A new physiotherapy website offers support for Lincolnshire patients struggling with muscle and joint conditions

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect 1 in 4 adults in the UK and more years are lived with musculoskeletal disability than any other long-term condition (NHS England). 40% of people aged 35-64 years and 61% of people aged 65 and over live with a MSK condition. [1]

With the launch of the brand new Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Service website, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) aims to provide a central point of information regarding some of the most common musculoskeletal conditions, promoting self-care and supporting the general public to remain as active and independent as possible.

The website has dedicated sections offering advice and self-help information for managing specific conditions which commonly affect areas of the body. There is also additional information on the wider aspects of health including getting fitter, caring for your mental health and longstanding pain.

The MSK physiotherapy service offers variety of clinics across Lincolnshire as a provider of First Contact Physiotherapy services, in GP practices and treatment services in health centres across the county. While services have continued to operate throughout the pandemic, the new online source of information will further support staff in having the source of right information they can signpost patients to.

Jonathan Brightwell, Clinical Team Lead for MSK Treatment Service at LCHS, said: “There has been increased demand for remote services during the pandemic. The website offers an additional way for patients to access trusted information with regards to their health. These include downloadable advice and exercise sheets covering a variety of specific conditions which are all supported with short videos demonstrating how to best ease aches and pains.”

The website has already had positive feedback from both health professionals and members of the public prior to launch and was commended for its easy navigation and wealth of information. Having both advice from a clinical professional, as well as accessing the online resources, patients can be confident that what they are doing is right for them and allows them to self-manage their condition, where possible.

Emma Ivemey, Clinical Team Lead for MSK First Contact Physiotherapy Services at LCHS, said: “We are incredibly proud of our new website and hope our NHS partners and the wider community of Lincolnshire will be able to benefit from the use of this resource as we make our way out of the pandemic.

“A lot of people have been less active, working from home and somewhat isolated. We know that inactivity is a major contributing factor to musculoskeletal pain and hope that the information on this website will empower them to manage their condition and remain as independent and active as they can”.

The Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Service website can be accessed by going to www.lincsphysio.nhs.uk

[1] Research by Versus Arthritis in 2021