Ross: My time in the military

During my time there, I qualified as a Military Aviation Medical Examiner, I was later recognised by the European Space Agency and General Medical Council as one of only a few physiotherapists to have gained this qualification!

Working within the MoD, I was often preparing military personnel for arduous training. I became a specialist in what is called dynamic biomechanical musculoskeletal analysis and rehabilitation where I treated patients pre and post operatively, gave treatment for chronic/insidious onset pain, helped treat sports injuries with a return to sport objective; as well as treating complex trauma patients with related neurological issues or insidious onset neurological disorders.

I also worked extensively as a sub-specialist in Occupational Health Medicine and gained additional qualifications in Risk Assessment and Management, and further aviation medicine educational standards.

Working in this area of health and utilising these aviation qualifications, I became a subject matter expert in rotary aviation medicine with the Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm. For those that don’t know; aviation and space crew face musculoskeletal challenges from operating rotary-wing aircraft (RWA), high-performance jet aircraft (HPJA), and spacecraft, due to the extreme environments in which they operate, including high-gravitational force equivalents (g-forces), altered gravitational vectors, vibratory loading, and interaction with equipment.

In my work I identified causes of workplace musculoskeletal issues, created detailed interventions and therapy requirements and provided detailed assessments to help personnel return to work, as well as educating aircrew and their employers about the risks of injury from RWA and HPJA.

This area of work eventually led to me working with specialist military squadron personnel providing the highest levels of assessment in complex environments, and providing time effective evidence-based rehabilitation.

My time working as part of the Occupational Health Consultant team, and latterly as Health and Wellbeing Champion for the MOD at the permanent Joint Headquarters in London, meant I gained extensive experience in work-based musculoskeletal health issues and resolutions.

The experience of working with specialist units and individuals honed my theoretical and my practical rehabilitation therapy skills and evolved my understanding of injury recovery.

I have had the pleasure of working with the SAS, SBS, Royal Marines, Parachute Regiment, RAF Regiment and the wider military cohort. This was during a period of multiple long-term conflicts as well as shorter intensive episodes of conflict where military personnel suffered stab, gunshot, blast, heat and air crash-related injuries, injuries from overuse as well as post-covid complications. This means that there is not much that I have not seen or treated!

Additionally there is often an emotional trauma associated with injury and illness and I was able to support my colleagues in this as much as I could (and having the CBT qualification helps with that too).

Like I have always said, my time in the military has taught me there has to be a holistic approach to injury recovery.

It’s not just up to the injured person, but everyone around them to be involved in their recovery to make it as quick as it can be. Often stress, knockbacks, emotional issues and traumas can have long term negative consequences on our health; so these must also be addressed, alongside the physical issues.

The best outcome is always reasoned and reciprocal, and the person we are treating has to be front and centre of the discussion and the process.

My time in the military has shown me that it is not just the person and their physiotherapist that need to be involved in the recovery plan, but possibly also their family members, friends, consultants, GPs, pharmacists, dieticians, podiatrists and other healthcare professionals as well as employers, sports teams, events, coaches, and managers etc

There needs to be a holistic approach to wellness that encapsulates the whole to get to the place you want to be.

Sometimes we need to recognise that getting better is not quick, like an Amazon Prime delivery, but a longer process of discovery and therapeutic interaction that will optimise your outcome long-term.

Whilst in the military I was also offered the opportunity to work on the Ministry Of Defence’s Net Zero and Climate Change and Sustainability strategy campaigns. I was looking at behavioural change of individuals and organisations, compiling risk assessments and looking at climate adaptation.

Because I am a member of Physiotherapy Declares, I found this work incredibly rewarding and enlightening though worrying of course; due to the multiple threats we are facing from the environmental crisis.

If you have a background in the military and have suffered an injury that I can help you with, please contact us. My service has given me a greater understanding of the challenges that current and ex-servicemen face in their daily lives, especially with their health, and I would be honoured to work with you.

Ross Conniffe-Jones Chartered Physiotherapist

Military Aviation Medical Examiner