Co-Kinetic Journal Issue 100 - April 2024

ISSUE 100 APRIL 2024 ISSN 2397-138X

The Journey from Clinical Publisher to Award-Winning Physical Therapy Marketing Platform

1999

2016

2024

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very warm welcome to the Anniversary issue of the Co-Kinetic Journal, marking 25 years and 100 issues – not a bad milestone for the vision of a naïve 27-yearold, with no publishing or business experience.

It’s celebration of where we’ve come from, where we’re heading, and how we plan to help you build a healthier, more sustainable physical therapy business in the process.

Reflecting on the path this business has taken from its start, through to today – l the people who helped it come to fruition (p4-7), l the people we’ve loved and lost on the way (p8), l the ‘coming of age’ of our company philosophy (p9), l the footsteps we’ve taken to get here (p10-13), l the global events that have run alongside our journey (p14), l how we’ve learnt to hyper-tune in to our customers’ real pains (p15), l and how we’ve finally built the most complete marketing solution available in this industry, to those pains (p16-23), l with an honour and integrity that the people I’ve loved the most (particularly my Dad), would salute (and so will your patients) (p24), l by adopting the philosophy we encourage our customers to adopt, of giving value without asking for anything in return (p29), l Advancing towards a future of building thriving communities (think Blue Zones), healing social disconnect, and educating on the symbiosis between mental and physical health, environmental integrity, and sustainable food systems becomes a core part of our businesses (p32).

With this big picture view, it reminds me that what’s important is not the destination, but the journey it takes us on, a journey that's about more than just business growth; it's about impact, transformation and personal development.

My vision for the future combines two of the things I feel most passionately about, firstly the value of physical therapists and the impact they can have in their communities.

Secondly, the state of nature, biodiversity, our environment, our food production systems and the devastating effect of capitalism, where profits rule, at the cost of society’s health and how that cascades into every other part of our lives.

Supermarkets' with their huge customer bases, push farmers to overwork the land (cheered along by the agrochemical companies), destroying hedgerows and degrading soil with over-ploughing and use of chemicals.

This pursuit of cheap food sacrifices nutritional value and devastates ecosystem health, and yet a third of that food still ends up wasted. Our grandparents’ food was significantly

richer in nutrition than the food we eat today and had far less chemicals in it; today’s system is broken.

I write this editorial having just sold my home of 25 years in Wimbledon (the timing is not lost on me!), and moved to a rental property on the pioneering rewilding estate, the Knepp Estate, in West Sussex.

At Knepp, the aim is to blend rewilding efforts with sustainable food production. They have initiated a regenerative farming project on an adjacent land, where organic cattle, poultry, and a market garden coexist with conservation goals. This approach produces healthy food and also contributes to better soil, clean water, and carbon sequestration. I believe the long-term goal is to demonstrate that farming and wildlife-friendly land use can be mutually beneficial, supporting a productive and sustainable model for agriculture Why am I here? Well partly because I wanted to learn everything I can about what’s happening here and I wanted to be part of their “army for good”. From my perspective we can take this a step further, from the health of the nature, to the health of the land, and on to the health of the our communities. They are intimately connected.

The way I see it, physical therapists are uniquely qualified to bridge gaps in community wellness. Through the Health Hubs I discuss on p32, they can become ambassadors of health, helping to build networks that address the growing social disconnect while at the same time providing opportunities for education on the relationships between the health of our environment and our own physical and mental health.

If this editorial inspires just one person to get in touch with me personally to explore what this could look like in reality, then my hours spent writing and rewriting this editorial will have been worth it .

I hope this issue brings you much enjoyment and hopefully also food for thought .

Very warm wishes

Tor Email me at tor@co-kinetic.com PS. If you’re wondering about what award we’ve won, it’s Best Physical Therapy Marketing Specialists 2024 – UK, Global Health & Pharma Magazine's 2024 Global Excellence Awards programme.

what’s inside 14

COVERS WITH A CAUSE

4-6

BRINGING A VISION TO LIFE: 25 YEARS IN PUBLISHING

22-23 EVOLVING WITH THE TIMES: SMART SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

9 THE EVOLUTION OF A BRAND: FROM SPORTEX TO CO-KINETIC AND BEYOND

24-28

15

10-11

THE STATE OF PHYSICAL THERAPY MARKETING TODAY

CO-KINETIC MILESTONES

MARKETING WITH INTEGRITY: TRUST OVER TRANSACTIONS

29-31

07

BEHIND THE PAGES

12-13

THE CO-KINETIC CONTENT JOURNEY

THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST'S CONTENT MARKETING CHEAT SHEET

08 IN TRIBUTE

22-23 THE CO-KINETIC MARKETING LIBRARY

32-34 BUILDING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: A CALL TO ACTION FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY

FROM THEN

Publisher/Founder TOR DAVIES tor@co-kinetic.com Business Support SHEENA MOUNTFORD sheena@co-kinetic.com Technical Editor KATHRYN THOMAS BSC MPhil Art Editor DEBBIE ASHER Sub-Editor ALISON SLEIGH PHD Journal Watch Editor BOB BRAMAH MCSP Subscriptions & Advertising info@co-kinetic.com

TO NOW

is published by Centor Publishing Ltd, Co-Kinetic Shipley, PO Box 1096, HORSHAM, RH12 9YU, UK https://co-kinetic.com

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APRIL 2024 ISSUE 100 ISSN 2397-138X

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DISCLAIMER While every effort has been made to ensure that all information and data in this magazine is correct and compatible with national standards generally accepted at the time of publication, this magazine and any articles published in it are intended as general guidance and information for use by healthcare professionals only, and should not be relied upon as a basis for planning individual medical care or as a substitute for specialist medical advice in each individual case. To the extent permissible by law, the publisher, editors and contributors to this magazine accept no liability to any person for any loss, injury or damage howsoever incurred (including by negligence) as a consequence, whether directly or indirectly, of the use by any person of any of the contents of the magazine.

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Bringing a Vision to Life 25 Years of Publishing, Perseverance and the People Who Made It Possible

What a milestone! Here we are, 25 years and 100 editions later - a journey of words, wisdom, and literally countless contributions that have shaped this journal into what it is today. In this article, I’m taking you back to where it all started: a simple idea for a physiotherapy journal. It’s also a moment to give thanks to the incredible people who’ve been part of this adventure.

I WAS DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT NOT JUST SPORTS MEDICINE, BUT ALSO THE ROLE OF EXERCISE AS MEDICINE

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By Tor Davies, physiotherapist-turned Co-Kinetic founder

The Inception

I can still remember as if it was yesterday, coming to the end of a long day of business planning with a friend, feeling absolutely exhausted and dramatically throwing myself onto my bed in the adjoining room with a wail, “I can’t do this. I’ll never again be free. Once I start, I’ll be on a relentless hamster wheel publishing journal after journal and I’ll never be able to get off!”

For a 27-year-old who absolutely loathed routine, that prospect was terrifying. Looking back, it occurs to me that it was also rather arrogant because I clearly took it completely for granted that my brainchild of a journal would survive that long in the first place (which given the cataclysmic shift the publishing industry was about to experience as the world was enveloped by the World Wide Web was certainly not a given).

It was 1998 and the largest wall of my spare room was covered with pieces of handwritten paper, stuck in a form that resembled a very amateurish Gantt chart, documenting exactly what had to happen and when, over the next 7 months, to get that first copy of sportEX medicine journal into the big wide world.

My friend just shrugged nonchalantly and said, “That’s fine. Just go back to your job as a medical journalist then”. She knew me well.

It wasn’t that I’d hated my job as a medical journalist, in fact quite the opposite, it had been hugely exciting and energising (at least for a couple of years). But did I mention I hate routine?

After 2 years I was already bored with the same dramas circling around each year. Take for example, “junior doctors are underpaid and overworked and they’re about to strike”.

It’s 100% true and valid, but the story hasn’t changed for 25 years and I was bored writing about it for the third time. I needed a new challenge. I’d dreamt for years of not just running a business, but about publishing my own magazine.

With A-levels in biology, English and art, I was a classic ‘jack of all trades, master of none’, which made no sense to anyone else but surprisingly did set me up well for publishing.

I’d trained as a physio but decided that wasn’t my future. I had a degree in sports science and a wide variety of sporting accolades at all levels of participation, which I group under one of my favourite sayings, “the older you are, the better you were”.

And I’d had a few false starts with a couple of marketing jobs (how ironic given that’s what I do most these days). But what did it all amount to?

So I did what I always do, followed my heart. I was deeply passionate about not just sports medicine, but also the role of exercise AS medicine, and as backwards is never an option for me, forwards it had to be. That was the day in my mind, that I committed fully to starting my first business and my first journal, sportEX medicine.

Creating the Dream

Finding a designer to first design a logo, and then the first issue of a magazine that would form our ‘look’, was probably the most exciting part of those first few years. I still remember the excitement as I looked through those very first proofs in an office somewhere in North London. It was, well literally, a dream come to life.

I have no idea how I found him but I remember the designer’s name, Adrian Pini, and his company was called Grafico. He still runs it today, and according to his LinkedIn profile has designed for some big names including Sony PlayStation, Barclays Bank, and BBC Worldwide, so clearly he was a good Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):04-06

choice to help me set the sportEX stage. I knew the journal had to look the part if it had any chance of success.

Black and white photocopied newsletters were never going to cut the mustard.

That sportEX logo and first issue of the journal cost me every penny of the £10,000 that my parents had given me in exchange for 10 shares, to get my venture off the ground.

That was a massive amount of money to a rookie journalist who was on a salary of just £13k a year. I paid them back 5 years later with interest (I’ve always taken my loans very seriously – I am the daughter of an accountant after all!).

I STILL REMEMBER THE EXCITEMENT OF SEEING THOSE VERY FIRST PROOFS – IT WAS LITERALLY A DREAM COME TO LIFE Perseverance Paid Off

I bootstrapped it from there.

The first goal was to get enough subscribers in one quarter to pay for the next issue of the journal, and the same again the next issue and so on. It was brutally hard work and incredibly stressful. I still remember battling with the unpredictability of mailing lists, mail merge documents and renewals letters, long into the early hours of the Kim Harvey morning.

Building the Business: The business teetered Key Contacts and Advisors on a knife-edge for a couple Some connections with media buyers from my of years until a fortuitous previous medical journalism job got me off call from a man with an the ground. By guaranteeing to impressive ‘radio voice,’ mail a certain number of copies Kim Harvey, who was (around 5,000 I believe) to sports physicians and GPs with an Prof. Dr Nick then at the helm of the Webborn OBE Organisation of Chartered interest in sports medicine, the Physiotherapists in Private media buyers were prepared to Practice (OCPPP), now buy pharmaceutical ad space in known as PhysioFirst. the journal.

Dr Paul He told me that he’d With the help of some very Jackson recently received a number influential advisors, including Prof. of glowing reports from Dr Nick Webborn OBE, Dr Paul his members about this Jackson, Dr Simon Kay, Donald Dr Simon new musculoskeletal Macleod and Domhnall MacAuley, Kay physiotherapy ‘magazine I managed to get it into the right on the block’ and he medical hands for long enough. wanted to know if I’d be Behind the scenes I scraped interested in negotiating a away building a subscription base Donald deal to allow him to include Macleod with the audience I really wanted, it with the PhysioFirst physical therapists. My mentor, magazine that went out to Helena Sturridge, who had given more than 3,500 members me my first pivotal journalism job, Domhnall was by then surfing in the top ranks MacAuley every quarter.

That phone call and of Reed Business Publishing. I the subsequent agreement, secured the remember one conversation where short-term future of sportEX medicine. she strongly cautioned against going down the subscription route Helena Sturridge It wasn’t the income that changed things per se because we’d agreed he’d on account of it being hideously pay cost price (and as Kim produced the hard work to get off the ground. She wasn’t PhysioFirst magazine he knew exactly what wrong, but thankfully I ploughed ahead those costs were), it was the simple fact that anyway. And thank goodness, if I hadn’t I had a 3-year contract that would keep me I’d have fallen by the wayside with the rest of stable, and my print run increased significantly, the publishers that have disappeared over the which meant the unit cost to send the last 25 years.

Co-Kinetic.com

magazine to my own subscribers, came down dramatically.

This was a very good job, as I’d launched my annual subscription at a price of just £15 per year for a quarterly print journal (which doesn’t even cover the postage cost alone these days). Who says physios have a problem setting their prices?!

4-Post MI 14+10 17/3/03 2:35 pm Page 1

Eye-Catching Patient Advice Leaflets Created Confidence Staying safe continued

● It is particularly important to warm up and warm down properly as this helps the heart adjust slowly to the increased demand for blood from the muscles. ● If you get angina, it may be useful to use your GTN tablet or spray before starting to exercise. ● If the pattern of your angina changes, eg becomes more frequent or severe or comes on at lower levels of activity or at rest, you should see your GP. If you get any of the following problems speak to your GP or contact NHS Direct: ● discomfort in your chest or upper body brought on by physical activity ● uncomfortable or severe breathlessness when you are active ● dizziness or nausea on exertion ● fainting during or just after doing physical activity ● palpitations (a very fast or irregular heart beat) during activity.

Remember: The more active you are, the more benefits you will get.

Be active - be safe - have fun!

Physical activity after a heart attack Why activity is important

Once the short-term future of the journal was secure, I was able to turn my attention to developing other areas of the business, most notably a series of patient information leaflets promoting the role of physical activity for health (in 2002 this was a topic nobody else was covering).

These leaflets somehow caught the eye of Nicki Cooper at the British Heart Foundation, who contracted me to print several million BHF-branded versions, which led to several other charities including Diabetes UK, following suit.

These nods from such significant, nationally-known organisations, after several years of struggling to stay afloat, gave me the much-needed confidence that I was on the right track, and the rest, as they say, is history.

For more information

Other leaflets in this series:

● British Association for Cardiac Rehabilitation 01252 720640 ● British Heart Foundation 020 7935 0185 or www.bhf.org.uk ● NHS Direct 0845 4647 or www.nhsdirect.co.uk ● SportEX Health - information on physical activity www.sportex.net

● Physical activity and angina ● Physical activity and diabetes ● Physical activity and high blood pressure ● Physical activity for weight loss

Re-order line for health professionals 01604 640016

How much you should do

Important: This leaflet is not a substitute for the advice your doctor may give you based on his or her knowledge of your condition.

Local information

British Heart Foundation 14 Fitzhardinge Street London W1H 6DH Registered charity no: 225971 March 2003 (G100)

Produced in association with ©2003 Centor Publishing Ltd

How to do it safely

he a lt h

Who and What Has Kept Me Going

In July 1999 we launched the first issue of sportEX medicine and we haven’t missed a single issue since that day. Even when my father died suddenly mid-production of one issue, my small but very trusted team swept in and took over .

Far from being the noose around my neck that I feared it would be, publishing 100 issues has been an absolute joy. Every single one has been unique and thrilling, and there’s nothing like leafing through that first print copy when the ‘overs’ arrive back from the printers.

My designer Debbie Asher, a contact from my old journalism days, has been by my side since issue two and what an incredible 5

THE SMA AND CO-KINETIC CONTINUE TOGETHER IN A PARTNERSHIP THAT I HOPE HAS STRENGTHENED US BOTH THE AUTHOR Tor Davies, a former physiotherapist with a degree in Sport & Exercise Science, transitioned into publishing after a two-year stint as a medical journalist. She founded sportEX medicine in 1999, which evolved into Co-Kinetic, a respected professional education journal in physical therapy.

In 2016, feeling there was more to be done for her industry, she consulted more than 1500 physical and manual therapists worldwide to discover their burning need: help getting clients, which meant help with marketing and sales. This led her to create an innovative marketing solution combining high-quality content with a technophobe-friendly web platform designed to put that content into action, helping physical therapists build their businesses authentically.

Recognised for her expertise, Tor contributes to trade journals, speaks at conferences, delivers to international mastermind groups and recently has taken up a post as a guest lecturer to sports therapy undergraduates. Her latest project, ‘Built on Trust: A 9 Step Roadmap for Attracting Your Ideal Physical Therapy Clients’ offers a practical course for therapists seeking effective marketing strategies, while staying true to themselves.

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ CoKinetic/ Connect with Tor: www.facebook.com/cokinetic.tor 6

and versatile designer she is. She’s turned her hand (albeit sometimes with a squawk of alarm when I first suggest it) from pretty intense multi-page clinical articles to eyecatching posters, conference banners, infographics, social media, animations – you name it, she’s done it – and there is absolutely no way I’d still be running this business without her. This magazine in fact, is probably one of the best examples of her incredible versatility.

The next tribute is to the Sports Massage Association (SMA). In 2003, at a fairly desperate request of SMA founder, Joan Watt, one of the very first sports physios, we took over the management of the organisation which was about to go into administration. We built it from 130 members, to nearly 900 over just a couple of years, only for it to be almost hijacked by a coup, a group of people who wanted to take it over. There were a couple of very difficult years in which the SMA and Co-Kinetic fought side by side to get it back on safe ground (we all know who we are !!!). And we continue together in a partnership that I hope has strengthened us both. Despite several changes in personnel since then our bond has continued and we wouldn’t have made our 100th issue without the SMA’s support.

And the final, even more heartfelt thank you goes to my subscribers without whom I certainly would not be here. This issue is a tribute to every single one of you who has backed my dream whether it’s been for one year or 25 years (there are a few of the latter out there). I hope I’ve delivered everything you’d imagined when you signed up, and maybe even more. It’s been quite a ride!

