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Patient Care Coordinator Kylie Hobson

I have worked for Scoliosis SOS for 10 years this month, and over those 10 years I have watched and played a part in the huge growth of the clinic. We can now say that we have treated patients from all over the world, and helped thousands of people to avoid spinal fusion surgery. Throughout that time, I have also spent time travelling to different scoliosis conferences throughout the world. I met my wonderful husband – who was in fact a ScolioGold therapist! I underwent 3 rounds of unsuccessful IVF treatment, had my amazing little girl (who were told by a consultant we would never conceive naturally!) and I am now 20 weeks pregnant with our 2nd natural miracle! The support of Scoliosis SOS as an employer and a clinic as a whole has been incredible, and words simply cannot describe how amazing I think the ScolioGold method is.

Kylie with the Scoliosis SOS team

Being rushed through an appointment with an orthopaedic consultant, our patients are often left bewildered in a world of unanswered questions. Patients usually turn to the Internet for guidance and advice. However, from my personal experience, Google is often the last place patients find that reassurance, and are often left even more worried and concerned about what the future may hold. So many of the patients and parents I talk to are so confused about their (or their child’s) diagnosis and treatment options. Often, they have not even heard about scoliosis and had no idea how quickly it can develop, especially in adolescents. They are often scared, even terrified by what they have been told and have no idea what direction to turn. Most parents or newly-diagnosed scoliosis patients just want someone to listen to them. They want to be given information and facts that are specifically related to their scoliosis, and they also want to hear that there is a very successful, realistic alternative to spinal fusion surgery. The NHS currently has a very strict protocol for newly-diagnosed scoliosis patients. If a patient’s Cobb angle is less than 40 degrees, they use the relatively non-proactive ‘watch and wait’ approach. This usually involves a check-up appointment once every 6 months. Rarely is any treatment offered, although occasionally patients are fitted with a hard corset-style brace to try and prevent progression. What patients are not told is that if they just wear the brace and do no other exercise, the muscles that currently support the spine in their scoliotic posture will probably waste completely, and when they come out of the brace, progression is likely to occur again. Conversely, research has found that wearing a brace alongside doing specific exercises for scoliosis CAN prevent progression, and patients are often able to hold a non-scoliotic posture when they are not wearing the brace. Our treatment is designed to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, bringing the patient into a more central upright position. The exercises have been proven to reduce the pain caused by muscle imbalance, improve cosmetic appearance by decreasing rotation, and ultimately prevent the patient’s Cobb angle from getting any worse. Patients have also been able to reduce the size of their Cobb angle by up to 20 degrees. Unfortunately, some (not all) orthopaedic consultants are very closed-minded when it comes to exercise therapy. They believe that surgery is the only option once a patient’s Cobb angle exceeds 40 degrees; however, we know this is not the case, and we have helped so many patients to regain control of their lives and manage their condition through exercise rather than by going under the knife. So, if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with scoliosis, please call Scoliosis SOS and speak to one of our patient care co-ordinators. They will be more than happy to spend time answering all of your unanswered questions, and will be able to offer you advice that relates specifically to your particular condition. Spinal fusion surgery can come with huge risks for some patients, and being given information on the different options available may just mean you make the decision that is right for you and that you won’t live to regret in 20 years’ time. From my own personal experience, consultants are not always right and there are always alternatives to what you are told in that 30-minute appointment. For more information, call Scoliosis SOS on 0207 488 4428 or have a look at our website.

We’re very lucky here at Scoliosis SOS – our clinic is staffed by a skilled team of chartered physiotherapists, all of whom are utterly dedicated to helping our patients to change their lives for the better.

If you choose to attend one of our 4-week scoliosis treatment courses, here are some of the people that you can expect to meet:

Georgie Frere

Georgina (Georgie) Frere is our Clinical Manager and one of our Consultants. She graduated from Cape Town University in South Africa with a BSc (Hons) Degree in Physiotherapy. She is both a chartered physiotherapist (registered with the CSP and HCPC) and an accredited Langer practitioner. She also holds Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications in dry needling, and recently gave a scientific presentation at the 2018 SOSOSRT conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Charlie Kydd

Charlotte (Charlie) Kydd is one of our Deputy Clinical Managers and Consultants. She holds two BSC (Hons) degrees, the first in Sport & Exercise Science from Birmingham and the second in Physiotherapy from King’s College London. Besides being a chartered physiotherapist, an accredited Langer practitioner and trained in Kinesiology taping, she also holds a Diploma in Sports Massage. Recently, she has developed a passion for hydrotherapy (having attended an Aquatic Physiotherapy Foundation Course) and enjoys finding ways to combine both land- and water-based exercise programmes. In 2018, she attended the 15th international SOSORT conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and she is currently an Expert Panellist for the James Lind Alliance (JLA) Scoliosis Priority Setting Partnership.

Chrissy Pilcher

Chrissy Pilcher is one of our Deputy Clinical Managers. She has a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Brighton, as well as a BSc (Hons) Degree in Exercise Science from Bournemouth University. She is a chartered physiotherapist (registered with both the CSP and the HCPC), and she has been trained in Integrated Myofascial Therapy (Level 1), Mulligan Concept Mobilisations with Movement (Level 1), and acupuncture. She is also an accredited Langer practitioner.

Luke McKendrick

Luke McKendrick holds a Master of Science Degree in Physiotherapy from Oxford Brookes, plus a BSc (Hons) Degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Wolverhampton. Like our other ScolioGold Therapists, he is a chartered physiotherapist (registered with the CSP and HCPC). He is also certified in the SEAS method.

Mollie-Rose Turkentine

Mollie-Rose Turkentine has a BSc (Hons) Degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Brighton. In addition to this, she holds a First Aid Qualification and a Level 2 in Personal Training. She recently became the highest-qualified Sports Massage Therapist in London’s Square Mile when she passed her BTEC Level 5 Professional Diploma in Sport and Remedial Massage Therapy.

London Physiotherapists at the Scoliosis SOS Clinic

Kara Cattell – pictured above, far right – completed a BSC (Hons) Degree in Sports Therapy at the University of Essex. She has extensive experience as a sports massage therapist, first aider, and was previously a judge for acrobatic gymnastic competitions. She is also a certified Medical Acupuncture and Dry Needling practitioner.

Adam Frymorgen – pictured above, 2nd from left – holds both a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Physical Education in Krakow, Poland. A chartered physiotherapist (CSP and HCPC registered), he is also trained in sports rehabilitation.

All of our physiotherapists are certified practitioners of the ScolioGold method, our own unique therapeutic method that is specifically designed to combat scoliosis and other spinal conditions. If you would like to find out whether our physiotherapists can help you, please contact us now to arrange an initial consultation at our clinic in London. Last updated 8 March 2019.

Kylie Hobson on 10 Years as a Scoliosis SOS Patient Care Co-ordinator

Scoliosis SOS Clinic London: Meet Our Physiotherapists

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