Injury is about more than just physical pain. Debilitation through lack of mobility and function can seriously wear away a person’s confidence and leave them feeling depressed, lethargic, and demotivated. While we know physiotherapy helps with injury recovery and rehabilitation, it can also improve overall well-being and appetite for living. Stress and anxiety – these are two of life’s most impeding symptoms which can be helped through physiotherapy. The mental and physical are bound together, and a healthy mind cannot exist without being supported by a healthy body. Physiotherapy, therefore, as a discipline seeking to restore function through eliminating constant pain from the body, can also renew motivation and relieve stress through making pain-free movement possible again.
In this blog, we will be speaking to Marsden Health’s own fantastic physiotherapy maestro Hardik Nimla about how his profession can help keep people fit and strong both mentally and physically. We will be discussing how the body and mind interact with one another during recovery, and how this this influences Hardik’s approach towards treatment during physiotherapy sessions with patients.
Meet Hardik Nimla – Marsden Health’s MSK Physiotherapist
Q: What first drew you to physiotherapy? Was there a moment that made it click for you?
Hardik: I have always been fascinated by physiology and how movement can be used as a medicine to heal both the mind and body. When I was younger, I can remember being amazed by the positive impact physiotherapy had on a family member recovering from a frozen shoulder (Adhesive capsulitis or Periarthritis shoulder). What impressed me most was how it could not only repair a person’s mobility, but also, repair their dignity, confidence, and independence. I noticed a profound link between movement and well-being and so decided I would like to specialise in helping others to feel better within themselves.
Q: You see people at vulnerable moments – in pain, frustrated, or recovering. How do you approach that human side of care?
Hardik: Empathy is at the heart of being a physiotherapist. Lots of the pain we deal with is invisible, and patients can often feel like their symptoms are not being taken seriously by those around them. They seek out professional help because they need somebody who will listen to and acknowledge them. My aim is to build trust from our first conversation by letting the client know that their symptoms will be treated thoughtfully and with respect. Once someone feels safe and supported, real progress can begin.
Q: What’s one part of physiotherapy people often misunderstand or overlook?
Hardik: That it’s not just about exercises or manual therapy. Our work extends to helping clients better understand how their body responds to stress, injury, and healing. Education is as important as hands-on care, because with education, we not only heal pain in the short-term but offer lasting guidance on how to prevent future injuries.
Q: Can you share a client journey that stayed with you – where things really changed for them?
Hardik: One that stands out was a patient with chronic back pain (multiple herniated discs) who came in hoping for a ‘quick fix’. Understandably, they were in a lot of discomfort; and came to us after having conceded a great deal of their active lifestyle due to immobility. Although downcast and dejected, the client remained inspired to keep coming to every session and follow the exercises and training plans which I had laid out for them. So much of the recovery process depends upon a client’s willingness to learn and make changes because there is only so much that a physiotherapist can do during our brief sessions. With this client, I was very impressed by their determination, spirit, and commitment to every protocol. Their condition was serious, but they ended up making such progress that they avoided needing the complicated spinal surgery that was being considered by their doctor. This was a huge milestone in their rehabilitation journey, and a fantastic example of how physical and mental disciplines can complement one another.
Q: When someone walks into the clinic, what’s your first instinct in how to support them?
Hardik: I think what first needs to be understood is why the client has come to our clinic. Sometimes they will have a clear idea of what they want, at other times it may be a first step towards reaching that as-yet unchartered fitness goal. For either party, conversation at this stage is crucial because we need to uncover why our client is with us, what their ambitions are and how they would like to see themselves reaching their target. Recovery feels much more doable when it all makes sense as it can often transform all those vague anxieties surrounding health and well-being into clear-cut and manageable forms.
Q: How do you personally define “progress” in recovery?
Hardik: Good question. Progress can mean so many things to so many different people. For some clients it may be completing a marathon – for others, it may be simply being able to walk again without pain. For me, I think progress in recovery is when the individual has regained control over their body. This means seeing the results and feeling that you are getting one over on adversity. It is realising faith in your recovery practices and acknowledging pain as a beatable force.
Q: What’s your go-to tip for anyone wanting to move and feel better day-to-day?
Hardik: Keep it simple and keep it consistent. Little habits can have a big impact. Feeling good and mobile does not always depend on gruelling training regimes that might leave you feeling exhausted. It is about lifestyle: making the right decisions and treating your body well so that you wake up every morning feeling alert and motivated. This can sometimes be as simple as just a few minutes of focused movement, deep breathing, and correcting one’s posture.
Q: How has working at Marsden Health shaped or refined your approach to care?
Hardik: Marsden Health really emphasises the value of evidence-based, client-centred care. Here we are a warm, close-knit community and our collaborative approach is echoed in our approach to working with our clients. I think what I have refined since working here is my ability to communicate with our clients. At Marsden Health, it is all about providing as much help as we can in a hospitable environment to help guide our clients towards recovery. It is about slowing down and listening; and appreciating that each case requires an approach tailored towards the client’s individual personality as well as their injury.
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