My Small But Mighty Team

I can’t close this article without giving credit to my small but very mighty team. Most people don’t realise that we are still a small business, albeit punching way above our weight. I am still the only full-time employee at Co-Kinetic, however, I’m superbly supported by: l My sub-editor Alison Sleigh, gets poached by most PhD authors she works with because, well, she’s brilliant at her job;

l Our Girl Friday Sheena Mountford, with a fierce eye for detail, is invaluable in keeping the journal and subscriptions on track; l The witty and incisive Journal Watch editor, Bob Bramah, whose candid comments definitely breathe fresh perspective into our research reviews. l And our rock star of a designer and art editor, Debbie Asher, with me from the start, can bring any vision to life beautifully (this journal is testament); These guys are truly amazing. They have been consistently by my side, guiding both the journal and me, calmly through the inevitable storms of life. I couldn’t have reached this milestone without them.

So team, you have my most heartfelt thank you .

The Future

The last quarter-century hasn’t been kind to the print side of business-to-business publishing and a huge number of much bigger, more successful publishers than us have had to call it quits (probably because we’re not so cut-throat about our profit margins!). Everything has gone online and costs for printing and mailing have gone through the roof, so to still be here, 25 years on, publishing this 100th issue, is a milestone I wasn’t going to miss!

So what does the future hold? It is likely that costs will eventually become too burdensome to continue with our quarterly publishing schedule, at least in the current format, and to some extent the future will be guided by our new direction and vision, which you can learn more about on p32.

For now I would like to say the handon-heart BIGGEST thank you to every single one of you who has played a part, however small or large, in this journey.

I hope you enjoy the celebration and memories that this anniversary issue brings and I can’t wait for part 2, affectionately nicknamed Co-Kinetic 2.0.

With the most sincere thanks

Tor Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):04-06

Behind the Pages: For 25 years, we’ve built something special here at Co-Kinetic. I might have been leading the way, but it’s been a solid team effort every step of the journey. I’m kicking off this tribute with a huge thanks to all of us. Here’s to the teamwork that made it all possible.

Our Editors

Firstly, a huge nod to our editors — these guys have been beacons of our industry, whose expertise and influence have led our content journey. These exceptional therapists have not only contributed their own insights but have also drawn from their well of professional respect to bring us contributions from some of the best practitioners in our field. It’s their specific commitment to practical, applied knowledge that has kept our content not just informative, but incredibly actionable, bridging the gap between cutting-edge research and day-to-day practice. l 1999-2008 – Sharon Turl, MSCP who was also editor of the BMJ/ACPSM collaboration Physiotherapy in Sport Journal l 2004-2024 Bob Bramah, physiotherapist, massage therapist and former SMA board member, has been involved with sportEX/ Co-Kinetic for nearly as long as Tor! He has been an advisor and editor to sportEX dynamics and since at least 2008, Journal Watch editor to Co-Kinetic. l 2006-2011 – Lynn Booth, MSCP, co-ordinated physiotherapy/sports medicine services and worked clinically at major sporting events, including the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 and 2022 Commonwealth Games l 2011-2018 – The editorial board was led by Dr Dylan Morrissey and the sports medicine team at Queen Mary’s University London l 2018-2024 – Kath Thomas, South African sports physiotherapist who took the helm most recently as the in house editor and technical writer, contributing no less than 45 in-depth evidence-based reviews and 37 content marketing campaigns.

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Some of Our Most ro fic Contr tors

Next up are our regular contributors, who have been nothing short of a goldmine of knowledge. They’ve been with us time and again, tackling topics big and small. It’s their reliable insights and lively take on things, that keep our readers coming back for more.

They’ve also got us out of more than one or two scrapes, filling in for contributors who’ve failed to make the deadlines! l Dr Dylan Morrissey l Joanne Elphinston l Dr Simon Kay l Dr Paul Jackson l Dr Simon Lack l Dr Chris Norris l Paula Clayton l Dale Forsdyke l Julian Hatcher l Rachel Fairweather l Joan Watt l Susan Findlay l Ruth Duncan l John Sharkey l Dr Joe Brence l Dr Jason Masek l Stuart Hinds l Ben Cormack l Prof Cathy Speed l Dr Sarah Morton l Julian Baker l Lee Herrington l Ron Alexander l Daniel Lawrence l Nick Dinsdale l John Gibbons l Jack Chew l Wayne Gill l James Earls

Some Notable Contributors

Lastly, we raise our glasses to those singular contributions that really made waves. These are standout excerpts from the excellent books brought to us by the remarkable team at Handspring Publishing. A big shout-out to Andrew Stevenson and Mary Law for an incredible partnership. Although Handspring’s extensive catalogue found a new home with Jessica Kingsley Publishers in 2022, the impact of their works within our pages is noteworthy. l Andrzej Pilat – Upper Quadrant Assessment for Myofascial Dysfunction l David Lesondak – Connectivity: Fascia-Related Therapies l Wilbur Kelsick – Functional Training Methods for the Runner’s Myofascial Systems l Marnie Harman and Niamh Moloney – Roots of Yoga and How It Pertains to Pain

l Janet Penny – Oncology Massage: The Lymphatic System l Susan Lowell de Solorzano – Biotensegrity and Human Movement: The Importance of Closed Kinematic Chains l Ann and Chris Frederick – Fascial Stretch Therapy™ for the Lower Body l Giles Gyer and Jimmy Michael – Manual Therapy and the Pelvis, Hip and Sacrum l Sharon Wheeler – ScarWork: A Different Approach to Working with Scars l Jules Mitchell – How to Unpick Postural Locks Yoga and Biomechanics: A New View of Stretching l Dorren Killens – Assessment of Fascial Dysfunction l Diane Lee – Role of the Thorax in Treatment of Recurrent Hamstring Injury l David Zulak – Spinal Motions: Structure and Function l Philip Austin – Efficacy of Manual Therapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain l Leon Chaitow – Adding Lessons from TCM to your Manual Therapy Toolbox As we turn the page on this particular chapter (sorry I couldn’t resist the pun), I confess that despite my best efforts to keep track of every contributor through the years, we’ve moved through at least four different content management systems and some records have sadly slipped through the cracks. If there’s anyone I’ve inadvertently missed, please know it’s not for lack of gratitude. I am deeply thankful to each and every one of the contributions that I’ve received, they run into several thousand over the 25 years (I gave up trying to count!). I couldn’t have done this without you.

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ISSUE 99 JANUARY 2024 ISSN 2397-138X

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In Tribute:

Honouring Our Guiding Stars There are three people that have been pivotal to me personally as well as to sportEX/Co-Kinetic and I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge their contributions.

Alexa Smallwood (nee Thompson) Many of my original subscribers and SMA members will no doubt remember speaking to Alexa, as she looked after subscriptions for us for several years in early 2000. She was the younger sister of a school friend of mine and was studying to become a physiotherapist just down the road from our sportEX office, at St George’s Hospital, London. We nicknamed her our “breath of fresh air” when she arrived at the office to process our subs, after a day’s studying. She moved to New Zealand with her husband Giles and then returned to Dorset, where I spent the night with her family in Sept 2019. She is

Paula Clayton

mum to three gorgeous young boys. She was diagnosed with an extremely rare cancer known as cholangiocarcinoma at the end of 2018 and despite throwing the book at it, even travelling to China just a month earlier in search of a cure, she died, aged 40, on the 1st November 2019. In that short time after her initial diagnosis, she passionately raised money and spoke publicly about the disease, funding research and raising awareness. She was my inspiration for buying a campervan and using it to travel. RIP Alexa, you may be gone but you will never be forgotten.

Paula mostly likely doesn’t need any introduction to my Co-Kinetic readers, she was probably my most prolific article contributor, in addition to running many CPD workshops for us. She was the most superb trainer and communicator. She was my favourite kind of person, pragmatic, down to earth, called a spade a spade, practical and an incredible therapist. She wrote great content like nobody else I know. It didn’t matter how experienced you were, or how inexperienced you were, Paula made you feel through both her workshops and her articles, that you could change the world with the new skills she taught. She didn’t care if she rubbed up the wrong people, her patients were her number one priority bar none. She started life (in our industry at least) as a massage therapist, before completing her physio training with of course flying colours. She once told me this was down to being offered a job with Lewis Hamilton, which required her to have physio training, which at the time she didn’t have. She became an Olympic physio and can be credited with bringing Jessica Ennis Hill into the SMA. There will never be anyone like Paula. She passed away on the 17th Oct 2021 from a rare form of thyroid cancer. My thoughts are still with her husband Rick and her family.

8

Joan Watt

I don’t even know where to start! Joan was literally right at the forefront of sports physiotherapy over a career that spanned more than 50 years. She has so many sports physiotherapy accolades, they would fill at least a page of this journal alone. She was first involved with the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games in 1970 and there aren’t many hats she hasn’t worn or national or international sports events she hasn’t attended! She was the first female president of Scottish Athletics, and the major force behind the creation of the Sports Massage Association.

It was my acquaintance with Joan that led to us taking over the management of the SMA in 2002, after it was nearly killed at birth by some poor financial choices at the National Sports Medicine Institute. She ran numerous one day courses for us and also wrote many articles. I spent a lot of time with Joan during our professional careers and in the early days she was the cause of more than one or two hangovers after a night of putting the therapy world to rights! The last evening I spent with Joan (and her wonderful husband Neill who was her greatest supporter) was at her house in Stirling, having narrowly escaped being snowed in at Glen Coe on my virgin campervan trip, in March 2019. We spoke and met regularly in the first 15 years of sportEX and she felt like my professional mum! She was passionate, outspoken and one hell of a force to be reckoned with. She passed away at the age of 82 in July 2023 and I still miss being able to pick up the phone for her wise counsel.

Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):08

The Evolution of a Brand:

From sportEX to Co-Kinetic and Beyond

T

he origins of sportEX were simple, I did my sport and exercise degree at Birmingham University where our department was nicknamed Sportex, and I wanted to launch a magazine on the topic of sport and exercise medicine. It was a quick and easy decision. sportEX served us well for 16 years. We published three magazines under the brand, sportEX medicine (the original), sportEX dynamics (sports massage focus) and sportEX health (exercise as medicine focus).

But by 2014 it was pigeonholing us into sport and exercise, and I wanted the freedom to expand into other areas, like business and marketing, and that required a brand that was a bit more flexible.

As luck would have it, one of my oldest friends was married to a senior brand designer for one of the top 20 design agencies in the UK, so on a mates rates agreement, we embarked on a rebrand.

A LOT of thought went into the Co-Kinetic logo (much more than my impatient nature was used to tolerating). I just wanted to “crack on”, but no, Jono made me jump through all the hoops, defining my WHO, WHAT, WHY and HOW and the purpose of this new brand.

Everyone who knows me will know that cogitating at this level of detail is not one of my strengths but as I was lucky enough to have the expertise of someone with more skills than I could usually have afforded, I dug in and did what was asked.

And I’m really glad that Jono didn’t let me cut corners, because after 15 years in business, I was becoming much more tuned in to the business I was building. In the early days it had been a scrap for survival, 15 years on I had the luxury of being more consciously deliberate.

It’s no accident that when I set out in business, one of my driving goals was to prove him wrong. Sadly he passed away in 2017 before I could, but it’s still one of the core principles behind my company.

He would have been incredibly excited to witness today’s explosion of businesses putting social and environmental good at the centre of everything they do.

So here are the WHO, HOW, WHY and WHAT for my new brand, that I came up with in 2015.

We’ve gone NAKED!

So Why Co-Kinetic?

My father believed it wasn’t possible to make money and be successful if you wanted to retain integrity and honesty in business. He did well because he worked hard and put in long hours, but he once told me he could have made much more money if he’d been prepared to put aside his principles. Thankfully he wasn’t.

Co-Kinetic.com

1 WHO – Co-operative: Ethical, mutual, fair, transparent, collaborative 2 HOW – Hands-on: Practical, translational, actionable 3 WHY – Evolving: Iterative, selfrefining, virtuous circle (win-win-win) for everyone involved 4 WHAT– Growth-focused: Developing skills, personal and professional growth, progress, evolution.

The driving force of the logo was the CO which represented; l COllaboration l CO-operation and l COmmunity based around l COntent.

But even more importantly, that everything we did in that process, was designed to work as a ‘virtuous circle’, the definition of which is a chain of events, in which one desirable occurrence leads to another, which further promotes the first occurrence and so on, resulting in a continuous process of improvement. This is why the CO is designed similarly to the symbol for infinity showing the flow of energy in the colour changes.

The word KINETIC was perhaps a more obvious choice, coming from the Greek verb meaning “to move”, that alone was very relevant for the field of physical therapy. It can also refer to energy (again relevant) and mean animated, dynamic, or lively, which is exactly the approach we deliver through our content. The little dots on the top of the two i’s are also indicative of movement, like a ball rolling.

So that’s the thinking that went into our brand, and as you’ll read on page 32, it is perhaps even more relevant today, with our vision of the future focused on the role of physical therapists within the community, embodying the ‘CO’ in Co-Kinetic as the co-operative heart and collaborative strength at the centre of a healthier society.

9

1999

2001

Launch of sportEX medicine, a translational journal on sport and exercise medicine, accompanied by patient resources, written for medics and physical therapists.

2002 7 Asthma

2011

Launched sportEX health out of sheer passion for physical activity’s impact on health. It evolved into HealthEX and rocked for a decade before we had to say goodbye. A pet passion, but the ride was fun.

24/1/03

10:22 am

Page 1

Thanks to the foresight of CEO PHYSIOfirst first Kim Harvey, we secured a deal to provide sportEX medicine to all Physio First members. This pivotal partnership threw us a lifeline and led to some great collaborations.

FLUID REPLACEMENT

PHYSIOfirst PHYSIOfirst

PHYSIO

Exercise-induced asthma

Exercise can often trigger asthma research indicates that about 80% of people with asthma have symptoms triggered by exercise. For most people exercise is one of a number of different triggers. Exercise-induced asthma can affect anybody with asthma including recreational sports people or elite athletes. This leaflet examines the symptoms, ways to reduce the risk of an attack and also what to do in case of an acute attack while exercising.

ASTHMA ATTACK

PREVENTION AND

TREATMENT

We built our own elearning platform and introduced our SCORM-compliant CPD quizzes.

2009

That resulted in us winning the contract to publish the Register of Exercise Professionals Journals (REPs) which we did for 5 years, doubling the circulation from 30,000 to 55,000 and digitising the sale of ads valuing over £120k per year.

2008

2003

30/8/07

6:06 pm

Page 2

5th

2007

conference 1st

september 14-16 2007 University of Bedfordshire Bedford campus sports massage and sports Injury rehabilitation

2003-4

A number of organisations commissioned us to rebrand and print several million copies of our patient information leaflets, including The British Heart Foundation, Diabetes UK, Walk 4 Health and PhysioFirst.

These pivotal collaborations were crucial to our survival in those make-or-break early days.

Blood pressure Nordic walking Body image PluS all the latest news

PRODUCED BY

WWW.PHYSIOFIRST.ORG.UK

confprogcovers

Journal

Produced in association with

WWW.SPORTEX-MEDICINE.COM

On the request of the late Joan Watt, sports physiotherapist and SMA founder, we took on the management of the Sports Massage Association (SMA), growing it from 200 to 900 members in 2 years.

September 09 l issue 14

International lineup including 2 x Australian soft tissue therapists 4 x American physical therapists/athletic trainers 1 x Canadian athletic therapist

2007

In an bid to top our 2006 success, we brought a stellar cast of speakers over from the US, Canada and Australia for a final conference hurrah. The business model had changed to exhibitor-funded events (not our bag), so we decided to exit on a high.

2004

With the support of the SMA membership, we launched our third title, sportEX dynamics and began running educational conferences and one-day CPD courses.

Already utilising interactive content in sportEX and having built several content management systems for ourselves and other organisations, we were commissioned to build an elearning platform, and develop elearning content for YMCAFit and Central YMCA Qualifications.

SMA conf 1 page

14/6/06

4:48 pm

Page 1

MYOFASCIAL

THE

MATRIX

HOSTED BY SPORTEX IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SPORTS MASSAGE ASSOCIATION

22nd-23rd September 2006 Loughborough University, Leicestershire

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME FRIDAY Tea, coffee and juice Registration Introduction

09.30-11.00

Anatomy Trains: A Revolution Thomas in Soft-Tissue Patterning Myers

11.00-11.30

Tea, coffee and juice

11.30-13.00

2006

SPEAKERS

08.30-09.15 09.15-09.30

Connective Tissue Manipulation Liz Holey

13.00-14.00

Lunch

14.00-15.00

Cycling and manual therapy

15.00-15.30

Tea, coffee and juice

15.30-17.00

Bodyreading: Visual Assessment in Standing

SATURDAY

Warren Hutson Thomas Myers

SPEAKERS

08.30-09.00

Tea, coffee and juice

09.00-11.00

Assessment and Manual Treatment of Muscular Dysfunction associated with Breathing Disorders

11.00-11.30

Tea, coffee and juice

11.30-12.30

Live assessment of a series of patients

12.30-13.30

Lunch

13.30-14.30

Tissue Repair and Healing

14.30-15.00

Tea, coffee and juice

15.00-17.00

Integrated Neuromuscular Inhibition Technique (INIT)

TO BOOK

GUEST SPEAKERS INCLUDE LEON CHAITOW & THOMAS MYERS We will be holding a networking dinner on the Friday evening at the Quality Friendly Hotel in Loughborough. You can book at any time however numbers will be limited to 200 people and will be on a first come, first served basis. The cost is £30 per person.

Payment for the conference is required at the time of booking There is a £3 handling charge for bookings made on credit card ( there is no charge for payments made by debit card) .

