What to expect when you see the physio

Have you put off going to a physio as you don’t know what to expect or are worried about the treatment you’ll receive? Trust me, it’s all good. Read on to find out the ins and outs and why it’s worth the investment.

Because of my active lifestyle, I see a physiotherapist regularly. And I’ll be seeing them a lot more in the coming weeks after sustaining a serious knee injury playing netball this week (more posts on that to come!).

These days I think nothing of the process. I make a booking online and turn up. And during my session I ask an exhausting amount of questions to learn about my body, anatomy and how things work. I see physios as critical to helping you live your best life. In my opinion, nothing impacts your quality of life more than not being able to experience it fully because of a limited range of movement. It not only affects you physically, but socially and mentally too if you let it.

To physio, or not?

So at my last appointment, we got talking about the barriers that stop people seeking out physiotherapy treatment more often. There were the usual suspects – the cost, doctor’s referral to attend (which you don’t need btw), brushing off the ‘niggle’, or not being in circles that see/advocate for physio treatment. I get this, and wrote a previous post about when is the best time to see a physio.

What I learnt though was sometimes it’s simply the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen that’s a deterrent. Well rest assured seeing a physio is 100% more enjoyable than seeing a dentist, and you’ll come out feeling better than when you walked in.

Here’s what to expect when you attend your first physio appointment.

1. Paperwork
   
   Just like going to a doctor’s appointment or any other specialist, arrive 5 minutes early to fill in some basic medical history. This ensures the team has all your relevant records on file. Also do a Google map search to make sure you’re ok with the location and parking. Sometimes physios form part of small shopping precincts and it’s one less stressor to know ahead of time where you’re going.
   
2. Talk before touch
   
   When it’s your timeslot you’ll be called up and invited into a treatment room, normally a physio bed roped off with curtains just like at a hospital. Your physio will then chat to you for 5 to 10 minutes about the reason for your visit, your goals, your injury etc. This is the consultation part and is needed to determine the course of action and your rehab plan.
   
3. Clothing matters
   
   There’s a misconception you might have to nude up and no, you don’t and won’t. Modesty is always preserved. But it is important that you give some thought to what you’ll wear. Choose something that is comfortable and if possible, leaves whatever needs attention visible.  Women can wear ¾ tights, and shorts and loose tees are all good options for both male and female. Avoid wearing jeans or anything else that would make it difficult for a physio to do treatment on the impacted area.
   
4. Getting physical
   
   After the talking, your hands-on treatment starts. Where/what your injury is will dictate what parts of your body are worked on, and how. When I was last in, it was my rotator cuff and my left hamstring needing attention. My physio did physical therapy on my left arm, shoulder and neck explaining how neural pathways work. The next focus area was my hamstring. Lying on my belly, the physio got to work massaging my lower limb as we discussed how my rehab exercises were going (the hamstring has been an ongoing problem).
   
5. Times up
   
   As the physical therapy winds up, your physio will talk you through a rehab plan and show you exercises to do to strengthen the injured/niggling body part. This is where you can go to town asking as many questions as you like. To strengthen my rotator cuff, I was given a resistance band and shown three specific exercises to do at home. I also got a refresh of hip strengthening exercises to do to support a strong hamstring (yes, glute bridges were in there).
   
   As part of your rehab plan, you’ll be given a timeslot of when to book in next to see how you’re progressing. Your session will finish with some encouraging words, before you’re shown back out to reception to settle the bill.

Straight forward and no fuss, right? What I really enjoy is the opportunity to ask questions, and leaving with my own personal plan that makes me feel in control of my body, while I can’t control what’s happened.

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Until next time,
Maryanne K