Total Knee Prehab 3: Maximising Your Post-Surgery Recovery

April 8, 2025

In my latest blog series, I’ve been talking knee replacement surgeries – everything from anatomy to recovery. In part

How a Victory physio analyses a squat task

Total Knee Prehab 2: Your Essential Guide to Pre-Surgery Exercise

April 8, 2025

In this series of blog posts, I’m talking about knee replacement surgery – everything from anatomy to recovery. If

Total Knee Prehab 1: Is It Time for A Knee Replacement?

April 8, 2025

In this next series of blog posts, I’m going to be talking about knee replacement surgery – everything from

Introducing Back in Action

August 9, 2024

If you’ve been to my clinic, you’ve sat in a chair from Back in Action. Find out here why I’m a BIA fan!

MRI image of my knee a year after surgery, with the chondral defect circled in red

What do you do when surgery doesn’t have all the answers?

July 13, 2024

Despite having an excellent surgeon, my knee hasn’t healed a year after the operation. So what are my options now?

Female Indian student with low back pain

A patient’s story – low back pain recovery

January 12, 2024

My patient Anushree offered to tell the story of her recovery from low back pain

A patient’s story: Laparoscopic Myomectomy 3 – At Home Again

September 6, 2023

Nell’s patient, A, underwent a laparoscopic myomectomy to remove a uterine fibroid. This is what happened in the weeks after the operation.

Woman lying in hospital bed after surgery

A patient’s story: Laparoscopic Myomectomy 2 – Hospital

September 4, 2023

Nell’s patient, A, continues to blog about her laparoscopic myomectomy. This is what happened when she was in hospital for the operation.

Female doctor using ultrasound scanner on a woman's abdomen to diagnose fibroids

A patient’s story: Laparoscopic Myomectomy 1 – Pre-Op

September 1, 2023

In a guest post, Nell’s patient “A” describes her diagnosis of a uterine fibroid, and explains how she prepared for laparoscopic surgery

An image of leaves, tablets and fish oil capsules to represent nutritional supplements

Products to supplement the Foundation Layer

August 18, 2023

The better your tissue metabolism, the better you’re likely to respond to physiotherapy techniques and exercises – the aim is to make your body a good environment for healing.

doctor and nurse medical team are performing surgical operation at emergency room in hospital. assistant hands out scissor and instruments to surgeons during operation.

Femoral chondral defect 6: Surgery and early recovery

March 26, 2023

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been preparing for surgery on my left knee. So far, I’ve blogged about:

Femoral chondral defect 5: tissue metabolism

March 3, 2023

The backstory… In October 2022, I was playing a routine tennis match when my knee went *crunch*. This is

Daniel L.

16:23 24 Dec 24

Nell is a genius. I rarely use that word but she is.I've seen dozens of physios, osteopaths, and other such practitioners, many of whom have worked for and with elite athletes and sports organisations, including national teams. Nell is the best by a distance.Her depth of knowledge, empathy, and ability to really relate to patients is second to none.She is extremely detailed and holistic, but also pragmatic, and combines her exemplary talents with a rare intellectual honesty and humility: she will not proffer easy answers to look smart in the moment, she will instead authentically investigate and let you know what she's seeing and where this leads her. She doesn't want to appear right, she just wants to find the truth.The first time I saw her, we spoke for a long time. I told her the entire history and context of the issue I was struggling with. When Nell sent the report after, it was 100% what I'd said. I've never seen this before. Normally these summaries are decent but a little off, not quite what you said, not quite what you meant, close but missing a few parts or misconstrued. Nell's was *exactly* what I'd relayed. She *truly* listened. Maybe that's part of what makes her so exceptional.If you can see her, do it. Physios don't get better than this.

Ashmi S.

16:43 19 Dec 24

Nell is a superstar, first time I saw her I limped into her office - barely able to walk and in a lot of pain. After a lot of work on both parts I managed to run for the first time in years. I still haven't finished my journey but thank you Nell from the bottom of my heart - you gave me my life back and returned mum back to my kids :) Also to anyone reading this review - buy her book - it's excellent!

AdeSte G.

