Tom Varcoe Physio

Tom Varcoe Physio Physiotherapy

🎧 This Month’s ListensHere are a few podcasts I’ve been listening to this month — covering physiotherapy, rehab, perform...
16/03/2026

🎧 This Month’s Listens

Here are a few podcasts I’ve been listening to this month — covering physiotherapy, rehab, performance, and injury management.

Always looking for ways to sharpen my knowledge and bring the best possible treatment to the clinic.

If you’ve got any podcast recommendations, drop them below 👇

PhysioLife HealthcareLearning

Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women, yet diagnosis can still take many years. Greater awareness, improved educati...
08/03/2026

Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women, yet diagnosis can still take many years. Greater awareness, improved education, and more research into women’s health are essential to reduce delays and improve care.

References:
Endometriosis UK. The State of Endometriosis Care in the UK Report (2024). https://www.endometriosis-uk.org
Nnoaham, K.E. et al. (2011). Impact of endometriosis on quality of life and work productivity: a multicenter study across ten countries. Human Reproduction, 26(9), 2452–2462. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/der217

You shouldn’t leave a healthcare appointment still guessing what’s wrong.When patients don’t understand:• Confidence in ...
07/03/2026

You shouldn’t leave a healthcare appointment still guessing what’s wrong.

When patients don’t understand:
• Confidence in recovery drops
• Adherence to treatment falls
• Anxiety about symptoms increases

Patients deserve:
✔️ A clear explanation
✔️ A working diagnosis
✔️ The reasoning behind treatment

Understanding your injury is the first step in recovering from it.

⸻

Reference
Cox C, Hatfield T, Willars J, Fritz Z. Identifying facilitators and inhibitors of shared understanding: an ethnography of diagnosis communication in acute medical settings. Health Expectations. 2024.

06/03/2026

Happy to help

People are rarely told this:Most treatments and devices create temporary changes.Massage guns included.They can reduce p...
05/03/2026

People are rarely told this:

Most treatments and devices create temporary changes.

Massage guns included.

They can reduce pain and improve movement in the short term — likely through nervous system effects.

But they don’t break down scar tissue.
They don’t rebuild tendon.
They don’t create lasting adaptation.

And that’s okay — as long as you understand what you’re getting.

Relief is useful.
It’s just not the same as recovery.

If you want longer-term change, consider the things that actually influence tissue capacity and pain:

Sleep.
Nutrition.
Load management.
Progressive strength work.
Stress regulation.

The basics aren’t flashy.
But they’re far more productive.

Use tools wisely.
Just don’t let them distract from what moves the needle.

02/03/2026

POV: Your shoulder finally understands the assignment. If your struggling with shoulder pain, focusing on rehab might be exactly what your need

• True sciatica usually lasts 3–6 weeks, sometimes up to 3 months and very rarely over 6-12 months but this is the excep...
28/02/2026

• True sciatica usually lasts 3–6 weeks, sometimes up to 3 months and very rarely over 6-12 months but this is the exception.
• Recurring episodes can happen, but constant sciatica-type pain beyond that is uncommon.
• If your pain has been ongoing for longer, it may be coming from your hip, pelvis, or lower back, not the sciatic nerve itself.

✅ Takeaway: Persistent “sciatica” for many months is often misunderstood, not your fault. Knowing the real source of your pain is the first step toward proper relief.

Lassere, M.N., Johnson, K.R., Thom, J. & Pickard, G., 2018. Protocol of the randomised placebo controlled pilot trial of the management of acute sciatica (SCIATICA): a feasibility study. BMJ Open, 8(7), e020435. doi:10.1136/bmjopen‑2017‑020435.

19/02/2026

Been told you have sciatica — or think you might? 🤔
Do you know the common signs and symptoms? Comment your guess for #3 below! 👇
It isn’t as easy as your think

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2020) Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management (NICE guideline NG59). London: NICE.

11/02/2026

Most people don’t get stuck with back pain because they’re “broken”.

They get stuck because they slowly start doing less.

Less bending.
Less lifting.
Less loading.
Less confidence.

And over time… your back gets less tolerant, not more protected.

Rebuilding isn’t about being fearless.
It’s about making the movement feel safe again — step by step.

Comment your go-to back pain exercise 👇

08/02/2026

This is the part nobody tells you about sciatica…
The timeline.
Comment your guess 👇

Reference (Harvard):
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2020) Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management (NICE guideline NG59). London: NICE. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng59 (Accessed: 8 February 2026).

Not all pain needs an injection — but some cases may benefit at the right time.We assess first and, when clinically appr...
28/01/2026

Not all pain needs an injection — but some cases may benefit at the right time.
We assess first and, when clinically appropriate, can refer to your GP for steroid injection consideration alongside a structured rehab

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