The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Corinne offering some vital support to Tralee’s GPs during the COVID-19 crisis
VICE President of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, Traleebased Corinne Evans, is far from idle since she closed her practice on March 12 – as she is now volunteering her time to help GPs deal with physio-related queries.
It’s taking the pressure off doctors to a great degree with all their time now largely spent fielding frantic COVID-related queries.
Coronavirus pressures on practices came to a head last week as doctors were required to contact those they had previously referred for tests to inform them they would not be tested after the criteria changed on Tuesday of last week – unless they exhibited both a fever and respiratory issues.
That’s why Corinne’s support has been widely welcomed by GPs in Tralee and beyond. The well-known physio said it was ‘her way’ of helping out during the crisis.
Meanwhile, she is still seeing some of her own clients – but via a clever video app she has acquired, through which she can watch in real time as they discuss and demonstrate whatever issues they might be experiencing.
On the GP-support front she’s proving a lifeline.
“I’ve contacted up to 60 GPs in Kerry to let them know I’m here to help, so if you ring your GP now for instance and say ‘I have a pain in my knee’ the surgery will say – once they have established it’s not likely an emergency – ‘why don’t you ring Corinee Evans?’.”
With over two decades of experience, this former Ireland Rugby physio can quickly ascertain the level of injury.
“If I feel it’s something more medical like an infection or what have you, I will tell them to contact their GP again, but 90 per cent of joint pain will be physio-related,” Ms Evans said.
Last week’s arrival of fine weather saw more need for her services, meanwhile:
“It seemed as if the whole world was out in their gardens weeding, planting and painting this week, and there were many who pulled their backs in the process, and that’s where I was able to come in with advice and suggested exercises.
“It’s my part to play, taking a load off the GPs and giving people a chance of reassurance. That’s actually a large part of it as people can become quite distressed by pain, naturally, but if they hear someone qualified over the phone even telling them ‘I think you have pulled a muscle’ it can alleviate a lot of the anxiety,” Ms Evans added.
She is also making the most of the new physio-video technology she has adopted to keep treating many of her patients. And there is recourse to more traditional methods for the most COVID-vulnerable.
“I contacted my people, especially those of whom I am more worried about than others. I have a certain percentage who are in their 80s and who are not on computers or e-mail, so I photocopied a lot of the pre-programmed video exercises for them to keep doing what they need to do.
“And for those who are on e-mail, the video is working out great. I can usually see a problem before I feel it anyway.”