Many people experience back pain. Of those, several will invariably receive imaging (X-ray or MRI usually). And of those, several will be told that they have 1 or more structural issues, such as a disc bulge or stenosis. Sometimes when we receive a diagnosis like this, we think we are stuck with it forever. That nothing can be done, and that we have to live with the back pain for the rest of our lives. Physical therapists, and physiotherapists, believe otherwise. Today I had a wonderful conversation with Rory Martin, a New Zealand-based physiotherapist at TBI Health, a national company of integrated allied health disciplines that focuses on long term strategy for the treatment of spinal pain and functional rehab.

The integrated approach emphasizes that function and movement matter more than a diagnosis. In this sense, who cares if you have a disc herniation on an MRI if you can still do everything that you want to do? Rory delves into the New Zealand healthcare system, which has a very different approach than the United States in how care is delivered. He discusses the complex neurophysiology of pain in a simple way. 

I spent a few months in New Zealand a few years ago learning TBI’s unique approach to back pain and overall well being. Many of the strategies I learned from Rory during my time there, I still apply to the work I do as a PT in New York City. 

Rory’s current role as the Wellington Regional Manager involves overseeing six clinics that accommodate a wide range of different allied health disciplines including physiotherapists, pharmacists, psychologists, occupational therapists and orthopaedic surgeons. Connect with them at https://www.tbihealth.co.nz/