Global Specialist Physiotherapy

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Global Specialist Physiotherapy Non-surgical solutions to pain and injury

12/10/2026

** Are we giving patients adequate time to ask questions about their management options? **

I’ve just returned from Brisbane, Queensland where Dr. Taishi Ezaki and I ran our Lumbar Spine 2-day Non-surgical Workshop.

We cover how new, high-quality research evidence shows many low back pain patients can have permanent, long-term success with Physiotherapy and exercise without surgery for common conditions such as:

• Long-term back pain
• Back and leg pain (“Sciatica”)
• Spinal canal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis (“Slipped vertebrae”)

One recommendation we make to clinicians is to have patients come with a list of key questions they want answered from us when presenting for a non-surgical second opinion.

Is this something you regularly recommend patients write out, before attending an appointment with you?
Do you give plenty of time for patients to ask questions in your sessions?
If you’re a patient, do you feel comfortable asking your healthcare providers questions?

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences below!

For training in non-surgical management for pain and injury conditions across the body, go to:

globalspecialistphysio.com/services

If you’re a patient who wonders whether surgery is truly necessary for your condition, or a clinician who wants outside assistance on a challenging case, find out more and reach out to us via our website:

globalspecialistphysio.com/clinic

11/10/2026

17 years is how long it takes for research to change practice.

We’ve gone from cassettes to iPods, sweepers to Roombas, and brick phones to the device in your hand… yet most people are still told their torn ACL “won’t heal” and needs surgery.

The data tells a different story.

MRI- and arthroscopy-verified reattachment has been documented since the 1990s.

Multiple RCTs, systematic reviews, and cohort studies show that a large percentage of ACLs can heal with appropriate bracing + rehab, that early reconstruction is not superior to rehab + optional delayed surgery, that non-op management is linked to lower arthritis risk, and that return-to-sport rates can be comparable — even in sports like soccer, basketball, and judo.

This isn’t “everyone will heal and go pro.”

It’s informed consent: you deserve to know the real likelihood of natural healing before you decide.

If you have just torn your ACL, the team at Global offer expert review of your case to determine the likelihood of success and review and progress your rehabilitation (including assessment for blind spots and return to sport testing), wherever you are in the world 🌎🌍🌏💻📱

If you’re interested, comment “ACL” below, direct message or go to the Global ACL website:
👇
globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

09/10/2026

Most clinicians and many patients have heard it: reconstruct the ACL and you lower the chance of osteoarthritis later.

That line is repeated as fact. The best-known 2023 comparison does not support it:

Ferrero and colleagues pooled surgical versus non-surgical care after an ACL tear and found a relative risk of osteoarthritis of 1.72 after reconstruction (95% CI 1.18–2.53).

Meaning, if non operative care caused 20/100 cases of arthritis, surgical care would cause an additional 14 cases… 34/100 (72% higher relative risk)

This data does not show that surgery protects the joint from osteoarthritis — it actually shows the opposite.

If you are deciding on an ACL tear, don’t be satisfied with the status quo; ask questions and read research — do your own due diligence before rushing into an invasive operation.

Need the current data before you choose a path?

The team at Global offer expert review of your case to determine the likelihood of success and review and progress your rehabilitation (including assessment for blind spots and return to sport testing), wherever you are in the world 🌎🌍🌏💻📱

If you’re interested, comment “ACL” below, direct message or go to the Global ACL website:
👇
globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

05/10/2026

Told an ACL won’t heal, and that surgery is the only way back to sport?

The Delaware–Oslo cohort followed people who chose rehab first.

After early swelling and range-of-motion work, 118 of 300 opted out of reconstruction.

Of those with full data, 53.6% met the study’s definition of success at 2 years — no surgery, and knee function in a normal range for their age and s*x (average IKDC 94).

About 17% returned to Level 1 sports (basketball, soccer, football), 33% to Level 2, and 38% to Level 3. Only 1.6% did not return to sport at all.

After 5 weeks of rehab, each extra IKDC point was linked to about 6% higher odds of that 2-year success.

A follow-up found no difference in osteoarthritis or knee pain between early surgery, delayed surgery, and rehab alone.

Worst case if you trial rehab: you still choose surgery. You only get one chance to find out what rehab can do before the knife.

MRI tear pattern and early rehab response both change the odds.

The team at Global offer expert review of your case to determine the likelihood of success and review and progress your rehabilitation (including assessment for blind spots and return to sport testing), wherever you are in the world 🌎🌍🌏💻📱

If you’re interested, comment “ACL” below, direct message or go to the Global ACL website:
👇
globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

02/10/2026

A 2021 systematic review looked at complete ACL tears treated without surgery.

9 studies. 734 people. MRI used to check healing.

None of the studies reported zero healing.

Tears in certain locations appeared more likely to heal than others.

That doesn’t mean surgery is never needed.

It does mean the automatic “ACL tear = surgery” assumption is worth questioning.

If you have a fresh ACL/meniscus tear, get a proper assessment of your options before deciding.

