Case Studies

15-July-2010

This young man's history is not remarkable but as bad as many other of our patients!-- he had his first knee pain after playing football 4 years before--subsequent to this he had a GP diagnosis of inflammation of the knee cap and over the following 3 years , did not play football and had 30 sessions--yes thirty--of physiotherapy with 5 different physios--some NHS and some private. When all this failed a further GP visit elicited an NHS surgeon appointment who subsequently operated on his knee cap tendon taking a piece out --apparently this was the offending part!! No pain reduction and great disillusionment --fmm diagnosis?? Massive hamstring spasm- shortening and hardening of the  muscles at the back of the knee--three sessions and he is back to playing football and the pain free state. Cost of the fmm treatment--230 £  --NHS cost of FAILED treatment--about 3000£ plus operation cost of about 1000£ . Wake up NHS !!