Should I book an appointment with a physio near me?
When booking an appointment to see a physio near me there are several things to consider, none more important than the question, is seeing a physio actually worth it???
As a physio myself clearly, I would like to think that a seeing physiotherapist can assist in making a very positive impact on your quality of life, generally regardless of which stage of life you are in. I feel it is important to understand that you do not need to be experiencing what you would describe as excruciating pain to see a physio. In our Randwick physio practice in the Eastern Suburbs the reasons behind why our client’s book with us varies greatly from one individual to another. Some patients booking look for assistance regarding
post-surgical rehabilitation, assistance in recovering from
sports injuries like sprains or strains, general fracture rehabilitation, as well as postural concerns, or back and neck pain, the list could go on and on… Generally, any situation where functional capacity is impacted by mobility, strength, pain, or even barriers exist to function that aren’t purely physical but may be more mental in nature. Barriers such as a fear of movement, or a general lack of confidence in your body and its capacity to move or perform tasks you feel you should be capable of. Regardless of the underlying reason behind any functional limitation, booking in with a physio may be of benefit if any of the above situations sing true with you.
How Do I Choose My Physiotherapist
Clearly there are lots of physiotherapists out there so how do you go about choosing the right one for you? I feel there are several simple things to consider when preparing to book an appointment with a physio near me. Just as when dealing with any health professional appointments, it is obviously essential that your physiotherapist is fully qualified and appropriately accredited. To practice in Australia as a physiotherapist you must be registered and certified with AHPRA the Australian health registration board. Rest assured all our physios at The Movement Centre maintain up to date practicing registrations by meeting the necessary practice obligations, staying up to date with the annual profession development requirements, as well as meeting all the necessary professional indemnity insurance criteria that are set in Australia to practice as a physiotherapist.
Knowing any areas of special interest and the general area of practice the physio works in can be helpful when looking to choose a physio near me that suits your specific needs. All our physiotherapists at The Movement Centre in Randwick have between 10 to 20+ years’ experience. Each having worked in private practice for this period dealing with what can be described as patients’ general aches and pains, as well providing physio for post-surgical and joint replacement rehabilitation, and as
sports physios dealing with injury rehabilitation… So at The Movement Centre, whatever your issue we have you covered.
Clearly when looking for a physio near me, having a practice based in central Randwick with easy parking works well for anyone looking for a
physio in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
How long does it take to see results with physio treatment?
“How long is a piece of string…” ideally there are some basic time frame guidelines that tissue healing follow, however within these general guidelines there will always be variation influenced by a multitude of factors. Factors including:
- Injury related, regarding severity of injury variations
- pre-existing complaints that may have an impact on outcomes
- but even more complicated and challenging to measure, recovery can be impacted by a whole lot of social factors like your understanding, beliefs and fear around pain and your injury. And the impact that this can have on the way you manage your rest verses movement, and your willingness to return to pre-injury life roles…
At the Movement Centre our physio team when assisting someone with their reason for booking consider all factors, tangible or not, working to expedite the safest return to as normal function possible.
How many treatment sessions a week do I need?
Although we would like to consider that there is clearly value in attending your physiotherapy sessions, there often is more value and emphasis on what you are doing with the other 23 and a half hours a day. At The Movement Centre we work hard not to “over service.” It is common in our practice that we see patients once a week, and on occasions we may even see some one a couple of times a week for short periods if relevant and likely to be beneficial. However we understand that every patients journey and their needs are individual. We will work with you to set up a schedule that is best for your individual needs and circumstances. Taking into account all factors, including the availability of your time, finances and the condition itself.
Is it normal to feel worse before getting better?
In some situations, the physios physical assessment process, manual therapy techniques, or prescribed/practiced exercise/s may cause discomfort temporarily, or even in a more prolonged way. Ideally this is avoidable, however if discomfort is experienced then we clearly need to know. Assessment, treatment or any prescribed home management approaches most likely need to be explained further, regarding the underlying reasoning behind them if the pain experienced is considered acceptable, otherwise adjusted accordingly so this side effect is controlled. The short answer to this is no, often an element of pain or discomfort is unavoidable associated with assessment or treatment, but it is very rare that we would expect someone to feel “worse” following their session, and as a result their treatment approach would almost certainly be adjusted accordingly if this was the case.
Do I need to see a my Doctor before seeing a physio near me?
In Sydney you can choose to see a physio directly without a GP’s referral. At The Movement Centre we accept all private health funds and please note there is no need for a doctors referral to be able to claim on your fund, and receive the eligible rebate. If you choose to see your Doctor prior to seeing one of our physios that is also a great option, a doctors opinion on your injury and the relevance regarding physiotherapy treatment can undoubtedly be of benefit. As well as this, your doctor can assist by prescribing any appropriate pain relief (if relevant) and/or referring for a variety of bulk billed investigations, which in some situations are useful to the treatment planning and implementation.
