12/10/2025
Some of you may know me or even refer to me as a physiotherapist, so you might be surprised to know that my official title is actually a Musculoskeletal Specialist (or MSK Specialist for short) 😲 I’m not a physio.
Don't worry, I'm not offended (I know some phenomenal Physios), I just think you might be interested to know why the titles are different!
The main difference between a physio and an MSK Specialist is in the level of specialist education and how it’s applied in a clinical setting.
As a Sport and Exercise Medicine MSc graduate, I've been taught by the top consultants in the country for every aspect of MSK medicine, from cardiologists, neurologists, shoulder specialists, knee specialists etc. I have learnt in-depth anatomy through detailed dissection on cadavers and seen tissue and joints in a way completely different to textbooks. I have been trained in differential diagnoses to assess and determine underlying causes using detailed consultation skills, special tests, and biomechanical and movement assessments. This top to toe, in-depth understanding, together with my 24 years of experience in the field, guides my practice in the clinic.
The NHS is an incredible system full of dedicated, caring humans. However, the fundamental structure of the service for musculoskeletal issues is flawed, overwhelmed, and struggling. This is why the clinic is seeing more and more individuals proactively seeking a private approach as opposed to waiting in pain for scans or surviving on painkillers.
If you have pain and haven’t had an in-depth, in-person assessment, are being told you just need to live with the pain, or just take and rely on pain killers, or have been told that you need to keep having treatment weekly for months it is unacceptable. Seek a different solution.
