to be easing, I am planning to keep a small gap between patients. This allows better room ventilation, less chance of the virus spreading, and gives me a chance to re-hydrate 😊. I will continue to provide telehealth services, as this suits many people who live further away or prefer this option.
Pilates classes will be kept to a smaller number, again, to allow more spacing.
There will be some more education workshops added in the coming months.
On a more personal note, I’m proud to have completed the ‘Couch to 5K’ (C25K) programme again, and plan to keep it up this time…twice a week is my personal aim. I have enjoyed Sarah Millican speaking to me and encouraging me through it: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/get-inspired/43501261
I’m also looking forward to partaking in a new 8-week course delivered by the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, looking at furthering mindfulness understanding and delivery.
Volunteering both at the local vaccination centre and carrying on with delivering medications to those in need in my local town continues to help the national effort and I love supporting my local community.
I would like to thank you for all for the enormous support in this past year, creating a health hub, and beyond ‘just’ physiotherapy – making pelvic health an option available to all!
Happy first birthday to my business 😊
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