Dr Leon Chaitow

DELEGATE FEES Multidisciplinary panel inc. Dr Chaitow

SMA members and sportEX subscribers (inc. members of BASRaT, STO and OSCA) - £240 ( inc. VAT) Non sportEX subscribers - £260 ( inc. VAT)

Prof Eyal Lederman Dr Leon Chaitow

WEB: www.sportex.net - if you are a subscriber please ensure you log in, to access the discounted prices TEL: 020 8287 3312 FAX: 020 8404 8261 SNAIL MAIL (last resort!): 86-88 Nelson Road, Wimbledon, SW19 1HX, UK * we continue to experience problems receiving mail, so for safety if you wish to post your booking and do not receive acknowledgement from us within 7-10 days, please contact us via phone or by emailing subs@sportex.net - however we would strongly recommend using the website or contacting us by telephone to book.

We ran one of our most ambitious massage therapy conferences bringing Tom Myers (Anatomy Trains) over from the US, along with the late Leon Chaitow – phew that was quite a conference to manage – but thanks to the 400 strong delegates, it was hugely successful.

IMAGE COURTESY OF PRIMAL PICTURES

2012

A year later, we launched an iPad and Android app for both sportEX medicine and sportEX dynamics.

Milestones

1999

ne We’ve go In a bid

2020

!

NAKED

ISSUE 84

APRIL 2020

ISSN 2397-13

8X

journal of our impact carbon ce the steps: er redu two new to furth taken Land Trust we’ve

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2014

Began work on the “perfect publishing platform”, which encompassed content management and permissioning, customer and subscription management and a selfdesigned royalties system designed to create a “virtuous publishing model” rewarding article contributors based on content popularity.

2020-21 And then Covid struck! With many of our customers unable to work, we steered our efforts towards supporting our community through daily webinars focused on business survival. We also pushed our IT capabilities to the limit, developing new tools to help our subscribers adapt and find alternative sources of income. The challenge was healthy and positive.

2016

Co-Kinetic.com

2018-19

We continued enhancing our marketing platform and in 2019 kicked off the 80:20 Marketing Webinar series, drawing in over 1500 practitioners keen to understand how to implement effective marketing.

ISSN 2397-138X

In January we merged the two sportEX journals into one Co-Kinetic journal and spread our content wings by watching the social channels for our readers.

We finished our transition to full sustainability, using only plantbased inks, paper that meets the FSC’s top environmental and social standards and embraced a ‘naked’ approach, eliminating our compostable mailing wrap.

2023

2015

The launch of our new platform neatly coincided with a rebrand – from sportEX to Co-Kinetic, designed to give us the freedom to expand our content focus.

ISSUE 67 JANUARY 2016

2022

We’ve gone GREEN!

2024

Formerly published as....

medicine & dynamics

2017

Without our knowledge our IT contractors had let Co-Kinetic 1.0 fall to its knees. Tough decisions were needed. In June, we asked our customers to support us while we built a brand new platform.

They did unwaveringly. We were back up and running by October.

A thousand voices from our customer survey pointed to a common challenge: growing a business without the salesy aftertaste. So we started creating patient-focused marketing content and built a marketing platform to help distribute that content.

By the publication of this issue, we will have built and delivered our brand new subscription, Clinic Growth Hub. Its goal is to simplify marketing and provide you with affordable, easy-to-use tools (technology) and content that saves you time, builds long-lasting customer relationships, attracts more patients and supports the growth of your clinic. We will spend 2024 developing and enhancing this platform to help you grow your businesses.

So what does the future hold?

You might be surprised!

Check out p32-24 for a sneak peek

THE

CON

from

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROVIDER

confprogcovers

30/8/07

6:06 pm

Page 2

5th

2007

conference 1st

september 14-16 2007

SMA conf 1 page

14/6/06

4:48 pm

Page 1

MYOFASCIAL

THE

MATRIX

University of Bedfordshire Bedford campus sports massage and sports Injury rehabilitation 22nd-23rd September 2006

CPD WORKSHOPS

HOSTED BY SPORTEX IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SPORTS MASSAGE ASSOCIATION

GUEST SPEAKERS INCLUDE LEON CHAITOW & THOMAS MYERS

Loughborough University, Leicestershire

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME FRIDAY

SPEAKERS

08.30-09.15

Tea, coffee and juice Registration

09.15-09.30

Introduction

International lineup including 2 x Australian soft tissue therapists Warren Hutson 15.00-15.30 Tea, coffee and juice 4 x AmericanThomas physical 15.30-17.00 Bodyreading: Visual Myers Assessment in Standing therapists/athletic trainers SATURDAY 108.30-09.00 x Canadian athletic SPEAKERS therapist Tea, coffee and juice 09.30-11.00

Anatomy Trains: A Revolution Thomas in Soft-Tissue Patterning Myers

11.00-11.30

Tea, coffee and juice

11.30-13.00

Lunch

Cycling and manual therapy

09.00-11.00

11.00-11.30 11.30-12.30

CONFERENCES

Connective Tissue Manipulation Liz Holey

13.00-14.00 14.00-15.00

Assessment and Manual Treatment of Muscular Dysfunction associated with Breathing Disorders

Dr Leon Chaitow

DELEGATE FEES

Tea, coffee and juice Live assessment of a series of patients

12.30-13.30

Lunch

13.30-14.30

Tissue Repair and Healing

14.30-15.00

Tea, coffee and juice

15.00-17.00

Integrated Neuromuscular Inhibition Technique (INIT)

TO BOOK

We will be holding a networking dinner on the Friday evening at the Quality Friendly Hotel in Loughborough. You can book at any time however numbers will be limited to 200 people and will be on a first come, first served basis. The cost is £30 per person.

Payment for the conference is required at the time of booking There is a £3 handling charge for bookings made on credit card ( there is no charge for payments made by debit card) .

Multidisciplinary panel inc. Dr Chaitow

SMA members and sportEX subscribers (inc. members of BASRaT, STO and OSCA) - £240 ( inc. VAT) Non sportEX subscribers - £260 ( inc. VAT)

Prof Eyal Lederman Dr Leon Chaitow

WEB: www.sportex.net - if you are a subscriber please ensure you log in, to access the discounted prices TEL: 020 8287 3312 FAX: 020 8404 8261 SNAIL MAIL (last resort!): 86-88 Nelson Road, Wimbledon, SW19 1HX, UK * we continue to experience problems receiving mail, so for safety if you wish to post your booking and do not receive acknowledgement from us within 7-10 days, please contact us via phone or by emailing subs@sportex.net - however we would strongly recommend using the website or contacting us by telephone to book.

IMAGE COURTESY OF PRIMAL PICTURES

CANCER PREVENTION IN MOTION

Effect of Activity on Reducing 10% 13% Cancer Risk

The

JOurnal

ALTMETRI C

EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSERVATIVE INTERVENTIONS INCLUDING EXERCISE, MANUAL THERAPY AND MEDICAL MANAGEMENT IN ADULTS WITH SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF RCTS

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The Foot

For other Co-kinetic infographics go to https://www.co-kinetic.com/tag/infographic

sportEX HAMSTRING ESSENTIALS

PATIENT LEAFLETS

PLANTAR FASCIITIS: A PAIN IN THE HEEL

WHY FOCUS ON THE INTRINSIC SOFT TISSUE?

ASSESSMENT OF THE INTRINSIC SOFT TISSUE Subjective examination

While taking the patient history (subjective examination) it is vital to establish: This article outlines the latest incidence statistics for chronic plantar heel pain, explains 1) Level of irritability – irritability is considered high if symptoms howaggravated the structure and function are severe, and easily and when aggravated takeofa the plantar fascia is affected by pathology, outlines a long time to settle.detailed You woulddifferential obviously treat this patientand morethen delves into an evidence-based exploration diagnosis conservatively that a patient with very low irritability. of passive treatment options, exercise therapy and late stage rehabilitation. We have 2) Past and current treatment and results – this might include: created Heel Pain Content Marketing Kit (http://spxj.nl/2fnESRn) What treatment also have they had foran thisaccompanying condition?

Muscle Biceps femoris Semitendinosus What was the practitioner's 'running diagnosis'? which contains all the materialOrigin you needLong to head: buildischial awareness and the tuberosity about Heel Ischial Pain tuberosity how physical therapy can speed up theSacrotuberous recovery process.

This includes a social media ligament TABLE 1: RANGEawareness OF MOTION FORcampaign, JOINTS OF THE CERVICALfor an email Short head: aspera article, a postal campaign material and linea a website SPINE ( NEUMANN 2002) Insertion Head of fibula Upper part medial surface of tibia using leaflets and postcards and a poster campaign for your work area and for the Segment Primary movement Secondary Lateral tibial condyle areas of any partners you collaborate with.

This of aknee full site movement Action Flexes kneeKit is included as part Flexes subscription or can 5% belateral purchased forhipthose without a full site subscription.

C 0/ 1 5% flexion flexion individually Extends Extends hip 10% extension 0% Rotation rotates tibia Medially rotates tibia on femur More information about our campaign kitsLaterally in general can onbefemur found here

PHYSICAL THERAPY: MSK DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, REHABILITATION 1. It forms an integral part in a thorough cervical examination 2. It gives you a clearer picture of the true function of each vertebral component of the cervical spine 3. A significant proportion of patients who present with cervical restriction, pain and other symptoms such as headache, have intrinsic joint dysfunction 4. Intrinsic joint dysfunction can lead to extrinsic dysfunction.

CONSERVATIVE MANAGEMENT OF ILIOTIBIAL BAND SYNDROME: A CLINICAL REASONING JOURNEY This case study will describe the conservative management of a runner with iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), from diagnosis to return to running. In reading this article the audience will be shown how to practically employ the ITBS conservative management framework outlined in the accompanying narrative review in a running-specific setting http://spxj.nl/1iISGXI. A particular emphasis will be placed on integrating specific facets of the evidence base into the assessment and treatment process, outlining which objective tests, outcome measures and interventions sit comfortably within an evidence-informed framework. Read this online http://spxj.nl/1SuIeOY LOWER LIMB | KNEE | RUNNING | 16-01-COKINETIC FORMATS WEB MOBILE PRINT

MEDIA CONTENTS Podcast 1: Session 16 – Biomechanics and pain: the ongoing dilemma with Greg Lehman. (ChewsHealth, 2015). http://spxj.nl/1Og8YUg

Some of these intrinsic, 4th tier (deep), muscles are also substantial structures capable of significant contribution to movement when they are functional (for example obliquus capitis inferior producing rotation at C 1/ 2). However they are also very capable of causing pain and stiffness when dysfunctional. Is it also possible and very common for extrinsic dysfunction to cause intrinsic so it is vital to assess and treat the C 1/ 2 BY JACK dysfunction, CHEW BSC, MCSP extrinsic soft tissues first. The scope of this article is to focus on corticosteroid injection followed by INTRODUCTION the segmental levels. rehabilitation. Since recommencing This case study discusses the clinical C 2–7 recreational running 9 months ago, journey of a 40-year-old female runner

Semimembranosus Ischial tuberosity

Posterior aspect medial tibial condyle Flexes knee Extends hip Medially rotates tibia on femur

45% rotation 5% flexion (http://spxj.nl/2fIhRsa) and to read this article online go to http://spxj.nl/2gy2ZjG. 50% of total cervical rotation 10% extension 0% lateral 10 flexion sportEX dynamics 2008;15( Jan) :10-14 raising the longitudinal arch (Fig. 1). The acts as an important mechanical link PLANTAR FASCIITIS: combination of these effects supinates between the rearfoot and forefoot. At the foot (high arch) making it more rigid heel contact, the curved surface of to push from the ground. As the foot the calcaneus acts as a rocker or roll contacts the ground again at heel strike, over shape (3) to help facilitate forward the arch lowers and the foot pronates body motion. Similarly, the body weight (flat arch) becoming more mobile to rolls over the curved ankle (talocrural) adapt to the uneven ground. The plantar joint mortise and ball of the foot [1st fascia is relaxed as the foot lengthens, metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint], the 17 to accommodate to the surface. combined motion of the three body The functional linkage between parts being described as the 3-rocker the PF and posterior leg structures system (4). As the body weight moves is paralleled by pathology. A positive forwards, the foot acts as a mobile association between Achilles tendon adaptor flattening both the longitudinal loading and PF tension has been and transverse arches to absorb load demonstrated, and chronic stretching through tissue extensibility. Further OBJECTIVE EXAMINATION and tightness of the Achilles tendon forward motion of the body sees the SUBJECTIVE HISTORY Physical examination MEDIA CONTENTS are risk factors for plantar fasciitis foot change to a rigid lever to prepare Presenting condition The patient’s symptoms were not Video: Low Dye Taping for Plantar Fascia Pain (C. Norris, 2016) - http://spxj.nl/2gy2ZjG (5). Greater tightness in posterior leg for the propulsive phase of gait and toe influenced by provocation testing of The patient is a 40-year-old, female, muscles is also seen in plantar fasciitis off. The change from tissue lengthening the lumbar spine or hip joints. No Video: Plantar Fascia-specific Taping full-time lawyer with right-sided, (C. Norris, 2016) - http://spxj.nl/2gy2ZjG patients (6). (adaptor) to tissue tension (lever) comes visible or palpable joint effusion, surface anterolateral knee pain aggravated about as a result of the windlass effect temperature changes or discoloration by running, cross-legged sitting and Video: Self-massage for Plantar Fascia Pain (C. Norris, 2016) - http://spxj.nl/2gy2ZjG where the PF is wound up around the DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF was noted. The joint was laterally stable walking in high heels. Symptoms are 1st MTP joint as the heel lifts and the PLANTAR FASCIITIS with no laxity upon varus stress testing eased by swimming, oral analgesia Video: Heel-raise Exercises for Plantar Fascia foot moves into plantarflexion. Tension is Pain in this condition is usually over Strengthening (C. Norris, 2016) - http://spxj.nl/2gy2ZjG (1). and general avoidance of known seen in both the PF and Achilles tendon, the calcaneal attachment of the PF or The absence of knee-joint-line Video: Supported Lunge for Plantar Fascia Strengthening aggravators. Symptoms remained which effectively transmits the contractile its medial edge. Pain may be localised tenderness, negative findings on (C. Norris, 2016) - http://spxj.nl/2gy2ZjG constant for 2 days following running force created by the calf musculature. to the heel as though the athlete is respected meniscal tests [McMurray’s for longer than 20 minutes, suggesting Video: Quarter Squat Exercise for Plantar Fascia As the fascia tightens through the ‘stepping on a stone’, or may present and Thessely’s tests (2,3)], alongside high irritability.

Strengthening (C. Norris, 2016) - http://spxj.nl/2gy2ZjG windlass effect, it shortens the foot by as a burning sensation over the inner a low experiential likelihood from subjective findings meant that meniscal History of presenting condition pathology was considered 14 unlikely.

The patient reported a history of Co-Kinetic Journal 2017;71(January):14-20 X didpain, present with tenderness similar symptoms 8Ifyears youpreviously, have a patientMrswith on palpation local to the lateral femoral which was diagnosed as iliotibial ell, we should all give a numbness and/or weakness in their condyle and when combined with band syndrome (ITBS) and treated off as being ‘difficult’ when your toss for the poor individuals shoulder and/or arm, thoracic passive extension of the knee (which to resolution by an neck, orthopaedic clinical hypothesis doesn’t match suffering with unnecessary forms thecould Noble compression team, including physiotherapists, with outlet syndrome (TOS) be the test), symptomology, and who are becoming any investigations. You may even 35% flexion

BY DR OVERVIEW BIOMECHANICS OF THE CERVICAL SEGMENTS 70% extension CHRISTOPHER Chronic plantar heel pain (CPHP) is problem insidiously and who to a musculoskeletal The presented range of motion (ROM) for the joints ofthethe cervicalreturned spine are 35% lateral flexion NORRIS PHD, pain under the front of the heel bone was now limiting sporting function physiotherapist been referred by shown in Tablehaving 1.

45% rotation (calcaneus). It is said to account for significantly with some impact on day-MCSP her GP 2 weeks previously. The patient Lateral flexion and rotation about 1% of all orthopaedic referrals, to-day function thefor last 2 months. isRO referred to are in this studyofas M figures for case a person average flexibility, expect inless occur as a coupled movement and occurs in up to 7% of the adult Mrs X rested from running for 3 weeks Mrs X and is individuals unidentifiableand throughout. hypomobile more for the hypermobile. population in general. In runners, the on two occasions but with no positive Mrs X reported a 6-month history of incidence is slightly higher with 8–10% symptom change when she returned right lateral knee pain. The patient’s www.sportex.net affected (1,2). to running. presentation, assessment and diagnosis Functionally, the plantar fascia (PF) The patient is medically fit and well will be discussed with reference to with no significant medical history or the evidence base and only pertinent ANKLE-FOOT | LOWER-LIMB | RUNNING | HANDOUT | medication use, but was currently using clinical findings are presented in order -COKINETIC an oral analgesic, averaging two17-a01day. to prioritise discussion of treatment and FORMATS WEB MOBILE PRINT management choices.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Podcast 2: TPMP special edition: Session 16.5. A response to session 16 with Brad Neal & Jack Chew.

(YouTube user The Physio Matters Podcast, 2015). http:// spxj.nl/1NOHQXE

WHO GIVES A TOS?

Podcast 3: Session 2 – Patellofemoral pain syndrome with Dr Lee Herrington – part 2. (ChewsHealth, 2014). http://spxj.nl/1lhsxjj Podcast 4: Session 19 – Managing runners with Matt Phillips and Tom Goom. (ChewsHealth, 2015). http://spxj. nl/1Qkpdj8 Continuing education quiz This article also has a certificated eLearning assessment that can be found in the Media Contents box, or under the eLearning Assessment area in your Account area, on the Co-Kinetic website. The eLearning assessment(s) can be completed on all platforms including mobiles when accessed through the Co-Kinetic site; however, they are NOT accessible through the sportEX mobile app as you have to be logged into the actual website for the results to be recorded and the certificate to be generated. http://spxj.nl/1SuIeOY

cause. However, it is hard to diagnose

thereforePRESENTED probably hugelyWITH THE and PATIENT underreported.

