Reflecting on 20 years of PhysioFunction

August 27,2023, marked an enormous milestone for PhysioFunction – it was our 20^th birthday!

From humble beginnings, offering a domiciliary service to clients in Northamptonshire and the surrounding area, emphasising hands-on therapy (Bobath, N.E.T.) and exercise to continue with rehabilitation after NHS discharge, PhysioFunction has grown into a leader in neurological rehabilitation provision with our flagship clinic based in Spratton housing a vast array of world leading rehabilitation technology along with our expert team.

Throughout PhysioFunction’s evolution, clinical provision has remained at the forefront of our service and in 2006 our clinical director, Jon Graham coined the term – Rehabilitation Triad – to describe the combination of hands-on therapy, technology and exercise.

The key to physical rehabilitation is refining the prescription and delivery of these components at various phases during recovery. To support this PhysioFunction began expanding its services to incorporate technologies, beginning with the Saeboflex and Odstock Footdrop FES, and expanding to incorporate a wide range of rehabilitation and functional technologies to support both physical recovery and day to day function.

Over the years PhysioFunction has also expanded its geographical coverage beyond the bounds of the Midlands to Bedford, Oxford, and London through an associate network and to Sheffield, Harrogate and York with a franchise network, before refinement and focus of the service around a commitment to exoskeleton technology, beginning with the REX and ReWalk in 2016 and being enhanced by the addition of the FREEWalk in 2019, led to a move to a centre of excellence at the Chris Moody Centre at Moulton College in 2017.

With this centre of excellence came to opportunity to add larger, less portable rehabilitation technologies to the service including an AlterG antigravity treadmill, Tyromotion Pablo Station, FES bike and cross trainer, LiteGait and MediTouch BalanceTutor. As well as a gym area and consulting rooms, we had access to a hydrotherapy pool, a warm-water exercise pool, and a 25 metre swimming pool. Our clients were delighted with the new facility, and for those who couldn’t travel we continued to provide home-visits. The clinical team was able to closely collaborate on a daily basis. Our admin team could meet clients and see their progress over their visits.

In August 2019, we were advised that Moulton College could no longer accommodate us as the facility was to be repurposed by the local council as a community leisure centre. We wanted to remain in a rural setting and did not want to relocate to a commercial building on an industrial estate. We were lucky to take vacant possession of two neighbouring converted farm buildings with spectacular views over the rolling Northamptonshire countryside, a factor not always instantly considered important in a rehabilitation facility but is the first thing mentioned by almost every first-time visitor to our clinic.

After full internal refurbishment during the winter of 2019 – 2020 led to an ‘open day’, we were ready move and open our brand new facility just as the first lockdown was announced! Thankfully, due to our embracement of rehabilitation technologies, we are able to continue to deliver high quality remote rehabilitation, including using home-based technologies such as the MindMotion GO.

Once restrictions were eased and we were able to welcome patients back to our clinic with appropriate PPE and enhanced infection control procedures, we began to grow the new facility in earnest. Alongside diversification to provide local essential workers or concerned members of the public with access to PCR and fitness-to-fly testing, helping 100s of people travel out of the UK for business or leisure, PhysioFunction has continued to grow and expand its range of technologies to welcome the Desmotec D-Line and V-Line, and GMove suit, as well as expand our clinical team.

To provide further support for our current and prospective clients, we have established PFit to provide personal training, sports therapy, massage and nutritional coaching services to maximise health and fitness.

PhysioFunction is a hugely dynamic and responsive rehabilitation provider with the mission of helping individuals achieve the best physical and emotional recovery from serious illness or catastrophic injury, and providing career opportunities for those who share this vision, so whether you are a prospective client, a case manager looking for the right place for your client’s rehabilitation, or a healthcare professional looking to work as part of a team dedicated to promoting recovery and optimising wellbeing in all of our clients, and accessing so world leading rehabilitation technology whilst doing so, look no further than PhysioFunction.  www.physiofunction.co.uk 

Cheers to the next 20 years.