Lower back pain, one of the world's leading causes of disability, has left hundreds of thousands of people in the UK stuck on long waiting lists for treatment. To address the crisis, the NHS is trialling a new solution: Flok Health, the first AI-powered physiotherapy clinic approved by the Care Quality Commission.

The app offers patients immediate access to personalised treatment plans through pre-recorded videos driven by artificial intelligence.

Created by former Olympic rower Finn Stevenson and tech expert Ric da Silva, Flok aims to treat straightforward cases that don't require scans or hands-on intervention.

Patients interact with an AI-powered virtual physio, responding to questions that tailor the treatment pathway, with over a billion potential combinations. Unlike generative AI, Flok uses a more controlled system, eliminating the risk of fabricated medical advice.

The service has already launched in Scotland and is expanding across England, with ambitions to cover half the UK within a year. Flok is also adding treatment for conditions like hip and knee osteoarthritis, and women's pelvic health.

While promising, the system depends on patients correctly following instructions, as the AI cannot monitor physical movements. Real physiotherapists are available to answer questions, but they do not provide live feedback during exercises.

Though effective for some, not all users find AI a perfect fit. Some, like the article's author, prefer the hands-on guidance and posture corrections of human therapists.

Experts agree AI has potential to make healthcare more accessible and efficient, but caution that these tools must be rigorously evaluated, continuously monitored, and designed to support -not replace -clinical care.