This article takes you RIGHT-SIDED, ANTEROLATERAL all the stages for KNEE PAINthrough AGGRAVATED BYsuspecting, RUNNING, diagnosing and treating TOS, so that CROSS-LEGGED SITTING AND you can make a massive difference to WALKINGthe IN life HIGH HEELS of patients who may have been suffering for some time. Read this article online https://bit.ly/3KFLLv7

Co-Kinetic.com

By Kathryn Thomas BSc MPhil 22-04-COKINETIC FORMATS WEB MOBILE PRINT All references marked with an asterisk are open access and links are provided in the reference list

MEDIA CONTENTS

Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Diagnosis | nTOS [Video] Courtesy of YouTube user Physiotutors https://youtu.be/iHP0F3flLzY Tinel Sign | Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) [Video] Courtesy of YouTube user Physiotutors https://youtu.be/jvWvW3Bk4R8 Tinel Sign Elbow | Cubital Tunnel Syndrome [Video] Courtesy of YouTube user Physiotutors https://youtu.be/ASRatLbu8i0 Tinel Sign of the Wrist | Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) [Video] Courtesy of YouTube user Physiotutors https://youtu.be/SOHdFU3hllE Spurling’s Test | Cervical Radicular Syndrome [Video] Courtesy of YouTube user Physiotutors https://youtu.be/3ZSNdv0o0yk Roos / Elevated Arm Stress Test | Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) [Video] Courtesy of YouTube user Physiotutors https://youtu.be/0oGGdcQsBKY Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Treatment | Stretches [Video] Courtesy of YouTube user Physiotutors https://youtu.be/eONCDrH5vB0

W

attempt to ‘explain their pain away’ frustrated, angry and depressed at with a central sensitisation pain model. the perceived lack of end to the pain, Remember, many patients have had numbness and weakness in their neck, symptoms for years and years, and the shoulder and arm. Thoracic outlet huge problem is that you’re not simply syndrome (TOS) has traditionally dealing with something that may have been a diagnosis derived through been relatively easy to sort out, but exclusion of any other condition. It now a complexity has developed with can take patients up to 60 months chronic pain, modification in terms (5 years) with symptomatic TOS to of movement patterns, posture and gain an appropriate diagnosis. By this 21 weakness in the upper quadrant. stage they have seen, on average, six different specialists or doctors or therapists. They have often had Introduction at least one surgery with no relief TOS constitutes a group of potentially from their symptoms or temporary disabling conditions believed to relief only to have the symptoms be caused by compression of return. Some athletes have had to neurovascular structures supplying stop participating in their sport as a the upper extremity (1*). The thoracic result of their unresolved condition. outlet is an anatomical area in the These are shocking facts. It is known lower neck, between the clavicle that TOS is a cluster of pain with and the first rib. It can be defined neurological and vascular deficits that as a group of three spaces through range from intermittent to permanent which several important neurovascular impairments. It is also known that structures pass (described in more presentation of these symptoms varies detail below), including the brachial from patient to patient. It is often plexus, subclavian artery and difficult to specifically pinpoint the subclavian vein. Compression of site of compression, and radiological this area instigates a constellation of and electrophysical testing results distinct symptoms, which can include can present as normal. Some patients upper-extremity pallor, paraesthesia, have no symptoms at rest, whereas weakness, muscle atrophy and pain others are in constant pain. SoThomas what BSc(2*).

By Kathryn MPhil Covid-19 exactly can you – the clinician – look Based on the principal anatomicinfection is known to cause for during an assessment toisassist and the resultant cardiovascular injury. However, the n what now with hopefullystructures the wake involved of diagnosis and wherethe do coronavirus you go fromdiseaseclinical syndromes, three distinct types (Covid-19) incidence of silent cardiac injury after there? Once the correct diagnosis TOS exist: neurogenic (nTOS), pandemic, theisfocus ofof healthcare recovery from Covid-19 is unknown. made then the logic choose manual venous maytobe shifting to managing the (vTOS), and arterial (aTOS) (1*). therapy techniques and exercises that treatment and outcomes If any potential cardiac damage in long-term ramifications of Diagnosis, the disease: release and ‘open’what the are thoracic across the different types of they outlet and what willvary they entail? athletes is left unidentified and return to makes sense. Previously, TOS and Currentincorrect ideas andorsuggestions havehence must be reported as too quickly, cardiac dysfunction missed diagnosis,been unnecessary surgery entities (1*). play What ishappens more, published previouslyseparate in and physical therapy neurovascular compression can or sudden cardiac death could result. This article provides Partsdirected 1 and 2atof ‘Rehabilitation other structures has led to dissatisfied potentially occur at three different Following Covid-19’ details of the tests and monitoring necessary to evaluate any customers. Patients can get written anatomic levels: the interscalene (https://bit.ly/379wArx and

INTERACTIVE PATIENT LEAFLETS

potential cardiac injury in athletes after Covid-19 infection, as well as details of how to support their safe return to sport with a graduated return-to-play programme. Read this article online https://spxj.nl/33yAIAH

to everyone regardless of age or previous fitness level. However, thereJournal 2022;92(April):14-24 Co-Kinetic may be a need for a deeper focus screening tools and RTP protocols for on competitive athletes, particularly athletes recovering from Covid-19. concerning cardiac health, and a more structured return to play (RTP) at their higher level than the general sporting Cardiovascular population.

Involvement with Covid-19 Some professional teams and The clinical manifestations leagues have already resumed of Covid-19 include cardiac their competitive schedules, involvement and complications, whereas other sports persons among which are myocarditis are continuing to train (including fulminant cases), and prepare for events arrhythmias and rapid-onset hoping competition heart failure (1*). In a metawill soon return. With analysis including six studies lockdown levels easing with a total of 1527 patients worldwide even the with Covid-19, 8% suffered semi-professional acute cardiac injury with an or competitive social incidence about 13-fold higher athlete will be pushing in critically ill patients admitted themselves to get in intensive care units (2*,3*). back into their weekly The mechanisms responsible sporting leagues, for acute myocardial injury in matches, marathons, patients with Covid-19 are not etc. You may be fully understood, but inflammatory involved with a reaction with cytokine storm, sports team or treat immunological factors, ACE2-related individual athletes – signalling pathways, hypoxia and direct either way it may be myocardial damage by viral invasion relevant to consider may be involved (1*). Covid-19 may some of these directly infect myocardial cells, leading pre-participation to myocarditis with lymphocyte14

rich inflammatory histology, acute impairment of cardiac muscle function and potentially residual chronic scar with increased vulnerability to malignant ventricular arrhythmias.

Although Covid-19 myocardial injury, as defined by increases in circulating cardiac troponin levels, has been described in up to 28% of the sickest of patients (2*,3*), its prevalence and clinical implications among infected people who experience mild illness or who remain asymptomatic remains completely unknown. Further, the incidence of silent myocardial inflammation that lingers long after the resolution of typical Covid-19 symptoms – a form of disease that may uniquely affect athletes during resumption of training and

19 online

ASSESSMENT OF THE FO

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https://bit.ly/2YcNjWT); the focus

1999

CLINICAL ARTICLES

Return to Competition Following Covid-19

being on restoring respiratory capacity IT CAN TAKE PATIENTS UP TO 5 YEARS and WITH SYMPTOMATIC optimising physical function and TOS TO GAIN AN APPROPRIATE DIAGNOSISactivity. These principles will apply 14

INFOGRAPHICS

Chiropractic & Manual Therapies

Origins and insertions: All origin of the three muscles is on the ischial tuberosity. However the insertions are different with both semimembranosus and semitendonosus attaching onto the medial (inside) aspect of the tibial condyle and biceps femoris attaching on the lateral (outside) aspect of the tibial condyle.

Actions: All three are involved in flexing the knee and extending the hip but due to the different insertion points, biceps femoris Characteristics: All three hamstring muscles are biarticulate, is responsible for laterally rotating the tibia while the two other meaning they cross two joints (hip and knee). While this is muscles are responsible for the opposite action of medially functionally very useful because the muscles can exert influThe focus of this article will be on the biomechanics of the rotating the tibia( i-2) . ences across two different joints, it also makes them vulnerable cervical spine segments and the techniques used to assess to injury particularly when the muscles are fully extended and their function and treat their dysfunction from a soft tissue when athletes perform sudden stops or switches in direction. perspective. Specific direct soft tissue techniques, muscle See online for an interactive version of this anatomy energy technique and patient self-mobilising exercises will be discussed.

ORIGINS, INSERTIONS AND ACTIONS OF THE THREE HAMSTRING MUSCLES

By Robert Granter BSocSci, AssDipAppSci (Myotherapy)

EFFECT OF LIGHT PRESSURE STROKING MASSAGE WITH SESAME (SESAMUM INDICUM L.) OIL ON ALLEVIATING ACUTE TRAUMATIC LIMBS PAIN: A TRIPLE-BLIND CONTROLLED TRIAL IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

UNRAVELLING FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY: A SCOPING REVIEW OF THEORIES AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS IN A CONTEXT OF CHIROPRACTIC MANUAL THERAPY

MANUAL THERAPY FOR PLANTAR HEEL PAIN

The muscles: The hamstrings consist of three muscles that lie on the posterior aspect of the upper leg ( i-1) : 1) Biceps femoris 2) Semitendonosus 3) Semimembranosus

OF THE CERVICAL SPINE

POSTERS

Complementary Therapies in Medicine

THE 10 MOST DISCUSSED PIECES OF RESEARCH IN MANUAL THERAPY (JUL-SEPT 2017)

USING A MULTI-DISCIPLINE SPORTS MEDICINE TEAM APPROACH

EXPLORING THE DEFINITION OF “ACUTE” NECK PAIN: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT OBSERVATIONAL STUDY COMPARING THE OUTCOMES OF CHIROPRACTIC PATIENTS WITH 0-2 WEEKS, 2-4 WEEKS AND 4-12 WEEKS OF SYMPTOMS Chiropractic & Manual Therapies

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@yourtherapybusiness

COMPARISON OF TWO LUMBAR MANUAL THERAPIES ON TEMPORAL SUMMATION OF PAIN IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS Journal of Pain

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The information contained in this poster is intended as general guidance and information only and should not be relied upon as a basis for planning individual medical care or as a substitute for specialist medical advice in each individual case. ©Co-Kinetic 2023

www.yourtherapybusiness.co.uk enquiries@yourtherapybusiness.co.uk 01000 000 0000

Physiotherapy Theory & Practice

0

FOOTBALL CLUB

Extrinsic soft tissue will be defined as that which is more superficial and provides gross or global stabilisation and movement. For example trapezius, splenius capitus and cervicus.

Intrinsic soft tissue will be defined as that which is deeper and provides stabilisation and movement at a spinal segmental (or local) level. For example multifidus, rotatores (which lie under multifidus) and the upper cervical musculature.

2

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PREVENTION OF HAMSTRING

WHAT IS THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN EXTRINSIC AND INTRINSIC SOFT TISSUE?

OESOPH

Reference: Association of Leisure-Time Physical Activity With Risk of 26 Types of Cancer in 1.44 Million Adults published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine 2016;176(6):816-825 (It remains one of the largest international studies in this field)

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES IN A PROFESSIONAL

ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF INTRINSIC SOFT TISSUE DYSFUNCTION

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COVID-19 | 21-01-COKINETIC FORMATS WEB MOBILE PRINT All references marked with an asterisk are open access and links are provided in the reference list

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF COVID-19 INCLUDE CARDIAC INVOLVEMENT AND COMPLICATIONS

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required) (thanks to Primal Pictures’ Sports Foot)

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Animations (click to go to the animations window and s

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Claw toe

Hammer toe

Tel +44(0)845 652 1906 email: subs@spo

Co-Kinetic Journal 2021;87(January):14-18

2024

E-LEARNING & SCORM QUIZZES

ISSUE 99 JANUARY 2024 ISSN 2397-138X

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here are many questions about what to eat after a breast cancer diagnosis. There is no nutritional plan guaranteed to prevent breast cancer or to protect women with breast cancer from a recurrence. Recommendations are based on research, they are designed to lower cancer risk, improve food tolerance during treatment and improve your sense of wellbeing.

Changing your relationship with food and eating involves a major shift in thinking, feeling and doing. Your food goal while dealing with breast cancer should be one of overall health and nutrition, providing your body with the support and energy it needs

The Menopause

Nutrition and Breast Cancer to maintain your immune system, and cope with treatments, fatigue and emotions.

Choosing, making and eating food with an ‘abundance model’ includes the pleasures of delicious wholesome choices, many tastes, ample portions, not feeling

limited, not counting calories and eating when hungry. Diets that include too many rules and restrictions (such as ‘do not’ and ‘should not’) leave you feeling bad or guilty with unmet hunger and cravings, or concerned that your choice may be

TIPS FOR EATING DURING CHEMOTHERAPY Chemotherapy can cause a drop in white blood cells, which can increase the risk of getting an infection; follow good food hygiene guidelines when storing, preparing and cooking food to reduce your risk of getting a tummy bug or food poisoning.

1. Reduced appetite. If your appetite is small eat little and often. i. Eat five to six small meals or snacks each day instead of three bigger meals. ii. Drink smoothies, juices or soup if you don’t feel like eating solid food. iii Do something active, if you feel able to, as exercise can help increase your appetite. iv. Be careful not to reduce your appetite by drinking too much liquid before or during meals.

2. Increased appetite. For example, some drugs can make you hungry, which combined with reduced activity levels can increase your risk of weight gain. i. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. ii. Choose low-fat foods and drinks. iii. Watch out for the sugar content of food including some ‘diet’ foods. iv. Avoid sugary drinks.

3. Nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (being sick) can be a problem for

some people during and after their chemotherapy treatments. Antiemetic drugs can help with nausea and vomiting. i. Drink plenty of fluids, such as water or herbal teas. ii. Taking frequent small sips is better than trying to drink large amounts in one go. iii. Eating little and often can help if you’re feeling sick. iv. Herbal teas such as mint or ginger can also help settle the stomach. v. Some people find that eating cold food makes them feel less sick because hot food can produce more of a smell.

4. Sores in the mouth can make eating painful. i. Clean your teeth or dentures with a soft brush after eating and floss gently. ii. Use an alcohol-free mouthwash. iii. Choose soft or liquid foods such as soups, stews, smoothies and desserts. iv. Soothe your mouth and gums with ice cubes and sugar-free ice lollies. v. Drink sugar-free fizzy drinks or better still sparkling water to freshen your mouth. vi. Use a straw to drink. vii. Avoid crunchy, salty, very spicy, acidic or hot foods. viii. Avoid citrus drinks like lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit juice. ix. Smoking and drinking alcohol can make a sore mouth worse.

5. Changes in the your sense of taste. This can be common during chemotherapy, making foods taste bland or different. Try a variety of foods to find the ones you like the best. Some types of chemotherapy can give you a metallic taste in your mouth. Using reusable plastic or wooden cutlery, instead of metal, can help reduce the metal taste. Using glass pots and pans to cook with can also help.

6. Constipation. Eating and drinking less than usual, being less active and taking certain medications can all lead to constipation. Drink plenty of fluids (six to eight glasses a day) and do some regular, gentle exercise such as walking.

If constipation persists and becomes painful speak to a doctor for advice.

Eating high-fibre foods can help if you’re constipated. These include: i. wholemeal bread and pasta; ii. brown rice; iii. high-fibre breakfast cereal, such as bran flakes or shredded wheat; iv. beans and lentils; v. vegetables (fresh or frozen); and vi. fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruit.

7. Diarrhoea. Occasionally some chemotherapy drugs can cause this.

Persistent diarrhoea can lead to dehydration and weakness or fatigue.

Ask your doctors for advice on any medication you can take.

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STRATEGIES

challenges of s we navigate the can take a toll on daily life, stress minds. While there our bodies and one of manage stress, are many ways to is getting enough the most important for sleep is essential sleep. Adequate it plays wellbeing, and overall health and stress the body’s natural a critical role in the lea et we ll e plore response. In this and sleep and stress, connection between getting better quality for tips offer practical sleep.

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The Connection and Bsetween Sleep on the si nificant impact tress can have a get. of sleep that we quantity and quality our bodies release When we’re stressed, and adrenaline, hormones like cortisol asleep and it difficult to fall which can ma e racin may also e perience stay asleep. e can and an iety which thou hts worry keep us up at night. it harder to In addition to making more can also lead to fall asleep, stress This night. during the frequent awakenings and normal sleep cycle can disrupt the get the deep, restorative make it harder to need. sleep that our bodies getting enough the other hand,

Tips for better sleep

before bed: Limit screen time lue li ht emitted posure to the like phones and by electronic devices body’s interfere with the computers can cycle, so try to avoid sleep. natural sleep-wake least an hour before using them for at to get you started: bed.

