How qualified are Physios to diagnose problems?

[x_Ange_x]

My DD16 has developed pain in her coxis over the last 5 months or so. It got really bad on a recent trip to Florida so much so that i was having to help her get up etc. She has done nothing to injure it, the pain has just come out of the blue.

I took her to see the GP who found it all a bit strange and urgently referred her to the local hospital to find out whats going on.

Apparently, if anybody is referred to the spinal people at our hospital, the referral is triaged and you are sent an appointment to see whoever they think you need to see.

We were sent an appointment to see a physio which we attended yesterday. The Phsyiotherapist said she thinks there must have been some sort of injury at some point (there hasn't) and that my DD's core muscles are now weak hence the irritation around the coxis area.

I asked if she could assure me there was nothing sinister going on and that she was confident with her diagnosis to which she replied "well if physio doesn't work we will refer her to a spinal specialist".

How qualified are physio's to make the diagnosis - i'm sure it used to be a dr who diagnosed the problems and then sent you for physio but apparently that is no longe the case.

[cheekytink]

Originally Posted by x_Ange_x

My DD16 has developed pain in her coxis over the last 5 months or so. It got really bad on a recent trip to Florida so much so that i was having to help her get up etc. She has done nothing to injure it, the pain has just come out of the blue.

I took her to see the GP who found it all a bit strange and urgently referred her to the local hospital to find out whats going on.

Apparently, if anybody is referred to the spinal people at our hospital, the referral is triaged and you are sent an appointment to see whoever they think you need to see.

We were sent an appointment to see a physio which we attended yesterday. The Phsyiotherapist said she thinks there must have been some sort of injury at some point (there hasn't) and that my DD's core muscles are now weak hence the irritation around the coxis area.

I asked if she could assure me there was nothing sinister going on and that she was confident with her diagnosis to which she replied "well if physio doesn't work we will refer her to a spinal specialist".

How qualified are physio's to make the diagnosis - i'm sure it used to be a dr who diagnosed the problems and then sent you for physio but apparently that is no longe the case.

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Hiya -
as a physio, we are autonomous professionals and are able to assess, diagnose and treat people are we feel is appropriate - obviously within our sphere of practice. By that I mean you wouldn't expect a physio to be carrying out spinal surgery, but we certainly don't have a doctor tell us which patients to see or how to treat them.
In terms of Musculoskeletal issues, often physios will have more practical and working knowledge of injuries and how to rehabilitate or treat issues than a doctor - hence why over the last 5-10 years there has been a huge shift in treatment approaches meaning people like your daughter will be seen by a physio first as in 80% of people, they will be able to help, improve and sometimes eradicate the problem or pain without ever needing to see a surgeon or doctor.

Happy to answer any other questions - feel free to PM me.

I hope that your daughter gets the intervention that helps her.

[TeeKayDawn]

I can't answer the question fully for you but what I do know is this; when my OH tore his ACL and I mean it was a complete dissection, he attended his GP service who diagnosed a sprain, then went to A&E who took an Xray and said it was also a sprain.
When his leg didn't improve he went back to his GP, who referred him to physio.
The physio only made one movement with his leg and immediately told him he had torn his ACL, and referred him to an orthopaedic surgeon straight away. Within a matter of weeks he had the damage repaired.
We both work in the NHS, and still wonder how the GP's, nurses and doctors missed it, but a physio new straight away that something was wrong.

[borntoshop]

The same happened to me. Bad back last July but no injury. Sent to physio in the August, struggling to walk etc. I asked for an MRI but was told still the same treatment, in the end I paid privately for a consultation and an MRI-physio and the consultant were right with the diagnosis though.

[sam_b]

I hope that your daughter finds some answers soon.

For me, I always trust and go to a physio first for anything that I think is muscular/skeletal as they are much better informed than a gp in this area.
In my experience, if a physio suspects anything sinister, they will refer you to the appropriate specialist who will then do further tests.

Good luck.

[marypoppins38]

I was assessed via the same route last year. Physio said what they thought it was but sent me for MRI to confirm. There were indeed correct and really helped. I felt like I had better treatment seeing the physio as they could actively manipulate to help the problem than if I had been sent to see a consultant who wouldn't have been able to, if you know what I mean.
I remember having a coxes injury when I was a child which came about after playing on a trampoline. I didn't have a fall or land funny, it was just normal bouncing on there that caused the issue. It was incredibly painful but did go away by itself eventually.

[Blue nose]

The new ways are about getting access to the right people at the right time to treat people. A physio will have done a degree course to get qualified and should know their capabilities and boundaries, as the PP said.

I'm sure your DD is in the best hands. Wishing her a speedy recovery.

[x_Ange_x]

Thank you for the replies - My DD16 has had so many health problems since she was a baby. She suffers with a few probalems , one of which is a kidney disease which was misdiagnosed once resulting in sepsis and my DD nearly losing a kidney. I have had many run ins with Dr's and nurses over the last 16 years and have lost trust in health professionals.

You have all put my mind at rest though so thank you. We will get on with the exercises as advised and hope for a speedy recovery

[Labboy]

Tbh I would trust a professional like a physio every time , more than I would a doctor.

[KeithOP]

Not in the medical profession so obviously just talking from experience and not actual knowledge but just a big HMMM from me on this one.

DW developed a knee issue one evening. Hadn't tripped or walked a long way or anything but just suddenly after dinner found that moving the knee was agony. So bad that getting into the car she had to lift her leg in by hand.

Went to GP who said "you can self refer for a full scan OR I can refer you for an Xray but I think the scan would be better".

So we did that, many weeks later she got an appointment but it was to see the physio. Physio said no need for a scan, leg muscles are weakened and in fact your GOOD leg is weaker than the bad leg, here are some exercises.

DW tried to do those and it got worse and worse. Phoned up and was told that of course it would be difficult and she should work through the aches and pains for long term gain.

Back to the GP who said she should have insisted on the scan but yah know, we try and trust the medical staff we're talking to and it wasnt like the physio was offering a scan.

So referred to have an Xray.. appointment came through again to see the physio. We went and had to demand the Xray over the protests of the physio. The results werent available for another 6 weeks I think (or rather, getting a consultant to look at them took that long)

Finally diagnosed with a bunch of issues inside the knee some of which may be able to be helped with surgery some which probably cant. The consultant shook his head when we showed him the exercise sheet and said well that won't have helped :/.

Not saying physio is bad but just saying in our case the "throw em to physio first" idea was not in DW's best interest.