If you've never had physiotherapy before, you might be a little nervous about your first appointment with your new specialist in physiotherapy. To help you feel better prepared, here's a quick guide to everything you'll want to know before your session.

How does physiotherapy work?

During physiotherapy you'll use a combination of movements, exercises and "manual therapy" - which is a lot like massage - to improve movement and strength in various parts of your body and to help you minimise the amount of pain you feel. Our expert Ealing physiotherapy team will also help you with your mobility aids, recommending specific types and showing you how to use them correctly.

What should I wear for my physio session?

The most important thing is to wear comfortable clothes that don't restrict your movement and are suitable for exercise. Your physio is going to need to see the affected area up close as you move, so if it's possible to wear an outfit that makes that easier, such as shorts for leg treatments, then you may wish to do so. If you wear bras, a sports bra is a good idea.

What will happen at my first physiotherapy appointment?

Initial appointments are generally about an hour long, and you're likely to find that you do less actual physical therapy at your first meeting with a new physio than you do in subsequent ones. This is because you and your physio will need to complete the consultation stage to ensure you're receiving the best care for you, and because they'll want to take the chance to ensure you know what to expect over the course of your therapy. This is also a good chance for you to ask any questions you might have, such as about exercises you should do on your own at home and mobility aids you might wish to look into.

How does a course of physiotherapy progress?

Over subsequent appointments with CK Physio, your specialist will watch you carefully to ensure that the difficulty and intensity of your therapy are increasing in accordance with your progress. How often you see your physio will vary depending on your individual requirements, but 60 minutes once a week is the most common plan. It can be difficult for a physiotherapist to tell you in advance exactly how your course will progress because it depends so much on your own rate of progress and on how well your body heals. The best way to help is simply to follow your physio's instructions - trust them to know how to help you help yourself!

Sources:

What is physiotherapy?, csp.org.uk

What happens in a physiotherapy session?,nsmi.org.uk

Additional Reading

Benefits of physiotherapy for stroke victims

How physiotherapy helps athletes get back on track faster

How can a physio help people with joint pain and other chronic illnesses