Here are a few tips Time off alcohol: sleep work, money Avoid caffeine and Stick to a consistent worries, you up at night, to bed and relationship Caffeine can keep schedule: Going concerns can make you feel same time each and while alcohol waking up at the of disrupt the quality regulate your body’s drowsy, it will also day can help to the improve and your sleep. natural sleep cycle hysical et re ular e ercise quality of your sleep. edtime to reduce feelings reate a rela in activity can help etter that Negative promote routine a and iety and an routine: Develop thinking, fear such of stress of the future, down before bed, sleep. depression helps you wind book, quality to a healthcare and mood bath, reading a Consider talking swings as taking a warm ues li e e periencin re techni you If ation professional or practicin rela problems or severe or meditation. persistent sleep deep breathing l to

with stress and If you’re struggling you many steps that sleep, there are the quality and can take to improve

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Sleep Strategies rers For Back Pain Suffe

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have you spent ow many nights with back pain, tossing and turning possible to get trying every position morning getting up the next comfortable and than when you went feeling more exhausted

strength as well as muscle both technique stamina a combination of after run. ecent now sports demand the slopes, run day, and keep stay safe on energy to last the and flexibility to to ha e enough is key if you re going of acti ity. aerobic tness it s ust downhill bursts the mountains, is needed for the cash on a trip to to anaerobic tness your hard earned weeks leading up you can do in the So, if you re spending your as well as reduce t prepare. ny preparation and en oyment, a waste if you don impro e your performance your holiday will the slopes. an in ury. of in ury while on chance of suffering reducing the risk six strategies for ere are our top

point in our life. with back pain during And as if dealing often enough, this pain the day isn’t hard the in intensity through tends to increase of sleep not the resulting lack night, meaning the your ability to function only impacts on and can also cause anxiety following day, but

lead to depression. pain cycle is relentless, The chronic back state a toll on our emotional it takes more of sleeplessness appreciate, and than most of us spiral. in that downward plays a pivotal role most however, is that What’s interesting by serious medical it’s back pain isn’t caused or arthritis. Instead, conditions like cancer

Being less active Loss of fitness,muscle weakness, joint stiffness

5

6

7

posture, by strain from bad often brought on and other positions, stress awkward sleeping poor nutrition, alcohol lifestyle habits like just weight gain, to name consumption and

to bed? feeling spend the next day Worse still, you cycle all only to repeat the irritable and weary, night? Well, it’s something over again the next at some of us experience that one in three

THE

CYCLE OF CHRONIC BACK PAIN

Create a ‘no go’ list of things can’t do

a few. along with Here are 6 strategies that you can use accompanying exercises, nights those sleepless to help you banish feeling you to wake up for good, and allow for action. refreshed and ready

1

Slopes

Whether you’re sports are fun. about it, snow There’s no doubt at 40 mph, or exploring , the side of a mountain involve excitement hurtling down snow sports always much more fun backcountry terrain; snow sports are exhilaration. But adventure and s ca fit from the en o re to limp in early worse than having injured).

There is nothing sore (or even worse, you’re tired or fully prepared because slopes and if you’re not for major workouts Snow sports are will you be exhausted holiday, not only risk of injury, let’s physically for your higher much you’re also at a cast. most of it, but home in a plaster e n wants to come as fit as oss face it, nobody de s to et o s to o t e oa o t you the best chance possible, and give the shortest time injury-free holiday. have an awesome,

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ADOPT THE RIGHT SLEEPING POSITION

for Back Sleeping Positions efer to our lea et a videos, and pick Pain” with accompanying you. comfortable for position that’s most that lyin on their any people find for comfortable position back is the most knees a pillow under your back pain. Place is neutral. The pillow and keep your spine in to keep that curve important — it works your lower back. help? When you How does this position your weight is evenly back, your on sleep widest spread across the distributed and on your There is less strain area of your body. better and you can achieve pressure points spine. alignment of your then that comforta le If you don t find side and use a pillow try sleeping on your to adjust your body between your knees your the alignment of position and improve you’ve onto your back once spine. If you roll causes your side, and this fallen asleep on to behind your back pain, tuck a pillow rolling backwards. prevent you from same on the Try and avoid sleeping to muscle as this can lead side all the time try and make increased pain, imbalances and both sides equally. sure to sleep on help? Sleeping on How does this position feel better. won’t make you your side alone that’s knees your between It’s using the pillow pelvis, keep your hips, ick. The pillow will

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LOAD and exercise, benefits with movement An active approach, joint or muscle or stressing the on, most injuries. Loading limits of pain early it work) within the (essentially making tissue repair. healing and stimulates actually promotes

L

ELEVATE area above Elevate the injured heart to the level of your reduce swelling.

2

e ular fitness is essential. asic cardiovascular on a stair machine, or cross training Improve Mobility walking, running are all ways to swimming, cycling of the upper spine, eliptical trainer, help prevent Flexibility and rotation fitness. his will injury. Regular improve eneral is critical to avoid tly increases shoulders and hips by your physical fatigue which subsequen exercises prescribed stretching and dynamic Hands-on massage and myofascial your risk of injury. mobility. ercise to therapist can improve e i ility in muscles and spine. to with hips and pelvis release will improve back. upper back segments focus on turning twisting the lower follow, rather than

Fitness

AVOID ANTIINFLAMMATORIES phase During the acute can anti-inflammatories inhibit tissue repair. like Simple analgesics be used paracetamol can for pain relief.

OPTIMISM and that depression Science has shown and the recovery, fear about an injury in worse outcomes can actually result Staying realistic and a worse prognosis. your brain and positive is important, in your recovery. plays a key part

O

VASCULARISATION for improved That’s a fancy word an area. Better blood supply to more oxygen blood flow means ensure good and nutrients which and tissue healing. Moving or muscle and working the joint around the exercising the tissues blood flow to area will increase the injured site.

V E

COMPRESS a brace, l compression with External mechanica swelling and can reduce local tissues. bandage or taping within the injured prevent further bleeding

EXERCISE is key from within pain limits, mobility Controlled exercise, your recovery. Restoring the beginning of recovery will speed up your and building strength a recurrent injury. and help prevent

and get a guideline EDUCATION about the injury physical therapist times and Speak with your goals about recovery area is a therapy plan. Set for loading the injured for recovery and d that restrictions 3 days. expectations. Understan for the first 2 to protective measure only a temporary

ES NING INJURI COMMON RUN Them t to Do About

not be relied upon only and should and information c 2019 as general guidance case. ©Co-Kineti article is intended advice in each individual contained in this for specialist medical The information care or as a substitute individual medical

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Prevalence

Hamstring Strain

Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Runner’s Knee)

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints)

Achilles Tendinopathy

Plantar Fasciitis

7%

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Signs and Symptoms

of the Pain along back tight thigh, muscle feels pain at and ‘weak’. Sharp muscle the origin of the in the buttocks.

Management

Possible Mechanism too soon, Related to too much weak inadequate flexibility, extensors, poor glutes and back eccentric strength.

running, avoid hills Rest or reduce Neural mobility and speed training. eccentric and flexibility exercises, strengthening.

pelvis, weak core.

Weak glutes and in the outside of Tightness down be related to running it attaches Can of the road). thigh, pain where gutter (on the curve the knee. to the outside of to the Irritation and damage the the knee cap.

Pain in and around cartilage behind to alignment and knee.

Possibly related leg biomechanics. of Pain along the front red and the shin. Can be inflamed.

Too much too soon. hard surfaces.

Back Pain 11%

as a basis for planning

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of tight structures, Mobility/flexibility glutes and pelvis strengthening weak including core. cross train.

Reduce running, muscles, often glutes.

Strengthen weak commonly Stretch tight structures quads and hip flexors.

Rest, icing, taping.

running, cross Rest or reduced and eccentric training, stretching strengthening.

Swimmers

xibility Rest, icing, mobility/fle and calf. the connective of connective tissue Overloading of of foot for the foot the foot due Pain along bottom Strengthening exercises tissue supporting THE CAUSEShips 15% the THEM in swimming, with muscles, HOW and heel. footback AND weakTO SOLVE and lower limb. trunk and shoulders to weak lower your legs. Your used as a way of 1. Posture forceful kick from are you wimming is often along your tight calves. in the pool, what recovering from and energy glutes, of When you are not will transmit forces and to swimming keeping active when the time? For most

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of the critical the water takes doing the majority in body and is therefore an injury, because this – at work or school, or injury will affect your body. However, us it involves sitting success. Any pain public ually strain of supporting sport digital devices or ood techni ue. that this low impact front of the TV, on ow and inhi it create a that’s not to say cause an this combines to technique may of injuries itself. transport. All of lost poor swimming cannot be the cause back often people have pain inhibition. occurs when the poor posture. Most injury and subsequent and Lower back pain of the lower back muscle strain, or or stretched for Injury can include their natural curve ac has been hyper-extended to maintain a or even or e ed forward in the lower back swimming, have a attened ligament strain and long periods of shoulders. (where your back The repetitive nature with hunched, rounded the sacroiliac joint streamlined position. the posture with exercises have shown disc head position and Correcting your pelvis meet). Studies and to restoring of the strokes, high for the therapist is key common in swimmers, the force required from a physical degeneration is strain caused by in your back and in swimmers training can result in a number good alignment found it more often and of years kicking motion, of on your li aments (greater number technique and lack of oadin strain with higher loads of problems. Poor hours of with number injury, especially discs. swimming, or greater strength can cause increased ac sitting postures, can place you at utter y when the With prolonged hip per week). This which reaststro e and up shortened, tight and chronic pain, (arched) when coming people often develop risk of back injury is over-extended hip oint and wea or better yet e ors front of your for means early treatment for a breath. muscles. The power gluteus (buttock) prevention is key. from your hips, IN YOUR BACK? kicking should originate WHAT HAPPENS up of large YOU FEEL? and not from your is made WHAT MIGHT buttocks and core, your nonYour lower back be a very broad and straightening and joints, designed l Back pain may thighs by bending and vertebral bones and across your ac muscles are weak forces of gravity specific dull ache knees. If your gluteus to a to withstand the sharp and localised extended legs whilst or jumping or simply l Or pain can be unable to maintain be impact when walking oint or spinal level back muscles will ligaments and specific verte ral or kicking, surrounding being upright. Strong allow for may be painful straining these muscles these joints and l Certain movements recruited, possibly muscles support are to tie your shoes, vertebrae the unable pain. (eg. limited or and causing movement. Between in your back, leanin ac wards pain and difficulty discs, spongy shock-absorbers if incorrectly forced. turning to one side) 2. Swimming Technique hip that can be damaged the into your buttocks, in swimmers is often muscles run alon l Pain may refer ar e superficial l Lower back pain stress, particularly as down the leg your gluteus muscles and groin as well caused by repetitive length of your spine, whole or and needles, sharp your body as a work to extend l Numbness, pins if you fail to roll sensation around your buttocks have freestyle and pains, even a burning swimming back and you also while your shooting unit straighten of the legs failure to roll correctl, called stabilising down the back backstroke. This smaller deep muscles ng) strain at the your lower

Warm Up

walk or for work. A brisk Prepares your body ular system. up the cardiovasc short jog warms of the hips dynamic stretches Follow this with shots at Then practice some game. and thoracic spine. before starting the the driving range

can injury risk. Popping ‘Popping’ more power increases your toes, arching or to try and generate coming up on to causing in end of the swing ‘Popping’ at the before or after contact, in your knee, hip and lower back ng the knees just loads include: straighteni can increase the back. All of these overextending your

Finish Without

Covers with a Cause

Recently, we’ve started using our journal covers as a quiet nod to the world around us, capturing everything from global events to community triumphs. While they might just seem like a bit of colour to you, there’s a story in each one. So, let’s take a look back at the images that have given our journal its face and shared our journey along the way.

10 and 20 Year Anniversaries

1999

The Covid Years

2021

ISSUE 41 JULY 2009

ISSUE 89 JULY 2021 ISSN 2397-138X

1999

2020

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promoting

2017

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OCTOBER

2017

medicine & dynamics

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excellence in

sports The Origins of Our Cover Journey

APRIL

ISSUE 66/46 OCTOBER 2015

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HIGHLIGHTS

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ISSUE 72

ISSUE 68 APRIL 2016

n GET THE BALANCE RIGHT – THE STAR EXCURSION BALANCE TEST AND SINGLELEG DYNAMIC BALACE TRAINING n ADOLESCENT SPINAL PAIN, POSTURE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY n COMMON SPORTING WRIST INJURIES

ISSUE 74

OCTOBER

2017

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2397-138X

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PRACTICAL

RESOURCES FOR AND MANUAL PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

journal ISSUE 70 OCTOBER

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& dynamics 14/03/2016

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promoting

promoting

best practice excellence in in

HIGHLIGHTS

manual therapy

n FUNCTIONAL FASCIAL TAPING n PLAYING HURT

n INTERPRETING RESEARCH n FASCIA AND ANATOMY

HIGHLIGHTS

sports

n LATEST RESEARCH NEWS n RESEARCH ANALYSIS

medicine n SPORTS TRIAGE MEDICAL SCREENING

n THE TENDINOPATHY CONTINUUM n SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT

Formerly published as....

medicine & dynamics 80CK01FrontCover.indd 1

12/03/2019 17:42

1999 – 2019 1999 2021

1999

THANK YOU

to all our key workers

2020

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1999

ISSUE 84 APRIL 2020 ISSN 2397-138X T H E A S S O C I AT I O N F O R SOFT TISSUE THERAPISTS

SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST

INTERACTIVE VERSION AVAILABLE AT

2022

1999 2022

co-kinetic.com/compendium

ISSUE 92 APRIL 2022 ISSN 2397-138X

ISSUE 91 JANUARY 2022 ISSN 2397-138X

We’ve gone NAKED! In a bid to further reduce the carbon impact of our journal we’ve taken two new steps: 1. Our paper is now offset through the World Land Trust 2. We’ve scrapped our starch-based polybag and gone ‘naked’ (lost the polybag)

We’ve gone GREEN!

The Co-Kinetic Compendium

CBP006075

The old polybag, while a step in the right direction, only breaks down in open air. If it finds its way into landfill much of its environmental value is lost.

IF UNDELIVERED PLEASE RETURN TO: Co-Kinetic, 88 Nelson Road, London, SW19 1HX, UK

For other enquiries: Email: info@co-kinetic.com

INCORRECT ADDRESS DETAILS? Please log in to your Account on https://co-kinetic.com and update your address. If you receive your journal through an Association or Group subscription, please inform the administrator of that Association directly.

The Co-Kinetic Green Journey Support for Ukraine

1999

2022

1999

1999

2022

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2023

1999

2024

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ISSUE 99 JANUARY 2024 ISSN 2397-138X

POSTER

POSTER

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF

QUEEN ELIZABETH II

1926 - 2022

The Platinum Jubilee

14

Support For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The Rugby World Cup

The Launch of Co-Kinetic 2.0

Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):14

T

he Marketing Grader is something we developed in 2017 as a means of delivering a free email course on marketing, specifically designed for physical and manual therapists. It ran between 2017 and 2022 and has been completed by just over 1,500 therapists from all over the world. It consisted of 20 yes/no questions designed to establish where you were with your current marketing and to help you to decide what actions you should prioritise, going forward, to give you the most time and cost-effective ‘bang for your marketing buck’. Unfortunately today, with the exception of a higher percentage of people having a Google My Business Profile and more customer reviews, very little else has changed.

Co-Kinetic.com

The State of Physical Therapy Marketing Today

Results from the Co-Kinetic Marketing Grader

What are the standout travesties here? l The amount of time being spent on marketing without results – 9.3 hours a month (which is sufficient by the way, as long as you’re doing the right things). l The lack of use of people making the effort to first nurture (warm up), and secondly build, their email lists. l The lack of analytics telling you what’s working and what’s not. l The biggest marketing obstacle is a lack of knowledge.

If you’re interested in sharpening your marketing skills I’m offering my 4-hour marketing course for free until the end of April 2024. There’s no catch, it’s just honest straightforward talking.

It’s called ‘Built on Trust: A 9 Step Roadmap for Attracting Your Ideal Physical Therapy Clients Without Selling Your Soul.’

You can find the course here: https://bit.ly/3x3E7ci Click Buy and enter the coupon code bot_complimentary to access it for free.

15

Evolving with the Times

By Tor Davies, physiotherapist-turned Co-Kinetic founder

B

ack in early 2017, we found ourselves at a crossroads. The volume of clinical content freely available through the internet meant our place in the publishing world wasn’t as clear as it once was.

We needed a change, a way to keep solving problems for our customers. So, I asked several hundred customers what the one thing was that they needed most in their professional day-to-day life. The answer came back loud and clear: more customers, without the hard sell.

I then surveyed more than 1,500 therapists all around the world about what exactly they needed from their marketing (we turned the results from this survey into the infographic you can see on p15). The results were not only incredibly helpful but also eyeopening and it gave us our route forward.

Social media had become the new darling on the block, so we started there, but it soon became clear that using social media scheduling tools, or at least the ones in existence in 2017, was a technical barrier for most. This led to us building a social media scheduler into the Co-Kinetic content platform, and integrating it with the social content we were already creating, thereby banishing the technical barrier while at the same time making the whole process super quick.

Fast forward from that pivotal moment in 2017, and it’s like we’re in a whole new world. Social media has shifted from being a ‘nice to have’ to an essential part of any marketing toolkit – or is it?

Let’s take a look at how things have changed since 2017, whether social media is worth the effort or not, and if it is, how you can maximise your chances of success.

WHICH SOCIAL NETWORKS SHOULD PEOPLE PRIORITISE? MY ANSWER IS ALWAYS THE SAME, HAVE A CLEAR IDEA WHO YOUR AUDIENCE IS, AND GO WHERE THEY ARE 16

The Social Networks

In 2017, the social media giants like Facebook and Twitter (now X) were the main stages for online engagement.

Instagram was just beginning to gain traction, harnessing visuals to attract and engage audiences, and LinkedIn was steadily growing from a professional network into a valuable content-sharing space. Today, TikTok has entered the fray, bringing with it short-form video that the other networks have quickly added to their own platforms. And although TikTok has seen quite a dramatic drop in engagement in the last 12 months (and will no doubt follow the pattern the other networks have as volume of content increases), it’s still getting considerably better engagement than any other social platform currently.

One of the questions I’m most frequently asked is, which social networks should people prioritise? My answer is always the same, have a clear idea who your audience is, and go where they are. If the demographics of a platform don’t match those of your perfect customer, don’t waste time on it. That does of course require you to have a clear idea of who your audience is, which unfortunately still too many businesses don’t.

Content Formats

Back in 2017, the content focus was on text-based posts, which then moved to static images (and particularly infographics), and today we’re very much in the realm of video, which gets considerably higher engagement rates across all the networks.

