The Pitfalls of Relying on Social Media Influencers

In an era dominated by social media, the pursuit of quick and easy solutions has become an ingrained aspect of our consumer-driven society. The natural benefits of the internet allow everyone access to the information needed to answer all their questions and some questions/problems require more research than others to get a true understanding of the answer/solution. In the realm of physiotherapy, this trend is particularly concerning as individuals increasingly turn to influencers for rehabilitation advice. The allure of instant results and easily digestible information often overshadows the critical need for evidence-based practices, as we see increasing amounts of individuals with a large following, but a poor understanding of the science behind pain, injury and recovery. 

This blog post will delve into the dangers associated with relying on social media influencers in the rehabilitation space, highlighting the lack of fact-checking, the absence of evidence-based research, and the potential consequences of blindly following influencer advice.

Consumer-Driven Society: Craving Quick Fixes ⏱️

Living in a fast-paced world, individuals yearn for swift solutions to their problems. I know I get sucked into this mindset often because it generally allows me to find efficient, quick ways to get to my desired outcome. I have found videos on YouTube and Instagram that have helped speed up my cooking prep time, cleaning tips and how to optimise my approach when playing games.  

When it comes to physiotherapy, this desire for immediate results has fueled a reliance on social media influencers who promise quick and easy rehabilitation fixes. “Do you have back pain? Try this specific exercise and it will go away. Do you sit for hours for work? That’s the reason for your pain, do this movement every day and your issues will be reversed!” I am sure you have seen posts like this - which are not inherently bad, as the solution for a lot of people’s pain is to simply do some form of exercise. In a society where time is of the essence, people are drawn to concise, easily digestible information that seems to offer instant relief.

However, the danger lies in the oversimplification of complex rehabilitation processes and sometimes the opposite where people are presenting overcomplicated exercises as the miracle cure to fix your ailment. Physiotherapy is a nuanced field that requires personalised assessment and targeted interventions. Social media influencers, with their one-size-fits-all approach, risk providing incomplete and potentially harmful advice to a diverse audience seeking tailored solutions. It is difficult to blame them, as their issue is the same as their audience - their lack of education and overestimation of their understanding of the human body due to mostly their impressive physiques!

Lack of Fact-Checking: Blind Faith in Influencers

One of the major pitfalls in the rehabilitation space on social media is the lack of fact-checking when it comes to the content created by influencers. Many individuals view these influencers as gurus in their respective fields, assuming that the information they share is gospel. As mentioned above, many of these influencers have very impressive physiques which for most people, means that they must know all about the human body and how to build muscle and fix injuries. Due to this, we often see an authority bias, where due to the physique of the influencer or simply their follower count, we believe any information they post is factual and relevant to us with little nuance. Unfortunately, this blind faith can have serious consequences.

Without proper fact-checking, misinformation can spread like wildfire.  Precision is paramount when it comes to physiotherapy and trusting unverified information can lead to ineffective exercises, improper techniques, and even exacerbation of injuries. I have seen an influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers post a video to fix elbow pain and recommend hundreds of banded curls and tricep extensions. Whilst this may help someone with high strength who may only need a deload, for the general population of people with elbow pain this volume is unnecessarily high and can result in an exacerbation of elbow pain, depending on the reason for said pain. Consumers need and should be approaching influencer content with a critical eye and cross-reference advice with established evidence-based practices. 

With NEOstream, our goal with social media content is to provide helpful general advice to our followers. Providing advice for specific injuries/pain should be given through an informed understanding of the individual needing help. The same formula of treatment will rarely work for different people with the same injury as many factors can affect healing and recovery.

Lack of Evidence-Based Research: The Quandary of Unsubstantiated Claims

A concerning trend in the rehabilitation space on social media is the circulation of advice devoid of evidence-based research. Influencers often present themselves as experts, but their recommendations may lack the scientific foundation necessary for effective and safe rehabilitation. Consumers may unknowingly adopt unproven practices, potentially compromising their well-being.

I believe I learned more outside of my university studies than I did by following the prescribed learning material for my masters degree. I am sure most people who have studied anything could say the same. However, the 2 greatest benefits from university were first, the base level of information I was given about anatomy, physiology and the main specialities of physiotherapy. The second was the ability to look for, understand, and critique research. Many people in university, (and I was probably a culprit of this too), often approach assignments by writing what they know and then finding research to back their points. This works very often, as there is so much research out there that is often conflicting. However, when you realise that much of this research has significant flaws in the design and is biased, you can start to prioritise some research over others to formulate your opinions on a topic.

Evidence-based research is the backbone of effective physiotherapy interventions. Without it, recommendations become nothing more than anecdotal advice. Anecdotal advice, however, is still a form of evidence! It is important to know that in the field of science, this is one of the lowest forms of evidence. As it does not account for confounding variables, I can have back pain, decide to only eat apples for a week, and then my back pain resolves without any other specific change (like a large proportion of acute back pain does), should I start telling all my patients with back pain to only eat apples? No, that would be silly. Now that seems like a silly comparison to social media influencer advice, but it is important to know that, just because something worked for one person, it may not for you. 

Consumers should be vigilant in discerning between evidence-based practices and speculative suggestions, prioritising the former for their rehabilitation needs. The role of the physiotherapist is that we are meant to be following evidence-based research to help our patients (which unfortunately does not always happen, we are all human) so that you do not need to.

Examples of Misapplications

To underscore the potential dangers of blindly following influencer advice, it is crucial to explore instances where individuals have applied knowledge provided by influencers with disastrous consequences. Real-world examples, whether from news articles or surveys, serve as cautionary tales, illustrating the importance of approaching rehabilitation advice with scepticism. You can go back to one of your favourite influencers in this space, check an old post and you’ll likely see at least one person commenting “I tried this and it made my pain worse”. 

Now this is not uncommon, even for a licenced physiotherapist. Not every treatment will work for every person, and one treatment that can completely resolve one individual's symptoms can just as easily worsen another individual. The reason? We are all different! The difference between this happening with a professional you book in to see and an online influencer is that you don’t have a follow-up. If you have received an exercise program following your NEOstream physiotherapy online consult, and your pain starts to worsen, you can book in to see us again and we can analyse why this happened and adjust your program accordingly. Sometimes, pain is okay when doing exercise, if this is the case, you could email your therapist and we would advise whether or not you should continue or stop doing the exercise altogether. The reason why I wouldn’t advise this in a follower-social media influencer relationship is that they do not know your history - both medical and your social (work, sport, social) and this can influence your recovery as much as the next thing.

Safeguarding Your Rehabilitation Journey

In a world captivated by the allure of social media influencers, it is imperative to recognise the potential dangers they pose in the rehabilitation space. A consumer-driven society craving quick fixes, coupled with a lack of fact-checking and evidence-based research, creates a perfect storm for misguided advice. By highlighting the risks associated with blindly following influencers, we hope to encourage individuals to approach rehabilitation advice with discernment and prioritise evidence-based practices. 

In the quest for optimal health and well-being, knowledge should be sought from reliable, thoroughly vetted sources, ensuring a safer and more effective journey towards rehabilitation. Be sure to follow the advice of people staying within their scope of practice, if NEOstream starts advising on real estate, neuro-psychology or anything that seems a little unusual, don’t blindly follow the advice and you’ll likely be better off in the long run.

NEOstream brings the buzz of telehealth to your fingertips 👨‍💻. Ready to redefine your physiotherapy experience? Here’s your chance –book your initial appointment and feel the NEOstream difference firsthand! 🙌