Amy Winehouse may have rejected rehab out of hand, but seasoned physiotherapist attendee Deirdre O'Shaughnessy gives a resounding ‘yes' to a new rehabilitation system being operated at a new Galway clinic

Having been treated by more physiotherapists than I care to remember, I thought I knew it all. Pilates, stretches, swimming, gym programmes and massage – I’ve done everything. But Noel Burke, Galway's foremost sports physiotherapist, and Senior Physiotherapist to the Galway Senior Hurling Team, has introduced a completely new programme to Galway, and indeed Ireland.

Having practiced all over the world, Noel became dissatisfied with accepted physiotherapy practises in Ireland. They weren’t scientific enough, especially for his work with serious athletes, who need to know how well they can recover and how long it will take.

As a long-time patient, I can attest to this. 'Press against my hand', and 'walk up and down there for me' are phrases I have heard a few too many times. I have found that scientific, objective measurement seems to be seriously lacking in most physiotherapy. A sympathetic physio might be a nice person to deal with, but at the end of the day the patient will be the one left picking up the pieces if they don’t do the exercises.

Having worked for several years in Germany, Noel came across a new system being developed there. Invented by a mechanical engineer who was married to a physio and saw her daily frustration at not being able to quantify her patients' progress, the complete spinal isokinetic strengthening system, developed by FREI, is a scientific programme that enables the physio to accurately diagnose and improve a patient’s physical strength.

The system is used extensively in Europe, with Bayern Munich and Vfb Stuttgart Bundesliga having benefited from it.

"This technology is a real breakthrough for surgical rehabilitation and the treatment of sports injuries in Ireland. Prevention of injury is of paramount importance to the modern sports player. The availability of objective scientific data highlighting underlying weaknesses in a player's physique is a significant advantage," says Noel.

Using a range of extremely hi-tech strengthening machines, linked together by a 'chip egg', which collects all the data of each patient and feeds it into a central computer, the system shows, in newtons (measurements of force) how much weight you can push and pull, using various different muscle groups. In addition, sports athletes can now be screened pre-season to detect muscle imbalances within specific muscle groups, which are likely to cause recurrent injuries during match seasons.

In your first session, you warm up for ten minutes on an exercise bike linked to the system. From here you go through a range of different machines, testing the strength of your back, stomach, arms, legs and shoulders.

What's different about these machines is that there is no pain. Because of my medical condition, I am afraid of damaging myself on malfunctioning gym equipment. But with these machines the weights are controlled, so even if you stop moving, nothing can fall back on you and there is no danger of injury.

After you have been measured, factoring in your height, weight and age, the machine puts together a programme, targeting the specific muscle groups that you need to improve in order to regain overall muscle fitness.

Having never had my physical condition spelled out to me in quite such a specific way before, I got a shock. Areas I thought were fine appeared to be in serious trouble, while areas I’d been worried about were functioning perfectly.

Following that first diagnosis session, your programme is set. A rehabilitation session on the computerised system takes approximately 90 minutes and is supervised throughout. Noel will push you a little harder each time, depending on your improvement, but any discomfort or extra effort needed is quickly noted and catered for.

For someone like me, who is not accustomed to this type of exercise, the experience is exhilarating. Often people with injuries or other conditions will concentrate on the site of pain without strengthening the rest of the body – forgetting that the recuperation period may have done the rest of your muscles even more harm. But this system makes sure any imbalances are identified and addressed.

Since starting the programme, I have, quite literally, had a new spring to my step.

For more information on Rinn Mhór Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Clinic, contact Colette or Noel on 091-769333.

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