For example, tweets with video attract 10 times more engagement than those without, and video posts on Facebook have a 6.09% higher engagement rate compared to other types of content. On Instagram, video content receives 49% higher engagement rates than photos.

Short-form videos (usually

under 60 seconds in length) are proving particularly popular. For example, for accounts with up to 500 followers, Instagram Reels can reach an astounding 892% more people compared to images. This suggests that even with a smaller following, video can dramatically increase your visibility on social media platforms.

That said, content purpose is also important to consider, and it’s important to offer a variety of content. Just like learning styles, different people have different preferences and, as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. We’ve massively upped the ante in video creation over the last couple of years, but other media still works well too.

Whatever the format, all the content we create for our customers follows our EIRE framework (more about that shortly).

Algorithm Changes

The world of social media is constantly evolving, and algorithms are at the heart of this change (don’t glaze over, this is important and I promise to keep it simple ). The algorithms prioritise user engagement, which means that the way content appears in a user’s feed is not based on when it was posted date and timewise, but based on what the platform believes the user will most likely interact with (hence why you shouldn’t get obsessed with the timing of your posts!).

Understanding these algorithms is important if you’re looking to be effective with your social media. The social networks want to keep people online for as long as possible so you can view as many ads as possible and increase the likelihood of you buying something. For the social network, that means continually filling your feed with content that keeps you scrolling and engaging. The focus for us as content creators is therefore on creating quality content that sparks conversation, which in turn signals the algorithm to increase Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):16-21

the visibility of these posts, something I refer to as ‘social success’ in the social impact equation. We’ll take a look at some examples later in this article.

Engagement Rates

Engagement rates dropped off a cliff in 2019–2020 and then again in 2022.

I’ve looked specifically at Facebook to demonstrate this, as it’s been the most consistently present network during this time (Image 1).

In short, the engagement rate has decreased by 63% from 2017 to 2024.

If you have 1,000 followers in 2024, you can only expect half a person to engage with one of your posts , which will hopefully give many of you comfort that your social media gets such little engagement.

There are of course a bunch of other factors, most notably the overwhelming number of poor quality ‘all about me’ posts that I regularly rant about in my various training courses on social media. These posts are generally ‘selfish’, not ‘selfless’ in nature, ie. they’re self-promotional, they don’t encourage engagement, aren’t relatable and don’t add any value to the reader (Images 2 & 3). All of which leads to the opposite of social success – social suicide.

Don’t believe me? Go and do a quick audit of the last 10 posts you posted on your most active social network: how many are ‘selfless’ (ie. purely about adding value to your viewer) and how many are ‘selfish’(ie. blowing your clinic’s trumpet)?

Note: it’s important to make sure you’re comparing like with like when it comes to engagement rate by clarifying whether someone is measuring engagements by number of unique views of a piece of content, or by total followers. Unique views will be a much lower smaller number of people, so will give a much higher engagement rate, whereas engagement divided by followers gives a much lower percentage (that’s what we’ve used above).

User Behaviour

Since 2017, the way people interact with social media has shifted noticeably. It used to be about broadcasting ‘me-focused’ content, Co-Kinetic.com

Image 1: Facebook engagement rates 2017–2024 2017

2018

2019–20

2021

2022

2023

2024

Facebook

0.17%

0.16%

0.09%

0.08%

0.064%

0.06%

0.063%

Followers

1,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

1,000

Engagements

1.7

1.6

0.9

0.8

0.64

0.6

0.63

Source: Rival IQ Social Media Industry Benchmark Reports 2017–2024

Image 2: ‘Selfish’ posts don’t encourage engagement

Image 3: Do your posts lead to social success or social suicide?

PEOPLE TODAY ARE DRAWN TO CONTENT THAT ADDS REAL VALUE – WHETHER IT’S A PRACTICAL TIP, A HELPFUL RESOURCE, A RELATABLE STORY, OR JUST A GOOD LAUGH. IT’S NO LONGER JUST ABOUT HAVING A PRESENCE; IT’S ABOUT MAKING AN IMPACT 17

PEOPLE SPEND AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY 2.5 HOURS ON SOCIAL NETWORKS EVERY DAY – THAT MAKES THEM A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE IF YOU CAN GET IN FRONT OF THEM which became a one-way street of self-promotion (unfortunately too many people are still stuck doing this).

Over the past few years, user behaviour on social media has changed too with ever-decreasing attention spans. People are now more likely to engage with quick, clear and compelling content that doesn’t demand much time to consume. This explains why short-form video has been so popular. The trend is for instant, digestible content.

These days if you want to get the most from your social efforts (and that’s a question in its own right), it’s about creating a two-way conversation – posts that are about sharing, not just showing off. People today are drawn to content that adds real value – whether it’s a practical tip, a helpful resource, a relatable story, or just a good laugh. It’s no longer just about having a presence;

it’s about making an impact, being the kind of account that others look forward to seeing in their feed.

Content Volume

The sheer volume of content being produced daily has skyrocketed and the numbers are so staggering that it’s hard to put them into context so it doesn’t add much value to the conversation, but rest assured it’s a LOT! So where does all this leave us?

Should we even bother with social media? And if we are going to, how can we optimise our efforts so that we get the best return on our investment?

Why Bother with Social Media?

So yes, content engagement may have plummeted, but there are two particularly compelling reasons why

you should be on there.

Firstly, people spend an average of nearly 2.5 hours on social networks every day – that makes them a captive audience if you can get in front of them (Image 4).

Secondly, social networks are becoming search engines in their own right: 70% of users visit local business pages at least once a week.

Like it or hate it, people will actively look for you and your business there and they’ll expect to find you. If social media is used well (and sadly it rarely is), it’s a dynamic platform where you can establish your expertise, sharing valuable insights that build that allimportant reciprocity, or the desire to give back.

Engaging with your audience on these platforms helps to build trust and increases the exposure of your business to a new audience (again something few people bother with).

You can broaden your reach, through both organic ‘outreach’ efforts on other groups as well as through targeted ads, and you can demonstrate social proofing, through partnerships with other groups, endorsements and

Image 4: People spend a lot of time on social media, which creates a great audience 18

Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):16-21

reviews.

An aspect of social media that many people are still unaware of is its role in supporting your SEO efforts both directly and indirectly, by driving traffic to your website and encouraging wider content distribution. It’s a space where the lines between content sharing, community building, and commerce blur, offering direct and indirect opportunities to encourage enquiries and sales (although we recommend doing this sparingly).

Lastly, having an active social media profile adds to your brand’s legitimacy; it shows that you’re relevant, present and engaged in the same spaces as your customers. All of these factors combine to make social media an indispensable tool in your marketing arsenal (if done well!) (Image 5).

come back to your page (which is the ultimate goal) – it’s out of date, and full of self-promotional posts. So you have to get Purpose 1 ticked off first.

because it’s, well, “so you”. l Entertaining – delivering a delightful experience that makes people smile.

We all need more of that in our lives!

What Strategy Should You Adopt?

What Content Should You Be Publishing?

Our goal is to hit one or more of these pillars, ensuring the social media we create is not just seen but felt and remembered. Why? Because these kinds of posts are the ones that are most likely to encourage user engagement, in other words comments, shares and saves.

Each industry is different though and we’re very conscious when creating content on behalf of our subscribers, that building trust, reputation and authority is key, which is why we often lead with an educational angle (it’s also very ‘unsalesy’). That doesn’t mean you can’t also make it fun.

So we intersperse humour with infographics, with sharable patient leaflet resources (great for encouraging

I should clarify, we’re talking organic social media here (so not paid promotion). As always, you should start with the end in mind and ask yourself what you are looking to achieve.

1. Do you want to establish a presence so that you are visible, can be found, and can build trust, authority and reputation? In short, that should be the minimum you look to achieve.

2. Do you want to raise awareness of your business outside your own circle of followers? Often this is something people assume will happen just by posting posts on your page. This is not the case. If you want to reach new eyes, you have to engage in community participation on other pages, and groups. This is something I refer to as ‘outreach’ and I talk a lot about in my Social Success for Physical Therapists online training course.

Image 5: Social media can benefit your business when used properly

Marketers rarely agree on anything, but one thing they can agree on is the type of content, or content pillars, that work well, and we’ve created a framework around this called EIRE (Image 6). l Educational – providing knowledge or solutions to problems. We always start with this because it also builds authority, trust and a sense of reciprocity. l Inspirational – fuelling action or change. l Relatable – resonating on a personal level: think posts where you say “that’s so me!” which then make you want to share them

Image 6: The important aspects of good social media content

These are the two sides of the same social media coin and many businesses don’t realise that they are two distinct, separate things.

If you want to achieve Purpose 2, you must first invest in Purpose 1.

There’s no point in participating in ‘outreach’ and drawing attention to yourself/your business, if – when they Co-Kinetic.com

19

people to tag others), with myth busters, with dingbats (these are GREAT for engagement), inspirational quotes, and memes (which are great for sharing). The end result is helpful, value-adding advice that also entertains. And wherever possible we turn these into videos for all the reasons we’ve mentioned above.

Your Time Matters

We carried out some research that showed that on average physical therapists post around 3 posts a week and each post takes 28 minutes to create. That’s just short of 1.5 hours a week, 6 hours a month, 72 hours a year, which is equivalent to nearly 10 days in time. That’s a two-week holiday! Not to mention the lost earnings when you think how many patients you could see in that time (if you chose to).

So my advice to people is “get in, get it done and get out” and use any resources you can to speed up that process – the service I provide through Co-Kinetic is just one of them (Image 7).

First, make sure your page is current, topical, up-to-date and filled with value-adding posts. Then, if you choose to, you can move to Purpose 2, where your focus is on increasing awareness of your business, and use your social networks to build community. Instead of spending time creating social media, you invest that time on outreach, encouraging

FREE UNTIL APRIL 30

https://ck-socialsuccess.voomly.com/ Use this discount code for 100% off – sspt_anniversary

Image 7: Don’t be blind to resources that will save you time conversations on your page and also on other local pages and groups, always remembering to focus on adding value, not self-promoting.

I’ve written and recorded two online training courses, one specifically on Social Media and the other a 9 Step Marketing Strategy - as part of our celebration of this anniversary issue I’m giving readers complementary access to both courses until the end of April. See below for more details.

There are no tricks or catches, just my genuine desire for people to get the most from their social media efforts.

In Summary

The key takeaway from the changing social media landscape is that you don’t HAVE to compete in the content frenzy to stay relevant. Engagement rates will probably never get much higher, so don’t invest huge amounts of

your time creating the best content ever, when in real terms that will at best only lead to one or two more engagements. It’s a really poor use of your time. The key part is having a consistent, value-driven presence.

It’s about being smart with your time, ensuring you’re ‘ticking the boxes’ efficiently. If expanding awareness of your business through social media is your aim, get your page in order utilising ready-made resources interspersed with the odd personal post, and then invest your efforts towards outreach, sparking conversations, and adding value within your online and offline community, instead of wasting valuable time trying to get one more like, comment or share. It’s not going to change lives!

This is all about working smarter, not harder.

Social Success for Physical Therapists Online Training

In this course, I’ll show you how to get a meaningful return on investment (ROI) from your social media efforts with expert guidance, practical strategies and insider tips, all aimed at helping you navigate the everevolving social media landscape with confidence. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your own practice, this course is designed to provide you with the practical knowledge and strategies needed to elevate your social media presence. No prior social media expertise is required – just bring your enthusiasm and readiness to take your physical therapy business to new heights through social media success.

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Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):16-21

At Co-Kinetic, we create new social media content on a new topic every month, and that social media prioritises adding genuine value to your viewers, by sharing links to resources we’ve created on your behalf and communicating important messages. Our foundational EIRE method – Educational; Inspirational; Relatable; Entertaining – is designed not just to inform, but to help our customers build authority through their social pages.

Beyond disseminating knowledge, we aim to forge connections. It’s through relatable memes, inspiring messages, and engaging entertainment that we spark the kind of engagement that leads to likes, shares, and comments. This wellregarded strategy isn’t exclusive to us; it’s the same one employed by some of the most successful brands worldwide.

Educational

Inspirational

Entertaining

Relatable

Dingbats

l Educational l Inspirational l Relatable l Entertaining

FREE UNTIL APRIL 30

Built on Trust Online Training

https://ck-bot.voomly.com/

Use this discount code for 100% off – bot_anniversary

A 9 Step Roadmap for Attracting Your Ideal Physical Therapy Clients Without Selling Your Soul is a comprehensive, video-based course designed to help physical therapy clinic owners grow their business in an ethical, trust-building way.

This course goes beyond just theoretical knowledge; it provides hands-on, stepby-step guidance on practical marketing strategies. It’s designed as a self-paced journey, making it perfect for therapists who want to avoid the uncomfortable hard-sell approach and prefer to invest more time in patient care. Whether you’re new to marketing or looking for effective ways to elevate your practice, this roadmap is tailored to transform your marketing efforts, attract your ideal clients, and increase your revenue – all without compromising your values.

Co-Kinetic.com

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The goal of Co-Kinetic is to simplify marketing for physical therapy clinics, providing you with affordable, specialist content and easy-to-use marketing automation tools that save time, attract more patients and support clinic growth. l Pre-Created Content: Access a library of pre-written educational content that guides patients through a journey, turning interest into appointments, while saving you time on creating materials. l Streamlined Automation: Benefit from a built-in scheduler pre-loaded with social media posts, enabling you to plan and maintain a consistent online presence effortlessly. Edit and schedule pre-written emails designed to nurture customer relationships and keep your clinic top of mind. l Email Growth Tools: Use readymade leaflets and pre-built email lead collection pages to build your email list and draw in new patients. l Connected Content: Benefit from content that interlinks for a seamless marketing experience, where each piece supports the others. l Trusted Relationships: Build lasting trust with patients by providing consistent, valuable interactions, establishing your practice as a reliable healthcare authority.

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Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):22-23

The Co-Kinetic Marketing Library

We add a new campaign to this existing repository every 4-6 weeks Co-Kinetic.com

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Marketing with Integrity

Prioritising Trust Over Transactions In this article Co-Kinetic founder, Tor Davies, delves into the often misunderstood and maligned concept of marketing within the physical therapy industry. She challenges the common misconceptions surrounding marketing and e plores t e ide-ran in benefits of using marketing to build trust with your audience by leading them through a value-adding customer journey. Through a combination of personal insights, industry research, and practical strategies, Tor presents a compelling case for embracing ethical, content-driven marketing as the foundation of a thriving physical therapy practice. This article is a must-read for any physical therapist looking to forge genuine connections with their patients and to establish themselves as a trusted aut orit in t eir field

#By Tor Davies

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By Tor Davies, physiotherapist-turned Co-Kinetic founder

W

hen it comes to marketing in physical therapy, I know full well that many of you have reservations. In fact, a lot of reservations. The idea of ‘marketing’ pretty much always carries a negative connotation of pushy sales tactics or making unrealistic promises. As healthcare professionals committed to our patients’ wellbeing, I know that feels at odds with who we are as people.

But let me be clear, true marketing (ie. marketing done well) is not about aggressive selling or gimmicks – quite the opposite. It’s about building genuine trust with your audience by providing significant value through advice, education and obviously great service. In a field like ours where people have to put their physical health in our hands, earning that level of confidence is absolutely fundamental.

Think about what we do – because after a few years in practice it’s easy to

forget the significance. When patients come to us for care, they have to make themselves vulnerable by getting undressed and allowing us to examine and treat them. They’re literally putting their bodies in our hands, carrying tension, pain and physical issues that need resolving. That requires an incredible amount of trust that we’ll not only care for them properly but, most importantly, that we have the necessary skills to help them get better. This is not a given that they will just assume, it’s a privilege we need to earn.

Marketing plays a vital role in establishing that foundational trust even before a patient walks through the door. By sharing our expertise freely through educational content, offering advice rooted in care rather than self-interest, we begin cultivating credibility. Potential patients see us as professionals committed to their wellbeing first.

Really effective marketing in any industry is the opposite of the pushy sale. It focuses not on convincing, but on helping. It shows the value that we can provide through transparency, expertise and a track record of achieving positive results for other people in similar circumstances.

This ethical approach then guides prospective patients naturally towards working with us when the time is right based on the trust built over time.

Most clinics make the mistake of focusing their efforts solely on the small percentage of people who are ready to take action and book an appointment immediately (around 3–5% of people).

However, this approach ignores the vast majority of potential patients who are at earlier stages of the buying process.

According to the Buyer’s Pyramid Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):24-28

model, a common breakdown of potential customers is as follows. l Awareness: 80% of potential customers are aware of a problem or need but are not yet familiar with your specific solution. l Interest: 20% are interested in learning more about potential solutions, including your offering. l Desire: 7–10% have a strong desire for a solution and are actively comparing options. l Action: only 3–5% are ready to take action and make a purchase.

By focusing only on the 5% who are ready to book, clinics are competing with every other therapist for a small slice of the market. Meanwhile, they are missing out on the opportunity to educate, nurture and guide the 95% of potential patients who are at the Awareness, Interest and Desire stages.

Effective content marketing strategies target these earlier stages of the Buyer’s Pyramid, providing valuable information and building trust with potential patients who may not be ready to book an appointment today but could become loyal customers in the future. By creating content that addresses their needs and concerns at each stage, you can guide them through the buying process and establish your clinic as the go-to choice when they are ready to take action.

That’s good marketing done well!

The Evidence Behind the Impact of Trust on a Business

Plenty of research shows that businesses able to build genuine trust with their audiences see significantly higher customer lifetime value – up to 95% higher, in fact. When patients feel confident in your expertise and commitment to their wellbeing, they’re

more likely to continue seeking your services over time.

In general, 83% of consumers say trust is one of the top factors influencing their purchase decisions.

