Physiotherapist in Ixelles & Woluwe-Saint-Pierre

The knee is heavily loaded in daily life and in sport. A sprain, a meniscus or cruciate ligament injury, a tendinopathy or osteoarthritis can make walking, stairs or running painful.

Physiotherapist and osteopath D.O., David Otu treats knee pain and knee rehabilitation in Ixelles and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, with or without surgery.

Conditions treated

• Knee sprain
• Meniscus injury (operated or not)
• Cruciate ligaments (ACL): rehabilitation before and after surgery
• Patellar tendinopathy (often called tendinitis), patellofemoral pain
• Iliotibial band syndrome (runner's knee)
• Knee osteoarthritis, rehabilitation after knee replacement

Treatment

A painful knee is rarely rehabilitated by looking at the knee alone: the hip, the ankle, how you walk, run or jump — and above all the load placed on the tissue — matter just as much. Rehabilitation progresses in stages, with objective criteria to move from one to the next.

1. 1.Assess

   Assessment of knee, hip and ankle mobility, stability and strength, and analysis of the movements that trigger pain.

2. 2.Calm & protect

   Managing pain and swelling, temporarily adapting load (without complete rest when it isn't needed).

3. 3.Strengthen

   Progressive strengthening of the quadriceps, hamstrings and hips, balance and knee-control work.

4. 4.Return

   Back to running, jumping and changes of direction when simple strength and control tests allow it — not just when the pain is gone.

Is knee rehabilitation reimbursed?

Yes, in physiotherapy with a medical prescription: David Otu is a contracted physiotherapist, sessions are reimbursed by INAMI/RIZIV according to the fee schedule.

Should I start physio before ACL surgery?

Pre-operative preparation is often recommended by surgeons. Discuss it with your doctor and bring your prescription.

Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries, in sport and in daily life. Poorly rehabilitated, they can leave the ankle unstable and lead to repeated sprains.

In Ixelles and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, David Otu, physiotherapist and osteopath D.O., supports ankle rehabilitation and foot pain all the way back to your activities.

Conditions treated

• Ankle sprain, recent or recurring
• Ankle instability
• Achilles tendinopathy (often called tendinitis)
• Plantar fasciopathy (fasciitis), heel pain
• Rehabilitation after ankle fracture or surgery

Treatment

A “simple” sprain that is poorly rehabilitated is the leading cause of re-injury. Rehabilitation therefore doesn't stop when the pain fades: it aims to restore the ankle's stability, strength and reflexes before you return to your activities.

1. 1.Assess

   Assessment of stability, mobility and strength, and checking the signs that should rule out a fracture.

2. 2.Protect & mobilise

   Managing swelling, early and dosed return to walking and mobility.

3. 3.Strengthen

   Ankle and calf strengthening, increasingly demanding balance and proprioception work.

4. 4.Return

   Progressive hops, landings and changes of direction, then return to sport once stability and strength tests are satisfactory.

When should rehabilitation start after a sprain?

Usually quite early, once a fracture has been ruled out if needed. Early, progressive rehabilitation reduces the risk of recurrence.

Is sprain rehabilitation reimbursed?

Yes, with a medical prescription: physiotherapy sessions are reimbursed by INAMI/RIZIV.

After surgery, rehabilitation is a decisive step to regain mobility, strength and independence. It follows the surgeon's instructions and progresses at the pace of healing.

As a contracted physiotherapist, David Otu provides post-operative rehabilitation in Ixelles and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, with a medical prescription and INAMI/RIZIV reimbursement.

Rehabilitation offered

• Total knee or hip replacement
• ACL reconstruction, meniscus
• Shoulder surgery (rotator cuff, instability)
• Fracture (wrist, ankle, shoulder…) after immobilisation
• Spine surgery, following the surgeon's advice

Treatment

After surgery, rehabilitation follows the surgeon's protocol and the pace of healing. Each stage has a clear, measurable goal, so you progress neither too fast nor too slowly, until you are back to independence, work or sport.

1. 1.Initial assessment

   Review of the surgical report and the surgeon's protocol, assessment of pain, range of motion and strength.

2. 2.Recover

   Managing pain and swelling, gradually recovering range of motion and walking.

3. 3.Strengthen

   Progressive strengthening and functional work: stairs, daily tasks, weight-bearing, balance.

4. 4.Return to activity

   Back to work or sport according to criteria agreed with you and with the surgeon.

What should I bring to the first session?

The medical prescription, your ID card, the surgical report and, if you have it, the surgeon's rehabilitation protocol.

Is post-surgery rehabilitation reimbursed?

Yes. David Otu is a contracted physiotherapist: sessions are reimbursed by INAMI/RIZIV with a medical prescription.

A sports injury needs precise care: relieve, rehabilitate, then prepare a return to sport without re-injury. Football, running, racket sports, the gym — every discipline has its own demands.

Physiotherapist and osteopath D.O., David Otu has worked in the medical staff of sports clubs (RSD Jette and Royal Racing Club de Waterloo). He supports recreational and competitive athletes in Ixelles and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.

Injuries and situations treated

• Muscle strain, pull or tear
• Groin pain, adductor pain
• Tendinopathies (often called tendinitis): shoulder, knee, Achilles tendon, elbow (tennis elbow)
• Ankle or knee sprain
• Painful shoulder in athletes
• Return to sport after injury or surgery, injury prevention

Treatment

In sports rehabilitation, being pain-free does not mean being recovered. The approach draws on modern sports rehab: understand the injury and its causes, manage load, strengthen progressively and clear the return to play with tests, not with the calendar.

1. 1.Test

   Assessment of the injury, mobility, strength and the movements of your sport, and of what may have contributed to the injury (training load, recovery).

2. 2.Treat

   Manual therapy and load management to settle the area without losing fitness.

3. 3.Train

   Progressive strengthening, then increasingly specific work: running, accelerations, changes of direction, jumps, technical skills.

4. 4.Return & prevent

   Step-by-step return to sport, cleared by strength and control tests, and a prevention programme to limit the risk of re-injury.

When can I return to sport after an injury?

When strength, mobility and movement-control tests allow it, not just when the pain is gone. The return is planned step by step.

Osteopathy or physiotherapy for a sports injury?

Physiotherapy is central to rehabilitation; osteopathy can complement it for associated tension and pain. Training in both makes it possible to choose what suits you best.