DIY Physio Is Not OK

YouTube is great for learning how to do all sorts of things. Click onto the video-based social media platform and you can find out how to renovate a kitchen, cook a creme brulee, build a birdcage, play the guitar and paint a replica of the Mona Lisa. But, somewhat more ominously, you can also watch DIY physiotherapy videos. From where we see things in our physiotherapy clinic in central Auckland , this “treatment from a distance” is a little concerning.

You might think we’re trying to drum up business by suggesting you only come to us instead of seeking out advice online. But our concerns are not commercial ones. They’re based on years of professional experience as Auckland physiotherapists. We know that every case is different and one YouTube video couldn’t possibly address a patient’s unique therapeutic requirements. At Cairnhill Physiotherapy, it’s our job to get to know each patient as best we can; that includes determining the cause of an injury, whether or not it is a chronic condition, the current status of the patient, and the best treatment plan to put in place. Someone standing in front of a camera 10,000 kilometres away will never possess that vital information.

As physiotherapists, we build close relationships with each and every patient. Without getting to know them, there’s no way we can provide the sort of treatment they deserve. This is why we are a little bemused at the remote DIY physio being carried out online. Anyone giving physio instruction online will never be able to dig down to the root cause of an injury, or stay in touch and monitor a patient’s progress, or adjust the treatment plan as and if required. While Telehealth is becoming more common, at least that is a two-way interaction between health professional and patient. A YouTube video isn’t!

Many of the people hosting this online instruction might be highly qualified and have the best of intentions. But if they don’t know you, they will never be able to offer you the comprehensive and tailor-made response that your unique case deserves. So while you might be tempted to save a few dollars by seeking out a video online, you’ll be doing yourself a bigger favour by seeking out professional physiotherapists who will actually get to know you. You can start building that beneficial relationship by getting in touch with us at our Epsom physio clinic.