ABSTRACT
Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are extremely common. Patients with these disorders fill our surgeries every day, with estimates suggesting they account for up to 30" of all general practitioner (GP) consultations. The key message here is that not all physiotherapy is the same. Levels of specific training, experience, areas of interest and specialisation vary widely. Not infrequently, treatment failure can be simply because your patient has not seen the most appropriate practitioner. In areas of diagnostic uncertainty, especially where flags coexist, clarification of the duration and progression of symptoms can be useful and help discriminate. Injections are commonly used in primary care and can undoubtedly be very effective. MSK presentations are common in our everyday practice, and yet these patients are often served poorly by GPs lacking expertise and adequate training. As GPs, the standard perception and use of physiotherapy are resources we refer our patients to for treatment.
