Meet Nathan
Hi guys, my name is Nathan Brooks, and I am the founder of The Physio MVMT. As you will know by now, we are an online Physiotherapy platform that focuses on helping people live healthier, happier and more productive lives through exercise, improving understanding of the body and behaviour change.
My motivation for starting The Physio MVMT was to cut through the stigma and lack of understanding of the body and in particular long-term injuries such as chronic lower back pain. In my opinion, the current state of the healthcare system in Australia is unable to provide effective management for people suffering from these conditions and instead chooses to focus on using pharmacology to manage these complex conditions.
My Story
I began my career as a physiotherapist after graduating from The University of Queensland with Honours. I have since been working in local communities in private practice, as well as spending time with local sports teams.
Early in my career, I became fascinated with the body and began diving into the literature to learn how to optimise movement to provide long-term well-being. I found that the most common injuries that physiotherapists see could be prevented through simple lifestyle changes. But rather than reaching the people who needed it most, this information was being drowned out by marketing ploys and unfounded societal beliefs.
This led me down the path of trying to implement simple lifestyle changes with my clients. While the committed were able to make great changes to their symptoms and their overall well-being, I found that most people were unable to find consistency in these changes. It wasn’t that the changes were too drastic, it was that they lacked the motivation to follow through. This led me down the path of exploring the topic of behaviour change and is the catalyst for founding The Physio MVMT.
I knew that if I could combine behaviour change tools and evidence-based rehabilitation programs I would be able to help people overcome their injuries.
The benefits of online physiotherapy
So why did I choose an online physiotherapy practice instead of a traditional brick-and-mortar practice?
Firstly, an active approach to rehabilitating injuries will promote better long-term outcomes. But what I found when working in a traditional physiotherapy practice is that people have become reliant on more passive measures such as manual therapy.
Don’t get me wrong, manual therapy is a helpful tool in managing symptoms and reducing sensitivity in overactive nervous systems, but it promotes a passive approach to recovery and not changing the lifestyle factors that will lead someone to these longer-term injuries.
Secondly, you can not underestimate the importance of convenience in recovering from long-term injuries. How many times have you said you were going to do something, but the idea of travelling has seemed like a mountain to climb? Having an online physiotherapy platform allows you to have face-to-face contact with a physiotherapist, from the comfort of your home. Removing the barrier of travel makes rehabilitating injuries far easier, particularly at a time when people find themselves busier than ever.
Having an online physiotherapy platform instead of a traditional practice empowers people to take control of their recovery. It removes the friction of having to travel to appointments and allows you to invest more time into recovering from your injury.
How I approach chronic pain
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
So why does the current health system try to treat chronic pain in the same way as acute injuries? Chronic pain is far more complex than any acute injury. It requires a much more holistic approach to managing its symptoms.
I approach chronic pain intending to empower people to manage their symptoms by helping them understand their injury, and providing them with the tools they need to change their physical and psychological systems. I do this by:
Improving a person’s understanding of their injury and their pain
Improving a person’s understanding of their body and how it should move
Focusing on behaviour change, and in particular, how to help people form healthier habits
Identifying and changing lifestyle factors to prevent future occurrences.
By focusing on these four points The Physio MVMT is escaping the trap of treating chronic pain like any other injury, and can provide meaningful change to help people live happier and healthier lives.
I founded The Physio MVMT because I thought Australia’s healthcare system was lacking effective management for people suffering from long-term injuries. By combining evidence-based rehabilitation programs, pain neuroscience education and the latest behaviour change tools our programs help people overcome their injuries. This is made so much more convenient by using an online physiotherapy platform you can access from the comfort of your home.
I hope this gives you an insight into why I started The Physio MVMT. If you are experiencing chronic pain, check out the rest of our website to start taking control of your recovery.
