Matt Kinal
Specialist Pain Physiotherapist - Bristol
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Matt Kinal
Specialist Pain Physiotherapist - Bristol
Is your pain stopping you from doing the things you enjoy?
Do you have a long term pain problem that isn't improving despite trying lots of different types of treatment?
If so, why not get in contact to find out how I can help you?
I use my years of experience working in a variety of clinical settings, including the NHS, private practice, professional sport and the prison service and my background in pain science to provide innovative and individualised treatment programmes.
It is really important to me to provide a relaxed and caring environment, which allows people to feel safe and comfortable when exploring the various factors associated with their pain.
Paul had been suffering with pain in his leg which had stopped him from sitting down for 24 years. This meant he had to adapt his life considerably. He worked and ate standing up. He had tried numerous different types of treatment and had been through two pain management programmes. Following treatment he is now able to sit for long periods of time, enjoy meals with his family, go to football matches and go on holiday abroad, all of which he previously wasn't able to do.
Adam was suffering from excruciating leg pain, which was significantly limiting his activity. He had tried taking different pain medications and had an injection, which hadn't helped. By thinking about his pain from a different perspective he was able to improve his pain and lead an active life.
Matt was recommended to me by another of his clients, after I’d been experiencing back pain. I’d already seen other physios (NHS and private) but nothing seemed to “fix” it. After just one phone call with Matt (and following up on the things that he’d recommended), at last, things started to change. The ideas and approaches that Matt introduced me to “revolutionised” my life. Particularly, I had no understanding (and little belief) in the role that emotional factors play in pain. And six years on, I continue to see Matt now and again, for this and that. Matt’s approach was truly a breathe of fresh air back then, and he continues to work in this way. In fact, even though whatever issue is resolved, I’m always a little disappointed when our sessions end. They leave me feeling brighter and calmer on the whole; so much so, I sometimes wish I had more booked in!
“I had been suffering with lower back pain for many years and it particularly worsened in my early twenties, when I also developed neck and shoulder pain. An MRI scan showed that the bottom two discs in my lower back were degenerative and prolapsed and I also had some facet joint degeneration. I was living with daily pain that was restricting my activity and stopping me doing simple things like gardening and cleaning.
I had tried chiropractic treatment, been through the back in action programme, tried Pilates and had an epidural steroid injection, but this didn’t help. I was taking Nortriptyline, Gabapentin and Paracetamol on a daily basis for the pain.
After seeing my GP she advised me to contact Matt. Over the next three months I began to understand the underlying causes of my pain. I understood how my emotions and cognitions were maintaining the pain rather than letting it switch off. Initially, my pain didn’t settle then after a few months as I began to understand what was going on, it gradually improved. I also began to feel less anxious and was able to come off all my pain medications. Following a life time of pain I now only get pain occasionally and it usually settles quickly. I’m very pleased that I went through this approach as it has changed my life!”
“I came across the SIRPA approach after having read Dr John Sarno’s book “Healing back pain”. At the time I was suffering from buttock and leg pain on, which was stopping me from sitting down on anything but hard chairs, keeping me awake and preventing me from doing two things I love, running and gardening. I’d been through treatments with 5 or 6 practitioners (osteopath, physios, shiatsu, etc.) but nothing provided relief for more than a few days. An MRI scan a few months before, showed disk degeneration and doctors had told me that this was causing my pain and maybe it would go away on its own, otherwise all I could do was manage the pain. Somehow, this didn’t seem quite right!
Having located Matt through speaking to Georgie Oldfield (founder of SIRPA) on the phone, I saw him a few days later and immediately felt at ease. Matt helped me to realise that I had conditioned my body into expecting pain when I did certain movements. Through looking at the way I thought about things and dealt with situations and changing those thoughts myself, I was soon able to run and garden again, relax in chairs and bed.
I found the process very accessible and Matt very approachable in helping me through it, encouraging but not intruding.
I have been pain free for some time now, but the benefits are ongoing. "
"Thanks Matt!”
"Before seeing Matt I had been struggling with pain in my feet for about a year and a half. They would swell, turn red, and feel hot and painful. Walking, shopping, housework and exercising would be unbearable after a short while. I stopped doing many of the things I enjoyed as a result and it began to impact on my job. I had already had various treatments, including physiotherapy, podiatry and acupuncture, and was taking regular medication, none of which improved the pain.
I contacted Matt, discussed my symptoms with him, and decided to book in for an assessment. He examined my feet and took a detailed history. He helped me to understand how the pain related to changes in the central nervous system rather than in my feet, and how emotional and cognitive factors played a role in the pain I was feeling. This gave me increasing confidence to start doing more and get back on my feet (literally). It sounds crazy, but by talking, thinking about, and approaching the pain a little differently, I was gradually able to do more and more. I’m now off all pain medication, back to doing the things I enjoy, and have even been hiking abroad, which I would never have been able to do before! Sometimes the pain flares up, but I know how to manage it now, and it no longer stops me in my tracks. I cannot thank Matt enough!’"