However, in healthcare, where people are putting their physical health in your hands, that need for trust is exponentially higher. Patients aren’t buying a simple product or service – they’re entering into a deeply personal partnership for their wellbeing.

Educational, informative content plays a key role in building that trust. Studies indicate that people are 60–70% more likely to take a desired action (subscribing, following, purchasing) after engaging with content that demonstrates your expertise and credibility. It’s often how prospective patients vet potential providers before booking an appointment.

And once you’ve established trust, it tends to spread quickly through word-of-mouth referrals (as long as they continue to have good experiences of course). On average, 85% of new customers come from personal recommendations of trusted businesses. When patients have a positive experience, they naturally want to share it with others in their circles.

TRUE MARKETING IS NOT ABOUT PUSHY SALES GIMMICKS

The Impact of Trust on Patient Outcomes

Beyond the business benefits, building trust with patients has a significant impact on their overall health outcomes. When patients trust their healthcare provider, they are more likely to openly share important information, adhere to treatment plans, and engage fully in their own recovery process.

Studies have shown that high levels of trust between patients and clinicians lead to improved patient satisfaction, increased treatment adherence, and better overall health outcomes.

MARKETING DONE WELL BUILDS GENUINE TRUST WITH YOUR AUDIENCE Co-Kinetic.com

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Patients who feel a strong sense of trust are more likely to follow through with recommended therapies, lifestyle changes, and follow-up appointments, all of which contribute to more successful recoveries.

On top of this, trust fosters a sense of partnership and shared decision-making between patient and provider. When patients feel heard, respected and supported, they are more empowered to take an active role in their own care. This collaborative approach not only enhances the patient experience but also leads to more personalised, effective treatment plans.

The Long-Term Compounding Effect of Trust

It’s important to understand that building trust is a long-term strategy, not a quick fix or overnight solution.

It takes consistent effort and genuine engagement to establish your reputation as a credible, trustworthy provider. But the good news is that the benefits compound significantly over time.

As you continue to provide valuable, educational content and build relationships with your audience, you start to become recognised as the go-to authority in your field. Patients begin to actively seek you out when they need care, rather than you having to constantly chase new leads. Your investment in trust pays dividends in the form of a steady stream of engaged, loyal patients who view you as their partner in health.

The Role of Consistency and Authenticity

To effectively build trust, it’s important to keep a consistent voice and

BUILDING TRUST RESULTS IN BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR YOUR PATIENTS AS WELL AS BENEFITTING YOUR BUSINESS 26

message across all touchpoints.

Whether a patient is reading your blog, browsing your website, or interacting with you on social media, they should feel like they are engaging with the same trusted provider at each stage.

Inconsistencies or contradictions can quickly eat away at credibility.

Authenticity is equally vital.

Patients can sense when a provider is being insincere or using gimmicky tactics to get their attention. Focus on being genuinely helpful and transparent in all your communications.

Share your expertise freely, admit when you don’t have all the answers, and always keep the patient’s best interests at the forefront. True authenticity fosters deeper trust.

Balancing Automation with the Personal Touch

Marketing automation tools can be incredibly valuable in helping you get the best use of your time. They allow you to scale your educational content distribution, maintain consistent communication and nurture relationships with a larger audience.

However, it’s important not to overrely on automation at the expense of personal, human engagement.

The key is to find a balance. Use automation to handle routine tasks such as email newsletters, social media scheduling, and targeted content delivery. However, make sure you’re still dedicating proper quality time for direct, one-on-one interactions with prospective patients and you community. The whole purpose of automation is to free up your capacity to engage in high-value, personal conversations – not replace them entirely (the latter of which, unfortunately, is where many people’s marketing is at currently).

Distinguishing Marketing from Sales

One common misconception is that marketing and sales are interchangeable terms.

In reality, they serve distinct but complementary functions. Marketing is about building awareness, nurturing relationships, and establishing trust

with your target audience. It’s the process of guiding potential patients from initial interest to the point where they’re ready to take the next step. I refer to it as leading someone to your clinic door.

Sales, on the other hand, is the process of converting that interest into a concrete action – booking an appointment, signing up for a service, or making a purchase.

It’s the final stage in the patient journey where trust is translated into commitment. Effective marketing paves the way for sales by priming the relationship and providing the necessary information and confidence for patients to move forward.

Common Marketing Mistakes and Misconceptions

Although the principles of trust-based marketing are straightforward, many physical therapists fall into common traps that can hinder their efforts. Let’s take a look at some of the most prevalent misconceptions and mistakes to avoid.

The Myth of Instant Results

One of the most common misunderstandings is that marketing should deliver an immediate influx of new patients (mainly because that’s what marketers often unrealistically promise is possible). Many practitioners come to me expecting a sudden surge in appointments right out of the gate.

But the reality is, effective marketing is a long-term game.

Building trust and establishing your reputation as a credible authority takes time and consistent effort. It’s not a light switch you can flip for instant results. Expecting a flood of new patients overnight is like planting a seed and expecting a full-grown tree the next day.

Marketing is about nurturing relationships and guiding potential patients through a journey – one that ultimately leads to trust and loyalty.

Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):24-28

The Pitfall of Inconsistency

Another common mistake is approaching marketing in fits and bursts – ramping up efforts when patient volume is low, then tapering off when things get busy. But this inconsistency can actually erode trust and credibility.

Imagine if a friend only got in contact with you when they needed help, then disappeared when things were going well for them. It would be hard to build a genuine, trusting relationship. The same principle applies to marketing. Consistency is key to establishing a reliable, trustworthy presence in your patients’ minds.

The Importance of Patience and Persistence

Successful marketing requires a shift in mindset. Rather than viewing it as a short-term fix, you have to approach it as a long-term investment in your clinic’s growth and stability. This means committing to a steady, ongoing effort – even when you don’t see immediate results.

It’s not uncommon to feel discouraged when your marketing efforts don’t yield a flood of new patients right away. But the key is to stay the course and trust the process.

Over time, as you consistently provide valuable content and engage with your audience, you’ll start to see the compounding effects of your efforts.

audience. It’s a classic case of the ‘whole’ being ‘greater than the sum of the parts’.

a anc n fic enc with Personal Connection

There are plenty of tools and platforms out there to help streamline your marketing efforts (I provide one which contains both pre-created content as well as automation technology). These solutions can (and should) automate repetitive tasks, such as sending email newsletters (helpful ones not spam) or scheduling social media posts, ensuring they’re done consistently, while saving you valuable time and energy. However, it’s important not to let your whole marketing strategy rest on these at the expense of genuine, human engagement.

Although automation can certainly make your marketing more efficient, it’s not a substitute for personal interaction. The goal should be to use these tools to handle routine tasks, freeing up your time and capacity to focus on building real, meaningful connections with your patients and community. That’s exactly the purpose of my Clinic Growth Hub subscription.

Instead of hiding behind a computer screen, use the time saved through automation to get out into your local area and network face-toface. Attend community events, host

BUILDING TRUST IS A LONG-TERM STRATEGY, NOT A QUICK FIX educational workshops, or collaborate with other local businesses. Even in the digital realm, prioritise personal engagement through one-on-one consultations, live webinars or interactive social media conversations.

Remember, people crave authentic human connection – especially when it comes to their health and wellbeing.

Automation should be a means to create more space for these valuable interactions, not a replacement for them. By striking the right balance between efficiency and personal touch, you can build lasting, trusting relationships with your patients and establish yourself as an engaged, accessible provider in your community.

Putting Content Marketing into Action

Building trust through ethical, consistent marketing is the foundation of a thriving physical therapy business. But how exactly do you implement these principles in your day-to-day efforts? That’s where the

The Value of a Holistic Strategy

Many practitioners also make the mistake of focusing all their efforts on a single marketing channel or tactic, like social media or email newsletters. However, the most effective approach is a holistic one that combines multiple touchpoints to build trust and credibility.

Think of it like building a strong, stable foundation. You wouldn’t rely on just one support beam – you’d use a combination of elements to create a solid base. In marketing, this means leveraging a mix of content formats, platforms, and engagement strategies to reach and resonate with your target Co-Kinetic.com

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AUTOMATED TOOLS CAN MAKE YOUR MARKETING MORE EFFICIENT AND FREE UP TIME TO SPEND ON FACE-TOFACE INTERACTIONS power of content marketing comes in.

By sharing your expertise through informative, educational content, you can demonstrate your credibility and build trust with your audience at scale. And with the right tools and strategies, you can streamline this process to make it more efficient and effective.

In our next article, I’ll talk more about the practical application of content marketing – both behind the screen and out in your community.

We’ll explore how you can use automation software and patientfacing materials, such as the ones we provide through Co-Kinetic, to streamline your content creation and distribution. From educational posters and peer-reviewed information leaflets to pre-written blog posts, social media and email campaigns, they all have a place in your marketing.

I’ll discuss how these resources can be integrated and automated into one holistic big picture, allowing you to deliver valuable content to your prospective clients at key points throughout their customer journey.

Whether it’s sharing informative social media posts, nurturing leads through targeted email sequences, or educating patients in your waiting room, you’ll learn how to put these principles into action.

But content marketing definitely isn’t just about digital distribution.

We’ll also explore how you can use these resources to create connections within your local community. From hosting educational workshops to collaborating with other healthcare and wellness providers, I’ll show you some simple but incredibly effective ways to extend your trust-building efforts offline and transform the way you connect with a growing audience.

Key Points

l Marketing and sales serve distinct functions, with marketing building trust and guiding patients to the point of taking action. l Common marketing mistakes include expecting instant results, inconsistency, lack of patience, and relying on a single tactic instead of a holistic strategy. l Digital marketing and automation tools should be used to free up your time, so you can spend it instead on building genuine connections and partnerships. l Building trust not only benefits your business but also leads to better health outcomes for your patients. l Building trust is a long-term strategy that requires consistent effort but yields compounding benefits over time. l Instead of competing with everyone else for the 3–5% of patients ready to take action, focus on nurturing the 7–10% in the “Desire” stage who are actively seeking a solution and are more likely to convert with the right guidance. l Sharing expertise through educational content helps to cultivate credibility and positions practitioners as professionals committed to their patients’ wellbeing and not just their bottom line. l As practitioners, we must recognise the vulnerability patients experience when entrusting us with their physical wellbeing. Acknowledging this is key to building the trust necessary for effective treatment and lasting relationships.

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Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):24-28

The Physical Therapist’s Content Marketing Cheat Sheet uildin

rust nline and f ine

Proactively attracting patients and building trust as a physical therapist can be hard. In this guide we’ll share practical content ideas to help you connect with your audience both online and offline. From blog posts and videos to posters and advice leaflets, we’ll cover a range of strategies to help you showcase your expertise and engage potential patients. We’ll also discuss the value of community outreach and partnerships, which is sadly all too often neglected in favour of digital activities.

For each content type, we’ll provide examples and explain how they can help build trust and attract patients. Whether you’re new to content marketing or looking to improve your approach, this cheat sheet will give you the tools to get started. By the end of this article, you’ll have a roadmap for creating valuable content that resonates with your target audience and positions your practice as a trusted resource for physical therapy and wellness.

By Tor Davies, physiotherapist-turned Co-Kinetic founder

C

ontent marketing, or education-based marketing as it’s also known, is not new. It’s been around since at least 1732 (1) but it continues to prove itself one of the most powerful tools for attracting, engaging and retaining customers in all industries. It’s based on the premise that by providing valuable, informative content,

SECTION 1

Educational Blog Posts

YOU CAN: l share in-depth articles on common conditions, treatments, and preventive measures; l provide practical tips and advice for managing pain, improving mobility, and enhancing overall wellbeing; l discuss the latest research and advancements in physical therapy; and l offer guidance on when to seek professional help and what to expect during treatment.

Why it Works

Blog posts are a fantastic way to improve your website’s search engine optimisation (SEO). By consistently creating highquality, keyword-rich content, you can attract more organic Co-Kinetic.com

you can establish your business as a trusted authority in your field and build lasting relationships with your target audience. In this article we’ll explore a wide range of content types and ideas that you can use as a physical therapist, to help you build trust both online and offline, while also explaining the ‘why’ behind each strategy.

traffic to your site and establish your practice as a knowledgeable resource in your field. Additionally, blog posts provide value to your readers, fostering trust and encouraging them to share your content with others.

SECTION 2

Informative Videos

YOU CAN: l create short, engaging videos demonstrating simple exercises or explaining about injuries or medical conditions; l share patient success stories and testimonials to build trust and credibility; l offer virtual tours of your practice to familiarise potential patients with your facilities and team; and l host live Q&A sessions to address common concerns and provide personalised advice.

Why it Works

Videos are a highly engaging and shareable content format that 29

YOU CAN: l design attractive posters showcasing your services, specialties and unique selling points; l create educational posters highlighting common conditions, preventive measures or wellness tips; l display posters in your clinic’s front window to attract passing traffic and demonstrate your expertise; l use posters to announce upcoming events, workshops or new treatments available at your practice; and l rotate posters regularly to keep your display fresh and engaging.

Infographics and Visual Aids

YOU CAN: l develop eye-catching infographics that break down complex concepts into easily digestible formats; l create visual guides for proper posture, ergonomics and injury prevention; and l share illustrated step-by-step instructions for home exercises and self-care techniques.

Why it Works

Why it Works

Visual content is highly effective in capturing attention and conveying information quickly.

By creating infographics and visual aids, you make complex topics more accessible and engaging for your audience. When shared on social media, these visuals demonstrate your authority and commitment to patient education, which builds trust and credibility.

SECTION 4

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The information contained in this poster is intended as general guidance and information only and should not be relied upon as a basis for planning individual medical care or as a substitute for specialist medical advice in each individual case. ©Co-Kinetic 2022

Movement is

Medicine If exercise was a pill, it would be the most powerful medication on earth.

Here’s how staying active can boost your health:

Heart Health

Sharper Mind

Weight Management

Strong Immunity

Mental Health

Digestive Health

Strong Muscles

Healthy Breathing

Healthy Bones

Pain Relief

Balanced Metabolism

Social Fun

Flexible Joints

Longer Life

Are you taking your daily dose?

Cancer Protection Better Sleep

Scan this QR code to access your own copy

The information contained in this poster is intended as general guidance and information only and should not be relied upon as a basis for planning individual medical care or as a substitute for specialist medical advice in each individual case. ©Co-Kinetic 2023

www.yourtherapybusiness.co.uk enquiries@yourtherapybusiness.co.uk 01000 000 0000

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SECTION 6

YOU CAN: l create professional, branded advice leaflets on PA Guide for New and Single Parents various physical therapy topics and conditions; l cover common concerns, such as back pain, CHEAT SHEET sports injuries, posture tips, or post-surgery rehabilitation; l offer practical guidance, exercises and selfcare techniques that patients can implement at home; Master Your T Menopause and l distribute leaflets in your clinic, local businesses, Save Your Sanity sports clubs and community centres; l share digital versions of your leaflets on your website, social media and email newsletters; and l encourage patients and followers to share your leaflets with friends and family. arenting, while incredibly rewarding, can also be one of life's greatest stressors.

The demands of caring for a child, especially for new parents and single parents, can lead to si nificant stress. his lea et aims to provide practical stress management strategies for parents and emphasise the importance of self-care.

UNDERSTANDING PARENTAL STRESS

si nificant difference.

Support Networks: Having a strong support networ can si nificantly reduce parental stress. This can include family, friends, parent support groups, or professional services.

Don't hesitate to reach out to your network when you need support or a listening ear.

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Practices such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help reduce stress and promote mental wellbeing. These techniques can be incorporated into your daily routine and can even be done together with your children.

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from normal. Hand he menopause is defined Pain l Numbness, tingling and l rist e tended on handle ars l Alternate hand positions during ride as the time‘Handlebar after a women has had weakness an Palsy’ over outside of for prolonged periods, weight l Shorten stem and sit up more to reduce weight entire 12 months without a period, hand and little fin er and outer of rider pushing through wrist on wrists on average occurs from the age of half 50–52. of rin fin er and vibrations from road applies l Gel padded gloves and padded handlebars Perimenopause is the time before pressure to ulnar nerve reduce pressure l the Clumsiness in hand menopause and lasts anywhere from 4 to Burning Feet l Painful burning feet l Long hilly rides, hot weather l Wider shoes 8 years. It can be a confusing time for ‘Metatarsalgia’ l Tight shoes – compressing l Move cleats closer to the heel to reduce pressure women too, with some experiencing nerves and impeding circulation on forefoot menopausal symptoms in their 40s. l Larger platform pedal The most common symptoms are many different systems in your body having Support Your Adrenal Glands 4 l upportive inner soles and thermo re ulatin chan in menstrual cycles hot ushes effects on your physical and mental health.

Ever heard of these things? socks mood changes, vaginal dryness, and Speak to a doctor about treatment options.

