To be thoroughly pissed off that I’ve only been offered a video call for physio therapy?

[WhatAWonderfulLife]

(I’ve posted about this before I’m in pain and grumpy this afternoon and need a rant)

about four months ago I was completing couch to 5k and during a run felt my knee “pop”, it was seriously painful but for various reasons I couldn’t seek medical attention then. I self referred to physio then, but had to cancel due to recovering from surgery.

since then my knee has got worse and worse, it feels very loose inside and when I walk it feels like it’s very weak. I was referred for physio again and the appointment is in four weeks, for a video call!! I just feel so fed up, it’s to the point now where if I go for a walk it’s painful up my thigh and down my leg. I fell over a week ago and I think I’ve jarred it even more. I just feel so fed up and can’t see that a video call will do anything to help as surely they can’t actually diagnose anything that way???

In my limited experience, OP, the first appointment is purely for assessment and you would not get any hands on help or mechanical, or other e.g. infrared help. I suspect the first appointment is to direct you to the proper “pathway“. In which case, it would be a waste of your time to have to attend.

YANBU I've had phone call physio for a knee issue, and it was utterly pointless.

90% of the time physio do not even touch you!

Agree with the first post, probably a 'triage' appointment

But its kind of cheeky to offer a video call for someone needing physical help, 😭 so yanbu to be a bit miffed

A friend was offered group physiotherapy. Which might have been better suited to something other than pelvic floor injuries.

It's usually a first step before getting you the right treatment. Even private physio sometimes works like this

Jesus! It just feels totally ridiculous

It’s just I know how it goes. Take the video call, be told to come back in X months if it’s done nothing, and that’s it

You need to see a doctor

Yes, I know how difficult that's likely to be - sorry. But the pain you're describing, I think you need to see a doctor.

My doctor won’t see me, I put in a form for a consultation and they referred me to physio. I can’t exactly go to a&e because it happened so long ago

Physio provision has seriously gone down here in the last couple years. They try get you to do the phio app exercises instead.

I have a l4/l5 and l5/s1 protrusion, the physio said it was so important to see me every week for at least the first 12 weeks, I saw him 3 times, once after 7 weeks, then 3 weeks later and then 6 weeks later. My leg is numb, I have foot drop, I cannot exercise whatsoever, infact I can't even reach anything above shoulder height, I have to climb the stairs on my bum.

I got referred to the community hospital physio last year (as in the one that deals with the oldies once returned home from hospital) and she was absolutely amazing.

DD has osgood schlatter, been 2 months and still heard bugger all from physio.

I spend well over 1k a month on physio, osteo, and other treatments.

It's just such a shame, isn't it? I can't afford private treatment for it (I wouldn't be able to afford a scan, let alone any potential surgery), so I have to stick with the NHS. But I think it's about a year of physio before you're referred for scans etc

But I don't see how they can know what the issue is without a proper exam? The way I describe it might not signpost to the correct problems

@WhatAWonderfulLife m maybe tell them you're worried you've got a Baker cyst and it might need draining or you might need a steroid injection

not saying you have, but I had more luck getting my elderly mother seen in person when I was able to specify a concern. I think they just automatically go "oh shit, this person used a medical term, therefore they are more likely to sue us if we don't step up and something happens".

A couple of times they asked me to take her to A&E though I don't think they can use that excuse in your case

I think a physio could diagnose that on an in-person appointment but it really is a total waste of time for them to see you via video call.

Hope you get it sorted and you feel better soon

From what everyone has said to me (and from ChatGPT, which I know isn't massively reliable, but it's all I have), I'm really concerned I have a meniscus tear

I’ve got a friend who’s an experienced NHS physio. I told him I was pleasantly surprised at being diagnosed over the phone during the pandemic. He said that physios can work lots out based on your age.

I understand that they can tell somethings (i.e. if it's arthritis etc.) from age, but I don't see how they can tell when it's an injury?

Tbf both the Dr and the physio misdiagnosed me with bursitis and greater trochanteric pain syndrome, orthopaedic surgeon said that was clear signs of l5/s1 compression and couldn't understand their diagnosis at all. If you can afford it I would absolutely check out bupa or suchlike for an actual diagnosis.

I'm "lucky" that I receive ADP (Scottish pip) due to another NHS fuck up, so I spend that and much more on therapy.

It’s likely a torn meniscus, they’ll give you some stupid exercises and send you on your way. My meniscus was torn years ago, had physio and that’s it. There’s no miracle cure. From your threads you’re acting as though you’re expecting emergency surgery

The NHS do operate on a torn meniscus, but I’m more wondering how they’ll even be able to tell what it is without imaging etc.

OP I heartily sympathise. I injured my knee back in March. Waited months to see orthopaedic surgeon who said I needed physiotherapy. I waited 4 months for that to have one in person session and for her to say that she can’t do anything for me! I asked if she could write to the consultant for me to to tell him that and she told me that physios can’t write to consultants only the GP! It beggars belief. I’m still in an enormous amount of pain. Considering going private to see another consultant even though I can’t afford it as I’m desperate now.

This is the bonkers thing that in the USA for a knee injury you would be given an MRI within a week, and often they would operate for a meniscus tear the following week- as without it the risk of knee OA is higher. In the UK you are lucky to get an MRI in 6 months to a year ....

Absolutely insane. I may well end up taking a loan if needs be

Because of the nature of my disability, I often try to get video appointments. I have had video calls for physio and for ongoing physical therapy appointments . They have worked just fine. Unless I need an actually test that requires equipment, most of the time I don’t really need to be seen in person.

It’s just unacceptable really isn’t it?