The team at Global offer expert review of your case to determine the likelihood of success and review and progress your rehabilitation (including assessment for blind spots and return to sport testing), wherever you are in the world 🌎🌍🌏💻📱

If you’re interested, comment “ACL” below, direct message or go to the Global ACL website:
👇
globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

29/09/2026

** Another day, another ACL rupture healed without surgery! **

This patient ruptured her ACL and was told by 2 surgeons her only options was surgery....🤔

The patient commenced our BLEX protocol, which allows for weight-bearing as tolerated, exercises to commence immediately and return to normal activities as soon as possible ✅️✅️✅️

The follow-up MRI revealed an excellent healing response with the patient asymptomatic and over the moon with her decision to opt for non-surgical management of her ACL injury.

Obviously every case is unique and outcomes can never be 100% assured, but it is awesome to hear further cases of how the narrative of ACL tear management is changing 🫡

The team at Global offer expert review of your case to determine the likelihood of success and review and progress your rehabilitation (including assessment for blind spots and return to sport testing), wherever you are in the world 🌎🌍🌏💻📱

If you’re interested, comment “BLEX” below, direct message or go to the Global ACL website:
👇
globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

27/09/2026

Just tore your ACL? Pause before you book surgery.

Not every “full thickness” tear is the same.

There are 4 types, and that changes everything.

Type I + II (about 70% of complete tears) sit close enough that they can heal at a very high rate with an early weight-bearing bracing protocol under expert supervision.

Type III + IV (the other ~30%) are more displaced or unclear on MRI. Healing is still possible, but the odds drop.

That is why the MRI read matters. You need to know:

✅️ What tear type you actually have
✅️ What your healing probability looks like
✅️ How that lines up with your sport, timeline, and goals

Then you can choose rehab or surgery from data rather than rushing into a hasty medical decision.

The team at Global offer expert review of your case to determine the likelihood of success and review and progress your rehabilitation (including assessment for blind spots and return to sport testing), wherever you are in the world 🌎🌍🌏💻📱

If you’re interested, comment “ACL” below, direct message or go to the Global ACL website:
👇
globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

21/09/2026

Throwback to this extended Fox Sports interview on ACL tear management from 2019!

At the time, this was the longest feature on FOX Sports Australia, with over a million views.

In the interview Dr. Richardson covers:

✅️ Cultural trends in ACL tear management
✅️ What the best studies show
✅️ ACL tear non-surgical options
✅️ Awareness that some ACL tears can heal
✅️ Importance of prehabilitation
✅️Acknowledgement that some ACL tears need surgery

Would love to know your thoughts on the interview below!

For more information on ACL and meniscus tear non-operative management, go to the Global website:
👇
globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

17/09/2026

** New study showing ACL ruptures can heal, with most of these athletes successfully returning to sport long-term! **

Ueki et al. 2025 — early protective motion for acute ACL tears.

Single-group cohort study. Not an RCT or meta-analysis, but still very useful — and often the starting point for bigger research.

31 adult athletes with acute ACL tears used a functional brace for controlled early motion and were followed for 2 years. All wanted to return to sport and chose not to have reconstruction.

Key numbers:

• 93.5% returned to pre-injury sports performance
• 89.7% of those did it within a year
• 22.6% (7 patients) reinjured within 2 years

Small cohort, but the point stands: non-op management can work.

In this group, it did for most. Individual factors and preferences should drive the decision, not a one-size-fits-all plan.

If you have an acute ACL injury, look at all your options 💡

The data is wider than what’s often presented!

The team at Global offer expert review of your case to determine the likelihood of success and review and progress your rehabilitation (including assessment for blind spots and return to sport testing), wherever you are in the world 🌎🌍🌏💻📱

If you’re interested, comment “ACL” below, direct message or go to the Global ACL website:
👇
globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

14/09/2026

** DON’T RUSH INTO ACL SURGERY! Get an expert assessment of your options first **

Just been told you have an ACL injury? You don’t necessarily have to rush into surgery.

An MRI report can be confronting.

“ACL tear.”
“Meniscal tear.”
“Ligament injury.”

And suddenly you're being asked to make a major decision about surgery — often before you’ve had the opportunity to properly understand your options.

At Global Specialist Physiotherapy, we take a different approach.

We can help you:

🔹 Understand your MRI and what it actually means
🔹 Assess whether a non-surgical pathway may be appropriate
🔹 Develop a structured rehabilitation plan
🔹 Monitor your progress and adapt your treatment as you recover
🔹 Provide specialist guidance when surgery is being considered
🔹 Continue your care remotely, including from the comfort of your own home

And importantly — you don't have to navigate it alone.

Dr. Kieran Richardson and the Global Specialist Physiotherapy team work with patients locally, nationally and internationally to provide specialist assessment and rehabilitation for complex musculoskeletal injuries.

If you've recently injured your ACL, have an MRI you're unsure about, or have been told that surgery is your only option, reach out to us before making your next decision.

📩 Send us a DM, comment "ACL" below or visit the Global Specialist Physiotherapy website to enquire about an assessment:

globalspecialistphysio.com/acl

Address

50 Street Georges Terrace Suite #1035
Perth, WA
6000

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