Lawrence Academy

You’ve probably asked:

Should I focus on YouTube or Instagram?

Both platforms have large audiences. Both offer opportunities. But when it comes to long-term visibility, organic reach, and content performance, they’re very different.

Here’s the truth:
Instagram wants your money. YouTube wants your content.

Why is YouTube Is the Best Platform for Health Creators?

YouTube is more than a social media site—it’s the second largest search engine in the world. And unlike Instagram, where content fades quickly, YouTube videos can grow in popularity over months or even years.

YouTube Content Compounds Over Time

• Evergreen content thrives. Educational videos, tutorials, exercise demos, or condition explainers continue to be discovered long after they’re posted. Often many years after! 
• Search-based discovery. YouTube ranks content based on relevance, retention, and engagement—not just recency.
• Long shelf life. A well-made YouTube video can become a permanent part of your digital libra
...

Are you pouring time into your social media content—only to get a handful of likes or the same few people engaging and no real signs of growth?

You're not alone.

In 2024, organic engagement rates dropped to record lows (63% from 2017). In fact, even if you have 1,000 followers, your post might only be seen by half a person.

But here's the thing: low engagement isn’t failure—it's simply how the platforms are designed.

1. Algorithms now prioritise personal connections
2. Platforms prioritise users who pay
3. Feeds are more crowded than ever
4. People are lurking, not liking

To learn more I highly recommend The Social Success for Physical Therapists Guide by my friend Tor Davies, former physio, publisher and now clinic marketing expert. 

I have read it ‘cover to cover’ and you can access it for FREE simply by registering for free on https://co-kinetic.com/

This is essential reading for any health professional using social media to build their brand, attract patients and share experti...

NO

Here's my recent experience: My latest video on the romantic topic of 'Rotator Cuff Calcific Tendinopathy' was uploaded this week using a title I had asked Gemini to suggest.

I pasted my video script into gemini and asked for 5 keyword rich titles of which I then selected the 1st one on the list.

'Shoulder Calcium Deposits: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment (Calcific Tendinopathy Explained)'

When the video went public it failed to pick up search traffic and I felt that all too common despair that nearly all YouTubers secretly feel very frequently.

The Fix: I knew the solution was a title change. Going back to basics I researched the top ten videos on the topic, filtered by views, and then made a note of the titles and picked out the most common key words. I then used this to create a new title that would appeal to patients more than professionals - because there is more patients looking on YouTube than professionals.

The RESULTS as you can see in the image were rapid and I can now ...

Calcific Tendinopathy of the Rotator Cuff

What Is It?

Calcific tendinopathy is when calcium builds up inside the rotator cuff tendons (usually the supraspinatus). It can cause pain but is often found in people with no symptoms at all.

Who Gets It?

• Common in adults aged 30–60
• More frequent in women
• Linked with diabetes, hypothyroidism, and frozen shoulder
• Not caused by heavy lifting or injury

What Causes It?

The exact cause isn’t fully known. It may involve:

• Tendon cells turning into bone/cartilage-forming cells
• Poor healing or overuse
• Possibly genetic or metabolic factors

It goes through three stages:

1. Pre-calcific – no symptoms
2. Calcific – calcium appears (may or may not hurt)
3. Post-calcific – body absorbs calcium and tendon heals

What Are the Symptoms?

• Shoulder pain (can come on suddenly or build up slowly)
• Worse at night
• Limited movement
• But remember: up to 50% feel nothing at all

How Is It Diagnosed?

• Ultrasound is the best tool
• X-rays can show
...

Do your patients complain of leg or buttock pain when walking—but feel relief when they sit or lean forward?

This classic presentation points toward neurogenic claudication, often caused by lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), a degenerative condition common in adults over 60. As a physiotherapist, identifying the cause of claudication is critical for guiding effective, non-surgical management strategies and avoiding unnecessary referrals or interventions.

Let’s break down what you need to know about spinal stenosis, how to differentiate claudication types, and which exercises and clinical tests can guide your practice.

What Is Lumbar Spinal Stenosis?

Lumbar spinal stenosis refers to a narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back, often due to age-related degenerative changes. This narrowing compresses the spinal nerves, impairing blood flow and leading to symptoms like:

• Buttock or leg pain with walking

• Heaviness, cramping, or pins and needles

• Pain relief when

  ...

As health professionals, we often encounter patients grappling with an acute onset of back pain. All patients want us to address their immediate symptoms but we can also help them to prepare for flare-ups. In this blog post, we'll explore a few strategies that you can share with your patients to empower them in managing their back pain. They feature in this video that you can share with patients or create your own video. 

Understanding Back Pain: The Role of Pain Memory

One intriguing concept to introduce to patients is "pain memory." Pain memory is when the brain activates the same neural pathways during a current episode of back pain that were previously active during a more intense episode. This can elevate the perceived pain level, even if the current episode is triggered by a smaller stimulus. Encourage patients to recognize when their brain might be producing exaggerated pain signals, especially in the absence of recent trauma. Help them understand that pain is not always indic...

When it comes to AI which category would you sit in?

A:  Ignore it and hope someone switches it off soon.

B: Love it and use it all the time to do helpful and less helpful things.

C: Passionately hate it, the AI future terrifies me.

Not only is AI taking over fast but the speed of development within AI is like nothing we have witnessed in human history.

This blog provides some thoughts on what AI means for us as therapists, across the different physical and manual professions.

But first…

The cautionary tale of Babylon: Once an ancient city with good healthcare (for its time ) it also became the name of a Healthcare tech company that launched in 2013 and went on to win contracts around the world, including with the NHS – Its valuation in 2021 was $4.2 Billion yet in 2023 the company had vanished due to bankruptcy.

What happened to Babylon? Many things, including over reliance on AI and a data breach. For example, a patient presenting with classic symptoms of a pulmonary em...

Do you have social media insurance? (Part One)

Don’t post videos online, get influencer insurance, your already covered, no your not. It’s fine just as long as no one from America watches them! I have heard all of these responses and none of them are helpful.

This is part one of my findings. In part two I will share the input from two well-known industry insurance companies.

Do you need extra insurance to post professional content on social media?

My Disclaimer: This is an opinion piece based on my research and understanding as a UK-registered physiotherapist (MCSP) and health content creator. It should not be interpreted as legal or definitive insurance advice. Always consult with your professional body and insurance provider for specific guidance related to your circumstances.

Why am I writing this?

As a fellow healthcare professional actively involved in creating and sharing health-related content on social media, and as someone who guides others in this space...

Learn how to effectively massage the scalene muscles with this quick guide! 💆‍♀️

These deep neck muscles often get tight, causing tension headaches and neck pain. This simple technique can help you find relief.

#scalenemassage #neckpainrelief #tensionheadache #selfmassage #deeptissuemassage #myofascialrelease #triggerpointtherapy #relaxationtechniques #wellnessjourney #bodypositive #painmanagement

If you or one of your clients is thinking of having an injection due to shoulder pain, then read this blog or watch this video first.

Shoulder pain is the third most common muscle and joint problem in adults over the age of 45. Injections, physical therapy, and surgery are the most common treatments offered for shoulder pain by healthcare providers.

Let's quickly review a few facts about shoulder injections. Starting with what substance do they inject?

In most cases, the preparation in the syringe will contain two different medications:

• For more immediate pain relief, a local anesthetic is added to a slower-acting anti-inflammatory steroid.
• The faster-acting local anesthetic helps to identify the problem because if the pain reduces after the injection, it indicates that the correct area or structure was injected and was the possible cause of the pain.

Shoulder injections may also contain one of these other compounds:

• Hyaluronic acid: This is a natural substance found in yo
...