Jeanne Marais Physiotherapy

25/02/2026

Changing the terminology to usual findings as we've already started doing with spinal degeneration (normal age related changes 👌🏼) will save countless patients from unnecessary surgeries and crippling anxiety for some who do not have access to surgery.

Keep surgeries for the likes of visceral organs, acute MSK injuries and cosmetics.

Chronic MSK (musculoskeletal conditions) don't belong here 🫣

18/02/2026

😵‍💫 I can help you so much more effectively when you also help yourself 🤗

18/02/2026

📢 Louder for the people in the back, please 📢

Unlike drugs, orthopedic surgeries can be sold to the public before they undergo any rigorous testing to ensure they are safe and effective. Thus, millions of

18/02/2026

Don't be disappointed if the injection didn't help or the effects were short lived.

Rehab aims at restoring comfortable function even without having tried injections 🤗

18/02/2026

You are not the product of your scan results 🥳

PLEASE stop having surgery because of these findings 🫣 You're not likely to be addressing the cause of your pain 🥺

Diligent rehabilitation after the operation is more likely to allow your body to build up to normal function since rehab deals with the whole lot and not only the 'abnormality'.... So, why not do diligent rehab from the start and avoid the additional costs, pain, lengthy recovery, risks, etc 😁 😎 🤗

Taken from

99% of people over 40 have a rotator cuff ‘abnormality’ on MRI.

Do we round up to, everyone?

The FIMAGE study just dropped in JAMA Internal Medicine and it’s important for several reasons.

Here’s a quick overview of the study:

→ 602 people randomly selected from the Finnish general population (not a clinic sample)
→ Aged 41–76
→ Bilateral 3T MRI of both shoulders
→ Blinded reads by experienced musculoskeletal radiologists
→ Standardised clinical exams by shoulder surgeons with 10+ years experience

They found:

→ 98.7% had at least one RC abnormality
→ 7 out of 602 had completely normal tendons
→ 62% had partial-thickness tears
→ 11% had full-thickness tears (rose with age)
→ RC abnormalities were in 96% of pain-free shoulders AND 98% of painful shoulders

78% of all full-thickness tears were found in shoulders with zero symptoms.

Even combining state-of-the-art 3T MRI with experienced surgeon clinical exams could not reliably distinguish a symptomatic shoulder from an asymptomatic one.

The authors argue, and I think the data supports this, that most RC findings after 40 represent normal age-related structural change. Like grey hair. Like wrinkles. Like holes in your socks.

They emphasise a shift in language is warranted: away from ‘tear’ (which implies trauma and repair) toward terms like ‘structural alteration’ or ‘age-related change.’

When the baseline prevalence of an MRI finding approaches 100%, the finding itself has almost no diagnostic value.

How does this change the way you talk to your patients about their MRI results?

30/01/2026

Each of you who have seen my appetite will understand why I would only bother spending your time or money on an amuse-bouche if you absolutely insist on it.

I'm not an over priced tasting restaurant 😅
We get stuff done at JMPhysio!
Think of it as a braai where the next dish comes hot off the grill just as you finished off the last schnack 👌🏼😎

24/11/2025

If all possibilities aren't considered, you could be on the wrong track from the very start.
We start with an open mind and let the assessment guide us to the underlying issue. Realistically, to establish the correct treatment, the classification has to be confirmed first 👌🏼

🩺 “The beauty of the McKenzie assessment is that it considers all possibilities and allows the clinician to quickly get to the root of the problem.” – Prof. José Liberato

This quote captures what makes the McKenzie Method® (MDT) unique.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach — it’s a structured system that allows clinicians to explore, test, and confirm what truly drives a patient’s problem.

📌 A comprehensive assessment that doesn’t jump to conclusions.
📌 A process that respects every possibility before narrowing down.
📌 A method that leads to clarity, confidence, and better outcomes.

That’s the beauty of MDT — clarity through process.

24/11/2025

Learning every day 👌🏼

All in the persuit of better and even better results 🤗

🌿 “Everything I know I learnt from my patients. I did not set out to develop a McKenzie Method. It evolved spontaneously over time as a result of clinical observation.”
— Robin McKenzie

This humble line captures Robin’s true spirit:
👂 Listen.
👀 Observe.
🔄 Let the patient’s response guide the process.

The McKenzie Method® didn’t begin as a grand design — it grew from the clinic, shaped by watching patients and using what worked. Over time, these observations became a reliable, reproducible system that empowers people to take control of their own care.

🟦 The evolution didn’t stop with Robin.
He passed the system forward, believing this knowledge should reach as many patients as possible. Many clinicians in this series — and many more worldwide — continue to teach, refine, and share the concepts of MDT. Together, they have shaped it into a comprehensive, evidence-informed approach far beyond “just extension exercises.”

🌍 A Global Community
MDT is taught through official branches in:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hellas (Greece), Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Lebanon–Middle East, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Beyond these, MDT is also taught in additional countries under the International branch, often in local languages.

📝 A Note of Appreciation
Some quotes were used outside their original context to illustrate MDT principles. Many valued contributors were not featured simply because their published or translated material wasn’t accessible — yet their impact on MDT is deeply appreciated and never overlooked.

💙 Thank you to everyone who continues to listen, observe, and learn from patients — just as Robin taught us.

31/10/2025

And no surgery builds strength.
That's all down to rehab 💪🏼
So skip the op and get straight into proper rehab (no, no massage..... REHAB!) from the start 👌🏼

They say it’s wear and tear,
That time steals motion and grace.
But the truth hides deeper
In the strength you fail to chase.

It’s not the loss of cartilage,
that whispers, “Surgery soon.”
It’s the fading fire of muscles,
that gave up far too soon.

Age doesn’t take your power.....weakness does.

Reclaim the strength that guards your joints,
and rewrite your body’s story.

31/10/2025

It's so sad when I hear that someone had an operation for chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Surgery is fantastic for sudden structural issues - broken bone, torn ligament, etc...

But misshapen discs, abused tendons and any other pain that came about over time....? They need lifestyle changes. Not quick fixes.
The image shows further symptoms of the dysfunctional movement not the cause thereof 😔
No quick fix will ever resolve a problem that came about over time.

But learning about the condition, understanding what made it come about and adapting your behaviour and approach to remedy it....? That works wonders 🤗

Your MRI doesn’t tell your story it only whispers a few lines.
Imaging shows structure, not strength.
It can’t measure resilience, adaptation, or how your body feels and functions.

Far too many surgeries are done because of what’s seen on a screen
tiny “abnormalities” that are often just normal signs of living.
Age-appropriate changes, not emergencies.

Before you rush to fix what may not be broken,
start with movement, education, and a real conversation.
You are not your MRI.
You are more than an image
you are function, healing, and potential in motion

22/10/2025

Perhaps not immediately and certainly not indefinitely but the difference is undeniable once you found your enjoyable, sustainable version of working out.

From the typical gym to gardening, horse riding to pole dancing and rock climbing to cleaning under every piece of furniture twice a week...

The options are endless so be sure not to settle for one that feels like a chore. Find one that makes you feel alive and then prioritise it above everything else because you matter! 🤗

Moving your body really does make a difference. It’s not just about looks; it’s about how you feel inside and out. Sometimes the hardest part is just showing up, but once you do, it’s worth it.

Much love,
Ashley

22/10/2025

Lift. Move. Breathe. Challenge yourself.
Or life will become too challenging.

You don’t get old and weak.
You get weak and that’s what makes you old.

Train.
Build.
Lift.

Because strength is youth and it’s earned.