I’ve never had physiotherapy ! What does it include ?
This is a question we hear quite frequently from potential clients at Active Therapy …
Many are unsure what physiotherapy treatment actually looks like and most importantly, is it likely to help them recover !
So before you take the first step to call us and book an appointment we have put together this article to help you understand a little bit more about physiotherapy and how we operate at Active Therapy
We hope it helps answer some of your questions but if you require any further information then just email us at admin@active-therapy.com and we’ll be happy to help !
So what exactly is physiotherapy ?
Well this is an interesting place to start because people’s perceptions of what physiotherapy is tend to vary quite significantly …. This can be influenced by their prior experiences of previous physio treatment, what they have been told it does or doesn’t include (often by well-meaning family members or friends) or from information they may have read on the internet …
So let’s start by bringing some clarity to exactly what physiotherapy assessment and treatment looks like at Active Therapy ….
Well the first thing to highlight is that you are being assessed and treated by an expert in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy … For example unlike GP’s this type of work has been our area of specialism for the past 23 years.. Our lead clinician was a former orthopedic specialist within the NHS so would actually be the specialist your own GP would refer to instead of an orthopaedic consultant… Be assured you are in expert hands
You will initially be assessed in detail for 45 minutes and this includes listening to your story and details about your condition. This is followed by a detailed physical examination carried out by an expert clinician … This combination of adequate time, attention to detail and expert assessment allows us to provide you with an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.. This is an area we find has often been overlooked and many patients don’t actually know what is causing their pain and what they need to do to address these issues. At Active Therapy you will receive a detailed email after your appointment which clearly outlines your working diagnosis and the associated treatment plan.
We will educate you about your condition and help you to understand more in language you understand ! No technical jargon unless required ! Having knowledge of your condition and how to manage this is a very important part of your recovery and allows you to understand all aspects of your treatment and self-management.
We then administer any appropriate treatment you require… This can vary significantly dependent upon your condition and stage of recovery…Often we require more ‘hands-on’ treatment to begin and this tapers off as we move through your treatment plan… We often find that manual treatment techniques are not offered by the NHS and others but when used in a targeted, evidence focused manner can really help achieve more efficient outcomes… Again you will be educated on all treatments used and their influence on your recovery …
But the Covid 19 pandemic has also allowed us to understand that effective patient management can also occur online via video consultation and self administered treatment techniques can achieve great results. So of this is your preference or location precludes attendance in clinic this is also a service we can offer …
Physiotherapy as a profession has it’s roots in exercise prescription… Therefore a major aspect of your treatment is the provision of self-management exercises. These will be provided using out leading exercise software system and will include videos, pictures and full details of exactly what and when we want you to perform exercises to optmise your recovery. So you do need to make time to complete your exercises. There is a degree of accountability here and for you to achieve the outcomes you wish then you need to remain consistent with your plan … But we will provide all the support you need …
So if you cannot commit to this process you have to question if you are in the right place for physiotherapy treatment to be effective ??
We measure your outcome based upon subjective markers (things you have told us are difficult or painful) and functional markers (our testing procedures) …. And as we ‘hand the keys’ over to you we provide you with all the education on self-management you require and also a discharge exercise plan to continue with …..
I often discharge my patients with the words ‘in the nicest possible way, I hope not to see you again anytime soon’ … And this is my full intention that the treatment, education and self management I have provided results in effective outcomes and no issues with recurrency of the same condition …
I hope this short article has helped you to gain a small insight of the nature of physiotherapy assessment and treatment … But please contact me at admin@active-therapy.com or 07970110526 and I’d be happy to help
Look forward to meeting you soon and helping on your journey toward a pain free, active lifestyle
Andrew Caldwell
Consultant Physiotherapist
Clinical Director