What sort of advice do physios give?
A physio will usually recommend exercise and movement in general as at least a part of your session. Movement is prescribed to help mobility, function and manage any pain. The focus of the any exercise advice given may vary from specific prescribed movements designed with improving movement, strength, power, biomechanics, pain management… These movements may be targeted towards specific body parts, or more general in nature, this all depends on the intentions behind the goals of movement. Physios will also commonly offer advice on ways to “off load” tissues to assist with a process of appropriate active rest. Off loading may come in the form of footwear alterations, support, bracing and taping options, activity and working or sporting equipment modifications… Specific advice will always depend on individual circumstances and although there is often general advice that can be applied across numerous circumstances, there is typically no “one size fits all” when if comes to offering injury advice to patients.
What do physios do?
Physio treatment at The Movement Centre is aimed at helping people impacted by pain, injury and functional limitation. This is generally carried out through the use of education and advice, general and targeted movement, physiotherapeutic adjuncts including manual therapy, shockwave therapy, dry needling, sports taping…. Our goal is to help maintain an individuals health and comfortable activity levels for people of all ages. Assisting patients in managing pain and prevent any long term functional limitations.
What will happen in my first physio appointment?
At The Movement Centre your initial consultation will last up to 45 minutes and during this time your physiotherapist will ask several detailed questions about your motivation behind attending the session. This will typically include the history of the motivation to attending as well as your goals regarding treatment and your functional outcomes. Upon getting this information some form of “physical assessment” will look to help assess things such as Range of Motion (your flexibility and mobility), your strength, movement patterns, any limitations and pain triggers where relevant… Following this historical and physical assessment process, a discussion regarding appropriate treatment approaches with your physio can take place. This is all carried out in the initial session and is often reassessed and retested on subsequent sessions to gauge progress and the appropriateness of any treatment approach.
Chiropractors and physiotherapists typically have slightly different philosophical approaches when it comes to assisting their patients with regard to managing their motivations behind booking a treatment session. There are several stereotypes surrounding each profession, stereotypes which I am convinced irritate practitioners in both professions. There are variations with methods of practice within each the chiropractic and physiotherapy professions, and although there are what could be regarded as industry standards in the way a chrio, or physio practice… Personally I have worked alongside enough practitioners in each field to appreciate that variations exist, variations both between the professions, and within each profession. However, seeing as I am a physio this is a question being posed to the wrong person, as I will clearly answer, in favour of seeing a physio.
What is the difference between an osteopath and a physio?
Again, this is a question where the answer to the previous question could simply be copied and pasted here. As mentioned above, inter and intra professional variations exist and often some relatively misleading stereotypes also exist regarding the physio, chiropractic and osteopathic professions.
How should I prepare for my appointment?
The more accurate and honest information you can provide your physiotherapist the better. Therefore, being able to communicate to them what you understand as the behavior and history of the issue, how things have responded to any prior treatment approaches, and lifestyle, movement adjustments is frequently very beneficial. Noting any medication, creams you have been using, as well as any therapeutic aids braces, footwear, treatment devices… and how these have impacted the course of the complaint is also helpful. Depending on the complaint, this is frequently information the physio will attempt to pry from you so having a think about these things prior to coming in can help you in articulating your experience to date.
There is a good chance your physio will want to “assess” your movement, the specific area of your body that the complaint is relating to and possibly any relevant associated areas. Therefore, coming appropriately dressed for your session, wearing something that you can both move in freely and that “exposes” the area of concern is generally useful.
Do I have to undress during the session?
At The Movement Centre we aim to preserve as much “dignity” as possible for our patients, and will always work around things to keep them comfortable throughout the session. Depending on why you are booking, either wearing, or bringing along a pair of shorts and/or a singlet to get changed is often advisable. However, we always have both shorts, tops and gowns for patients to get changed into if they don’t have their own with them.
Why would someone book in to see a physio near me?
Patients typically book an appointment with us at the Movement Centre in relation to seeking help for a physical complaint, this is often the result of having suffered some type of accident or injury. Other patients will have a physical complaint of seemingly insidious onset, or even something they have had all, or most of their life… A physiotherapist will assess your condition to get an understanding of the motivation behind you booking and the impact this reason is having on your life, with regard to your movement and function. Your physio will then work with you to make a positive change in the condition and subsequently improving comfort, function and/or performance as indicated.
