Let me introduce myself - I am Aleksej Kulicik, but everyone calls me just Alex. I am a MASSAGE therapist. I have been practicing massage techniques since 2013. And in Scotland I have been working as a Massage Therapist for over four years.

I received my first diplomas in Classical (Swedish) and Sports Massage in Latvia. In Scotland, I confirmed/completed the course in Sports and Therapeutic Massage and received a Diploma at the "Scottish Massage School". But, I work with more opportunities than just MASSAGE, so my clients have often called me a Physiotherapist... Hmm, an immodest interesting statement, isn't it! No, I have no right to call myself a physiotherapist. That's true! And yes, I am simply (not simply) a Massage Therapist. But don't rush to throw stones at me, wait a minute - I'll explain it to you now.

In the UK, and specifically here in Scotland, most people have experienced some difficulties in getting adequate medical care, this is not news and not a secret, is it? For the most common complaints, we receive the first-protocol answer - "paracetamol" and/or "PHYSIOTHERAPIST". I will say right away - these are really good recommendations in most cases. But, as always, there is a BUT...

In Scotland, a physiotherapist is definitely a higher university medical education, which cannot be obtained in any private structures or in college. Here, a Physiotherapist is a specialist almost a Rehabilitation Doctor, who owns therapeutic techniques/practices such as all types of MASSAGE techniques (including chiropractic - not everything is so clear in this technique, in my convinced opinion), acupuncture, kinesio/osteopathic techniques-methods, as well as hardware physiotherapy, ultrasound, X-ray, and of course exercises.

So, Physiotherapy. In the UK, in Scotland, a great Foundation was laid years ago. It seems that he is not yet a rehabilitation doctor, but at the same time – with maximum opportunities for assistance and treatment of many pathologies and ailments in the human musculoskeletal system. Only something broke... And today the maximum majority of cases are registered by my clients, when they simply bail (or even sent by mail) on specific complaints with a sheet of paper with exercises, and sent them home. It is easier than helping in the specialty, for example, to do the same massage that often needs to be done. And/or work out those same exercises together with the patient. I assure you - if you were given an information sheet with exercises and they did not work through them together - this is absolutely not enough! First of all, because most people will not do anything on their own at home. This is a fact, do not even argue! But the main thing is that without skills it is almost impossible to perform the exercise correctly – it is worth turning your hand slightly at a different angle and you are already using another muscle, for example...

So, yes, I do not just massage. But I also work on exercises when necessary. That's how I was taught, by the way, here in Scotland too. So I do almost everything a post-graduate Physiotherapist should do. (The only exception is that I don't have a document confirming that I can call myself that "magic" word - physiotherapist. Not yet...) And draw your own conclusions, go to the GP for a referral to a physiotherapist or immediately seek real help, for example, from me.