Overview:

Michael Schumacher sits down with Katie Knapton, Chair of Physio First, for a blunt conversation about private practice, resistance to innovation, bad incentives, and why clinics still struggle with business basics. They get into AI, video consults, practice standards, PMI negotiations, and the brutal reality of running clinics in 2025. No fluff. No polite industry theatre.

Show Notes:

Most interviews with professional bodies are polite, filtered, and pointless.
This one isn’t.
Michael speaks with Katie Knapton, Chair of Physio First, clinician, and founder of a national video physio service, about what is actually happening inside the private MSK world.
They get straight into the uncomfortable stuff:
why Physio First had a reputation problem, what Katie has changed, and why clinic owners still don’t understand most of what the organisation actually does for them.
They cover:
• The resistance to innovation across MSK
• Why so many physios still believe manual therapy is “the treatment”
• How video consultations fit into modern MSK practice
• Why patients are starting to trust AI triage more than clinicians
• Threats to first appointment numbers as ChatGPT gives accurate early advice
• Why some physios fear AI and others embrace it
• What Physio First is actually offering: business support, legal helplines, mentorship, student placements, and national advocacy
• The growing divide between high-quality clinics and everyone else
• What private equity is doing to the sector
Michael challenges Physio First directly on due diligence, partnerships, quality control, and whether they should be doing more to protect clinics from bad actors.
Katie gives candid answers, explains what’s changing behind the scenes, and outlines how the independent sector is evolving fast — with paediatrics, neuro, frailty, and community rehab exploding while MSK plateaus.
They finish by pulling apart the big question:
What happens when private equity owns half the sector, and who is left to protect patient outcomes?
If you run a clinic, this is essential listening.

What You'll Learn:

• Why Physio First is changing and what it actually offers now
• How video consultations fit into modern patient pathways
• Why AI triage will reduce unnecessary first appointments
• Why poorly informed physio is now a commercial risk
• How resistance to innovation weakens clinics
• How private equity is reshaping the MSK landscape
• Why PMIs negotiate the way they do
• The real hierarchy of what a professional body should protect
• Why many clinics still lack business fundamentals
• How student placements and graduate support could fix workforce issues

Who This Episode Is For:

MSK clinic owners, physios frustrated with the CSP, clinicians curious about Physio First, anyone worried about AI replacing parts of their workflow, and every clinic owner who wants the sector to grow rather than loop old mistakes forever.

Guest Details:

Guest: Katie Knapton

Roles: Chair of Physio First, physiotherapist, founder of a national video physio service

Specialisms: Clinical leadership, sector advocacy, business support, graduate development, national partnerships

LinkedIn: Katie Knapton