Probably not. They are small glands that difficulty sleepin . ith nearly two thirds sit on top of your kidneys. As you age, Add Some Progesterone 2 of women e periencin hot ushes this they become more relevant as they take Progesterone is the ‘brake pedal’. could be the most commonly reported over much of the hormone production It is a calming hormone and opposes menopausal symptom. that was formerly handled by your ovaries. oestrogen. It can help you sleep better and Usually, the menopause is caused These small glands can be taxed to their give you emotional calmness. by the natural reduction in the levels of limit in today’s world with increasing stress, Manage Your Cortisol 3 the hormones (chemical messengers) sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, smoking and (Stress) Levels oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone poor diet. Chronic stress on these glands The stress you are experiencing can be that are produced by the ovaries. can lead to adrenal fati ue or insufficiency. both physical and emotional, which causes However, your ovaries do not shut up Take care of them by managing your stress the release of cortisol (the main stress shop overni ht and it is these uctuatin levels and making healthy life choices. hormone which causes in ammation levels of oestrogen and progesterone that and can lead to disease in the long Engage Your Thyroid 5 can impact the neurotransmitters in your term. Regular physical exercise, yoga, The job of the thyroid is to control brain which in turn can cause mood swings meditation, or having a massage are all the energy in your body. It produces and anxiety. The changes in oestrogen ways or reducing stress and therefore hormones that regulate your metabolic level are also responsi le for hot ushes cortisol. You may have your own way rate. During the menopause the lower and night sweats which can disrupt sleep. of coping with stress be it painting, or oestrogen levels affect your metabolism oor uality or insufficient sleep is nown cooking. Find what works for you and use and alter your use of glycogen and fats. If to make one vulnerable to depression, it often as your stress levels may uctuate you are feelin fati ued and at whether anxiety and mood swings – which in turn throughout the menopause. from lack of sleep, over work or too much contribute to poor sleep patterns. So a stress, the thyroid’s job is to allocate energy vicious cycle develops. for different tasks in your body. As with Menopause doesn’t have to most things, poor lifestyle choices be a bad word. It can be an can place demands on the empowering period of growth, thyroid and affect energy levels. self awareness and etter Correct and optimal function health. The tips below may of the thyroid depends on help guide you through iodine absorbed from your the challenging times diet. Foods rich in iodine ahead. include fish e . cod and tuna), other seafoods Replenish Your (which are generally 1 Oestrogen rich in iodine), dairy Oestrogen has been products and iodised salt. your ‘accelerator Exercise 6 pedal’ for the majority Physical activity of your life. It is involved oods your system in cardiovascular health, fat with endorphins (‘happy’ burning, reproduction, sexual hormones). This will ease intercourse, healthy bones and stress and lift your spirits. Yoga skin and keeping your mood up! and Pilates can alleviate headaches, Lower levels of oestrogen can affect aches, and pains and build muscle

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TIME-SAVING RESOURCES FOR PHYSICAL AND MANUAL THERAPISTS

Advice leaflets are one of the most versatile and effective tools in your content marketing arsenal. By providing valuable, expert advice in a tangible format, you establish your authority and build trust with potential patients. Branded leaflets distributed locally help raise awareness about your practice and position you as a go-to resource in your community.

Digital versions of your leaflets can be easily shared on social networks, extending your reach and attracting new patients to your practice. When you link to your leaflets from your website or blog, you also boost your SEO by providing the valuable, keyword-rich content that search engines favour. Advice leaflets are a powerful way to educate, engage and convert potential patients, making them an essential component of your content marketing strategy.

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Many men are affected by issues to do with pelvic health including: Sexual dysfunction Urinary incontinence Faecal incontinence Chronic pelvic pain Prostate cancer

Posters are a powerful visual tool to capture attention and convey important information quickly (they can also draw attention away from shabby waiting areas that might need updating!). By displaying eye-catching posters in your clinic’s front window, you can attract interest from passing traffic and establish your practice as a knowledgeable, up-to-date resource. Posters also help reinforce your brand identity and showcase your commitment to patient education and wellness.

Surviving Stress: Surviving Parental Surviving Parental Parental Stress: Surviving Parental Stress: Stress:

Why it Works

MEN’S PELVIC HEALTH

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Eye-Catching Posters

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can help you connect with your audience on a more personal level. By answering questions, educating about conditions, or demonstrating exercises, you provide value and build trust with potential patients.

Videos can also improve your search engine rankings, as Google often displays video results prominently in search pages.

@yourtherapybusiness

Email Newsletters

YOU CAN: l send regular newsletters featuring valuable content, such as health tips, success stories, and upcoming events; l segment your email list to deliver targeted content based on subscribers’ interests and needs; l offer exclusive resources (such as downloadable guides or access to webinars) to incentivise people to sign up; l encourage readers to share their own experiences and engage with your practice; and l make sure the emails are 100% value-adding, not sales pitches – think ‘selfless, not selfish’.

Why it Works

Email newsletters allow you to build a direct, personal connection with your audience. By providing valuable content and resources straight to their inbox, you keep your practice top-of-mind and foster a sense of community. Segmenting your list ensures that subscribers receive content that is most relevant to their needs, which increases engagement and trust.

Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):29-31

CONTENT MARKETING IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR ATTRACTING AND RETAINING CUSTOMERS SECTION 7

Social Media Engagement

YOU CAN: l share bite-sized tips, inspiration and insights on platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram; l engage with your followers by responding to comments, questions and messages promptly; l collaborate with other local healthcare professionals or wellness experts to expand your reach; and l participate in relevant online communities and discussions to establish your expertise.

Why it Works

Social media platforms offer tremendous opportunities to connect with your target audience, build relationships and establish your brand personality. By consistently sharing valuable content and engaging with your followers, you increase your visibility and attract more potential patients to your practice. Social media engagement can also positively impact your SEO, as search engines take social signals into account when ranking websites.

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Community Outreach and Events

YOU CAN: l host educational workshops, seminars or webinars on topics related to physical therapy and wellness; l participate in local health fairs, sports events or charity initiatives to raise awareness about your practice; l collaborate with schools, senior centres or community organisations to offer free screenings or presentations; l sponsor local sports teams or fitness events to showcase your commitment to community health; and l partner with local businesses (such as running stores, cycling shops or yoga studios) to cross-promote services and reach new audiences.

Joining it Together

The real power comes when you join everything together and everything links to each other. This collective linking boosts SEO and ensures your message is consistent across your various communication channels. In this way, the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts and creates a virtuous circle.

Why it Works

Community outreach and events allow you to connect with potential patients in person, building trust and credibility through face-toface interactions. By collaborating with local organisations and businesses, you expand your reach and tap into new networks of potential clients.

These partnerships also demonstrate your commitment to community wellness, fostering goodwill and trust among your target audience.

Conclusion

By using a broad range of content types and community outreach strategies in your marketing plan, you can build trust effectively with your target audience and position your practice as a go-to resource for physical therapy and wellness. Remember to prioritise value, authenticity and consistency in your content creation efforts, and always keep your patients’ needs and interests at the forefront.

For a more in-depth exploration of how to leverage each content type effectively, be sure to check out our comprehensive downloadable guide Building Trust with Content: A Holistic Guide to Physical Therapy Marketing (https://bit.ly/3TIvddb).

References 1. Pulizzi J. The history of content marketing [infographic]. Content Marketing Institute 2016 (https://bit.ly/4co976W).

Co-Kinetic.com

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Building Healthy Communities

A Call to Action for Physical Therapy

As we mark 25 years at Co-Kinetic, we’re not just looking back at our journey from an educational content provider to a leader in marketing content and automation technology for physical therapists, we’re also looking forward. Our world faces new challenges every day – social disconnection, environmental issues, and health crises. But in this disrupted world, we see a chance for physical therapists to redefine their impact on health and wellness.

This vision is about more than just surviving these challenges – it’s about thriving by creating new opportunities for ourselves, our practices and our communities. We’re talking about a future where physical therapists are at the heart of Health Hubs, bringing together the best of healthcare, community support and sustainable practices, with Co-Kinetic right there beside you, supporting you with our content, technology and a shared commitment to innovation, we want to help you lead this change. This isn’t just an invitation; it’s a partnership for a future where we all grow – from our businesses to the planet.

By Tor Davies, physiotherapist-turned Co-Kinetic founder

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A

s physical therapists, we have the chance to make a real difference in the lives of our patients and the communities we serve. But, in today’s fastpaced, technology-driven, social mediaobsessed world, we’re facing a growing challenge: the disconnect and isolation that many people experience, can and is, taking a serious toll on our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

We’ve become increasingly disconnected from the people around us. We don’t interact with our families and friends in the same way we used to. We often feel isolated and alone, even when we’re surrounded by others.

This sense of disconnection extends to our communities as well. Many of us don’t feel a

strong sense of belonging or responsibility for the people living around us.

This societal breakdown is having a significant impact on our mental health. It’s not just affecting those with pre-existing mental health conditions, it’s taking a toll on all of us.

Loneliness, stress and anxiety are becoming all too common, even among people who might consider themselves ‘normal’ or ‘welladjusted’.

On top of that, the state of our natural environment is also an accelerating worry.

The damage to our ecosystems, the loss of biodiversity, the increasing pollution levels and the impact of an ever-increasing use of chemicals in our food production systems not only affect the planet but also have direct consequences on our health. There’s plenty of research showing that spending time in nature

Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):32-34

and green spaces can significantly improve mental health, reduce stress levels and promote overall wellbeing. Not to mention the health benefits of eating better quality food on improving wellbeing and reducing the risk of disease.

As healthcare professionals, we’d be mad to ignore the deep connection between environmental health, social connection and physical wellbeing. It’s all interlinked and, by recognising this, we have an exciting opportunity to approach health in a more holistic way.

This is where the idea of the Health Hub comes in. By putting ourselves at the heart of community health initiatives, we have the power to create a ripple effect that goes way beyond our individual clinics. We can bring people together, build strong relationships, and empower our communities to take control of their health and wellbeing.

But the benefits of this approach aren’t just for our patients and communities. By stepping up as holistic health leaders, we can also stand out in a crowded market, show off our expertise, and open up new opportunities for growth and success. We can find a sense of purpose and fulfilment that goes beyond the day-to-day activities of our clinics, knowing that we’re making a real, tangible difference in the world around us.

The Health Hub Concept

At its core, a Health Hub is a collaborative, community-centred approach to health and wellness. It’s about creating a space where different professionals can come together to address the diverse needs of the people in our community.

Co-Kinetic.com

As physical therapists, we’re in a unique position to be at the centre of this model.

We generally have very holistic backgrounds, not just in movement, function, pain and rehabilitation but also often in physiology, nutrition and exercise. Additionally we understand the interconnectedness of physical, mental, social and environmental factors in shaping a person’s overall wellbeing.

By embracing the Health Hub concept, you can expand your role beyond the clinic and become a leader in your community. This means collaborating with a whole range of other healthcare professionals, to deliver to the needs of your community. It could also mean partnering with local organisations, schools and businesses to promote wellness initiatives and create supportive environments that encourage healthy lifestyles.

One of the key benefits of the Health Hub model is its potential to create a sense of belonging and connection within your community. By bringing people together around shared goals of health and wellbeing, you can help build social bonds and combat the isolation and disconnection that so many people experience in today’s world.

The beauty of building a Health Hub model is that you can do it step by step, working with partners you may already know in your community and seeing where the journey takes you (or the community leads you). It’s not something that needs to happen overnight, and the potential rewards – for your patients, your community and your practice – will make a real difference to the lives of the people around you.

Community Outreach and Engagement

One of the easiest ways to get started with community outreach is by offering talks and workshops on topics related to health and wellness. This could be anything from injury prevention and exercise techniques to stress management and healthy eating. The key is to choose topics that are relevant and valuable to your community, and to deliver them in a way that’s engaging, accessible and easy to understand.

When planning your talks and workshops, think about partnering with local organisations and groups that share your values and goals.

This could include schools, community centres, Women’s Institute groups, faith-based organisations, or even local businesses. By collaborating with these groups, you can tap into their networks and reach a wider audience, while also building relationships that can lead to future opportunities.

Another powerful way to engage with your community is through nature-based activities and events. This could be anything from organised hikes and outdoor yoga classes to community gardening projects and park clean-ups. By getting people outside and moving in nature, you’re not only promoting physical activity and reducing stress, but also fostering a sense of connection to the environment and each other.

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When working with specific populations, tailor your approach to their unique needs and challenges. For older adults, focus on fall prevention, mobility and maintaining independence. For new mothers, offer postpartum exercise classes and support groups. Listen to your community, understand their priorities and adapt your services accordingly.

Explore existing community initiatives such as walk and talk groups, Men in Sheds or She Shed groups. Speak to local primary care practices to identify needs that you can help address, such as women’s health and menopause support.

Partnering with schools and youth organisations is one of the most impactful ways to promote lifelong healthy habits.

Involve young people in community gardens to develop an understanding of growing healthy food and generate consciousness about food wastage.

Social media is a great tool for expanding your reach and engaging your community. By providing valuable resources and fostering a sense of connection among your followers, you can establish yourself as a trusted leader.

Remember, community outreach is about building relationships and trust over time through consistent value and support.

Promoting True Holistic Health

As physical therapists and health leaders, we have a unique opportunity to promote environmental health through our work.

Educate patients and communities about the interconnectedness of environmental health, food quality, soil health, physical health and overall wellbeing. Many people don’t realise the massive impact that factors like air and water pollution, pesticide use and soil degradation can have on their physical and mental health.

Partner with local environmental organisations and initiatives, such as supporting farmers markets, communitysupported agriculture programmes, treeplanting events, and park or beach clean-ups.

By aligning ourselves with these efforts, we contribute to the health of our environment

and build relationships and credibility within our communities.

In our own practices and Health Hubs, encourage sustainable behaviours and make eco-friendly choices whenever possible. This could include reducing paper waste, using natural cleaning products, and promoting active transportation like cycling or walking.

Educate patients about the health benefits of eating local, organic, plant-based foods and provide resources to make these choices more accessible.

The Health Hub model has exciting potential to create community spaces that promote both human and environmental health, such as community gardens where people can grow fresh food while learning about soil health and sustainable agriculture, or outdoor classrooms that encourage a connection to the environment from an early age.

By starting small, focusing on our own spheres of influence and collaborating with others who share our vision, we can make a meaningful difference.

e

s ness enefits

Becoming a leader in community health will help establish you as a trusted expert in your field. By consistently providing valuable resources and support to your community, you can build a reputation as a knowledgeable, credible and compassionate healthcare provider. This can help you stand out in a crowded market and attract patients seeking a holistic, integrated approach to health.

Aligning your practice with sustainability and community health values can differentiate your services and build brand loyalty, especially as people increasingly seek out socially and environmentally responsible businesses.

The Health Hub model also provides opportunities to collaborate with other healthcare professionals, learn from diverse perspectives, and make a tangible difference in people’s lives. This can generate new business opportunities, networks and referral sources to help grow your practice. You may also develop new products or services that

HEALTH HUBS ARE ABOUT BRINGING WELLNESS FULL CIRCLE, FROM OUR CLINICS TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE 34

align with your community’s needs, such as group exercise classes, wellness retreats, or environmental education programmes.

Perhaps most importantly, embracing the Health Hub model can give you a deeper sense of purpose and satisfaction, knowing you’re contributing to a larger movement towards a healthier, more sustainable future.

By aligning your professional goals with your personal values, you can find renewed passion and motivation in your career, knowing you’re not just treating individual patients but also building healthier communities.

How Can Co-Kinetic help?

Health Hubs are about bringing wellness full circle, from our clinics to the communities we serve. It’s a path to greater impact and connection, and we know it starts with the right support.

This is where Co-Kinetic comes in. We’re here to provide content that aligns with your day-to-day work – the kind that supports the conversations you’re having and the relationships you’re building. Whether it’s social media snippets, informative flyers or email templates, we’ve got the practical tools to help you communicate and educate.

Our content is designed to be used. It’s made to be shared – not just by you, but with the community of health professionals you’re teaming up with. Everything we create is written to help you build that sense of belonging and togetherness that’s at the heart of the Health Hub vision.

If you’re ready to start making these connections and growing this vision, we’re ready to help. And we’d love for you to be part of our free community where ideas flourish and collaborations begin. Get in touch, join the conversation, and let’s make Health Hubs the cornerstone of our communities together.

Please get in touch with me directly through my website (https://co-kinetic.com/), if you like what you read, and together let’s bring this vision to life.

Co-Kinetic Journal 2024;100(April):32-34

Take the Pain Out of Marketing Your Physical Therapy Business

1999 2022

ISSUE 91 JANUARY 2022 ISSN 2397-138X

CANCER PREVENTION IN MOTION

Effect of Activity on Reducing 13% Cancer Risk

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Reference: Association of Leisure-Time Physical Activity With Risk of 26 Types of Cancer in 1.44 Million Adults published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine 2016;176(6):816-825 (It remains one of the largest international studies in this field)

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Scan this QR code to access your own copy

The information contained in this poster is intended as general guidance and information only and should not be relied upon as a basis for planning individual medical care or as a substitute for specialist medical advice in each individual case. ©Co-Kinetic 2023

www.yourtherapybusiness.co.uk enquiries@yourtherapybusiness.co.uk 01000 000 0000

@yourtherapybusiness

Clinic Posters

Patient Resources

Simplify your clinic’s marketing with Co-Kinetic.

Our award-winning platform delivers specialist content and easy-to-use automation tools designed to save time, attract and engage more patients, and grow your clinic.

Social Media Posts

Blog Posts

Customer Nurture Emails

Award-Winning Content and Streamlined Marketing Tools l Pre-Created Content: Content campaigns written by physical therapists, featuring blog posts, social media updates, customer emails, and patient resources. All designed to turn interest into bookings, while saving content creation time. l Streamlined Automation: Utilise our inbuilt tools for effortless scheduling of social media and email communications, ensuring regular, high-quality engagement in a completely unsalesy way. l Email List Growth Tools: Grow your email list with our professionally designed peer-reviewed leaflets and ready-to-use email sign-up pages, welcoming new patients into your practice. l Connected Content: Experience a coherent marketing flow with interconnected content that naturally guides patients through every touchpoint, all reinforcing a cohesive message. l Trusted Relationships: Build genuine trust with high-value, educational interactions that resonate with patients, reinforcing your reputation as an authoritative healthcare provider.

Two Content Streams Available Clinic Growth Hub

https://bit.ly/47hDUPM

Scar Care Membership

https://bit.ly/3TMWFp9

*In March Co-Kinetic Won Best Physical Therapy Marketing Specialists 2024 – UK Global Health & Pharma Magazine’s 2024 Global Excellence Awards and has also been shortlisted for the Top 5 Patient Experience Solutions Providers in UK 2024 – Healthcare Tech

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