Can AI Replace Your Physio?

I recently encountered a post from a runner who shared how they achieved a marathon PB from using ChatGPT. It seemed convenient — quick, accessible, and of course, the running plan was free. When it comes to your back, there’s no substitute for a skilled Physiotherapist who can listen, see, feel, and adapt in real time. That’s the foundation of our learning in orthopaedic medicine.

Having mentored students over many years, I’ve learned that the best Physios listen well, remain curious, and make the complexities of pain less complicated.

Here’s why a real-life Physio beats ChatGPT and all its bot-friends:

AI tools rely on what you type into the search bar, and as we have all discovered, the better the context you give, the better the answer. The problem is that you don’t know what you don’t know.

A Physio asks the important questions, not only the obvious ones, such as what aggravates your pain, but also the less obvious ones- like your lifestyle, nutritional, work, life, and social engagements.

Not only will a good Physio ask great questions, but they will also look critically at how you move. They observe posture, gait, strength, flexibility, breathing, and how your pain changes moment to moment.
Expert human observation is not confined to a singular moment, but is an evolving assessment and reassessment process that matches your needs. This observational cohort study in outpatient Physiotherapy clinics showed that just the history-taking and physical examination performed by physiotherapists produced statistically meaningful improvements in patient pain and function before any “treatment” was applied.

Correct Diagnosis

Back pain can have many causes, ranging from disc irritation, joint stiffness, muscle spasms, nerve sensitivity, to stress, lifestyle, and even hormonal factors. It’s a nuanced condition. Your pain cannot be oversimplified as a change to your disc or spinal joints. Your back pain also reflects how well your body’s tissues can handle and adapt to the loads placed on them. A great Physio can test, palpate, and clinically reason through these factors. This ensures the plan targets what actually needs fixing.

AI gives static exercises, handouts, and guides- a fix-all, monochrome magic formula for everybody. A brilliant Physio provides coaching: correcting form, adjusting load, progressing safely. They lead you to prevent flare-ups and take you beyond what you think is possible. That’s the difference between just doing exercises and doing a targeted goal-oriented, effective, progressive rehab programme.

Recovery isn’t just physical — it involves sleep, stress, work ergonomics, and movement habits
A real Physio connects all these dots, problem-solves their interconnectedness and helps you stay accountable.

If pain worsens or new symptoms appear, an AI can’t respond.
A Physio knows when to modify load (how heavy), mode (how far and what position), rep range and technique. Not only will they provide you with a plan, but they can also adapt it when needed, investigate further, or refer to another medical practitioner when needed.— keeping you safe.

AI can be a great tool for many things; we use it too in our clinics to help write notes and assist with administrative tasks, but it is always Physio-led. For lasting back pain recovery, nothing replaces our expert hands, eyes, clinical reasoning and yes, the trust relationship.

Ready to experience Physio-led care that truly makes a difference? Book your session today and start your path to lasting recovery.