05:11 29 Oct 24

Nell is on a different level/planet than sports physios I have used. She clearly has an understanding of how the whole body as a system functions. I was a little suprised at her detailed documentation of my lifestyle.Bottom line a sucessful diagnosis clearly explained with clear detail of the reasoning. Everything just fell into place. I feel as though I am getting my old body back. I am purchasing her book "How To Be Your Own Physio".

Lucy H.

17:04 06 Oct 24

Nell is incredible! After seeing three different physiotherapists without much progress, I finally found Nell, who not only identified the real root of my long-standing niggles and sports-related injuries but also helped me address them effectively. Her depth of knowledge is remarkable, and I always looked forward to our insightful conversations about the human body. Even eight months after being discharged, I still incorporate her exercises into my daily routine, and they've made a lasting difference. I can't recommend Nell highly enough!

Susie N.

05:42 18 Jun 24

I have experienced hip pain for 25 years and have seen so many different practitioners over the years and no one has effectively treated my symptoms and following a recommendation from an Sport's Physician, I saw Nell and she recognised that it was not my hips that were the problem but my left foot.Nell is thorough in her approach and has such a huge knowledge base and she looks at movement patterns that could be contributing to pain felt elsewhere in the body.I would recommend Nell to anyone who has complex and long-standing pain in their joints. After just 2 visits, I am feeling so much better and I have a plan that I follow at home to build up strength and stability. Nell is definitely the best physio you will ever see.

Matthew B.

10:32 19 Nov 23

I call Nell the final boss of Physios! When I first began seeing here I had a wide variety of problems and pain. She is reassuring, will try out innovative and new ways of treating you and is determined to find the underlying problems which need addressing.

Sarah P.

13:43 06 Nov 23

Nell is fantastic. I was referred to her by a shoulder surgeon because I'd had serious impingement for several years and other things (e.g. steroid injections) had not helped. At the first appointment I was unable to lift my left arm above chin height. Nell traced the cause to asymmetry from a broken collarbone 16 years earlier. She got the shoulder moving again and I am now rock climbing harder than I was before I got injured. Her combination of manual therapy in clinic and giving me exercises to do at home has proved very effective. Every few months I get some other injury (e.g. broken hand from a fall) and she helps me to promptly rehab it. I've seen a bunch of physios over my lifetime but Nell is without any doubt the best!

Kirsty C.

11:13 26 Oct 23

Game changer. Nell seems to have fixed a 10-year problem (plantar fasciitis) in one or two sessions and now we’re seeing what else she can help me improve! As well as being exceptional at what she does, Nell is clearly very passionate about continually learning and is absolutely delightful company too. Worth every penny - best physio I’ve ever seen by some distance, and I’ve seen a lot!

Jane K.

18:21 04 Aug 23

Nell has an eye for detail and is good at solving complex problems. She is extremely knowledgable, professional and very kind.

Ben T.

10:54 05 Jul 23

Nell is easily the best physio I’ve ever seen. Having had many disappointing physio sessions over the years, Nell made me feel confident that we really had got to bottom of my knee issue. Not only did she examine my knee, but all of my potential problem areas with instantaneous results. She just gets it, and she’s a lovely person too.

Howard B.

17:59 04 May 23

As a medical professional with a running injury, I knew that there was only one person that I needed to see. Nell’s approach was holistic and focussed on finding the source of the issue rather than just trying to treat a symptom in isolation. Nell’s approach was calm, professional and caring. She followed up the consultation with a number of exercises to do. Her treatment plan worked like a dream and I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending her to anyone who’s struggling with an injury, pain or stiffness. First class from start to finish.

Blog

I blog regularly

Total Knee Prehab 3: Maximising Your Post-Surgery Recovery

Total Knee Prehab 2: Your Essential Guide to Pre-Surgery Exercise

Total Knee Prehab 1: Is It Time for A Knee Replacement?

Introducing Back in Action

What do you do when surgery doesn’t have all the answers?

A patient’s story – low back pain recovery

A patient’s story: Laparoscopic Myomectomy 3 – At Home Again

A patient’s story: Laparoscopic Myomectomy 2 – Hospital

A patient’s story: Laparoscopic Myomectomy 1 – Pre-Op

Products to supplement the Foundation Layer

Femoral chondral defect 6: Surgery and early recovery

Femoral chondral defect 5: tissue metabolism

Do you have any questions that I can help with?

How To Be Your Own Physio, The New Book by Nell Mead