Student Reflection Blog

WHO I AM

Hey, my name is Sydney and I am a student of Physical Therapy here in London! You may have seen me around the clinic these past two months as I have been on an 8-week placement here at Break Free Physiotherapy and Wellness.

A little bit about me - I was born and raised on Vancouver Island BC, where I enjoyed all things outdoors! One of my favourite past times is hiking 10+ hour hikes on the island which has allowed me to not only see insane views, but also push my body past what I thought was my limit. I love all water sports and have a soft spot for surfing. I grew up wakeboarding, snowboarding, mountain biking, kayaking, and really just doing anything outdoors. My current summer obsession is pickle ball and spike ball. Back home you can find me out in the sunshine with a random project, or working on my little British sports car - a ‘71 MGB.

Sydney on a hike in BC

Sydney and her ‘71 MGB

Sydney back from a surf

As for my clinical experiences, prior to my current masters I was working for two years as a Kinesiologist with my focus on spinal cord injuries and brain injuries. This job really opened my eyes to how significant the spine is in everyday life, that many people take for granted.  As someone with an interest in the spinal cord and nervous system, I was eager to find a clinical setting that focused on this - which turned out to be more difficult than I expected. I ended up finding Break Free Physiotherapy and Wellness and matched for my first placement. I came into this placement with an open mind and willingness to learn, and I am sure glad I did!

WHAT BROUGHT ME TO THIS CAREER

For 7 1/2 years during high school and my undergrad, I had a soft spot for geriatric populations due to my job at a retirement home. I stayed on part time at this job throughout my 5 years in my kinesiology degree because I was set on specializing in geriatric health once I became a physiotherapist. My main focus was hip fractures and dementia in geriatric populations, which opened my world up to cognitive disorders and geriatric injuries. I experienced a lot of joy working with this population and plan on continuing to do so in the future.

THE MCKENZIE METHOD

As I said previously, I wanted to find a placement with the spine as its focus. Break Free Physiotherapy and Wellness bases their work off the McKenzie Method which, put simply, is a way to effectively assess and treat pain by focusing on how it changes with movement. The main goal of this method is to find a direction of movement (flexion, extension, lateral, etc.) that moves the pain away from the extremities and toward the spine. Once the proper direction for the patient is determined, simple exercises are given to both reduce pain and improve movement. This method allows the patient to manage their own condition with gentle coaching from their physical therapist early on so they can eventually help treat themselves!

With limited knowledge of the McKenzie Method, I had to adjust my thinking and my approach for this first placement. With each patient came a new injury, a different experience, and a diverse set of descriptions that would be presented for us to consider and treat. What amazed me the most was the amount of people that the McKenzie Method truly worked on. I came in with an open mind to not only learn what the McKenzie Method had to offer, but to prove to myself why this method works. I quickly learned that screening the spine and the neck first will be something that I will continue to do as I move forward in my career. Let me explain why!

Numerous studies on the McKenzie Method have demonstrated how spinal irritation can manifest as pain in the limbs. Notably, one study found that approximately 50% of individuals presenting with hip pain actually had a spinal source underlying their symptoms. Considering this, without screening the neck or the spine, we could be missing the origin of the pain! You might be asking yourself, “How is it possible for my pain to originate from my spine when I feel it in my knee?”. A great example of this is a brain freeze. When we quickly drink something cold on a summer day, we may find ourselves feeling instant pain in our head… we know this feeling isn’t from our head but actually from our mouth. The nerves in the mouth trigger pain signals which cause our head to hurt! Similarly, when we have pain in our knee for example, or other parts of our extremities, there is a good chance this pain originates at the spine. Knowing this, it makes sense to screen the neck and the spine for any irritations!

PLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

One of my favourite aspects of this placement—aside from witnessing the remarkable progress many patients have made—was gaining hands-on experience with lumbar screening, and having the patients trust in me when doing so. These lumbar screens are comprehensive assessments that consist of several key components: myotome testing, dermatome testing, deep tendon reflexes, pathological reflexes, and neurodynamic testing.

Myotome testing allows us to identify potential nerve root involvement by assessing muscle strength and detecting any weakness linked to specific spinal nerves. Dermatome testing evaluates sensory function, helping to determine areas of altered or diminished sensation that may be indicative of nerve damage. Deep tendon reflexes are assessed to gauge the strength of the reflex and to identify potential neurological or muscular abnormalities. Pathological reflexes further support the identification of neurological dysfunction. Lastly, neurodynamic testing evaluates the mobility and sensitivity of peripheral nerves when placed under tension, providing valuable information about neural involvement in different conditions.

Notice how they all involve nerves to some degree? That’s the point!

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

As I mentioned previously, these past 8 weeks have been filled with an abundance of learning and adapting to patient’s needs as they progress. I can honestly say that working with the Break Free team has solidified my desire to work in this area of practice, and opened my mind to many possibilities that this career can bring. The Break Free team has enhanced my learning greatly and I would absolutely recommend this clinic for upcoming physical therapy students, kinesiology students, anyone wanting to learn more about the McKenzie Method, or anyone in need of a skilled and dedicated physiotherapist. Click here to book with the Break Free team!

Sydney and her fearless attitude aren’t afraid to tackle new experiences, like jumping tandem out of a plane!

To conclude, I wanted to say a huge thank you to the Break Free team for their willingness to take on a student as this comes with a great deal of preparation and effort. I also want to thank all of the patients who allowed me to learn, assess, and treat them as this has given me so much knowledge and so many new skills. Thank you for an incredible 8 weeks!!

-Sydney