If you are sustaining an injury or suffering from chronic soreness and pain impacting your day-to-day life, it is likely time to consider seeing a physiotherapist. Alternatively, if you have undergone surgery or suffered a stroke or heart attack, chances are your doctor has already recommended you see a physiotherapist for a Physiotherapy Consultation.
Whether you have already been recommended to a physiotherapist or are just noticing the warning signs that you are in need of physical therapy, time is of the essence. Reach out sooner, not later, to have an initial consultation with a physiotherapist. This way, you can ask any questions you may have, and your physiotherapist can help you weigh your options.
The good news is, whatever your reason for seeking treatment and wherever you are located, physiotherapy is accessible thanks to online tools. For example, one can easily find a physiotherapist in Vancouver with Medimap, an online platform for finding and booking local physiotherapists across Canada.
Here’s what to expect from your first physiotherapy consultation.
What to Expect
Your first consultation with your physiotherapist will generally be between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the complexity of your needs and length of discussion. During this time, your physiotherapist will ask you many questions regarding your condition and reasons for seeing them and may perform a physical assessment of their own to identify your physical strength and movement better.
Some of the questions your physiotherapist may ask you are:
- How did your pain/condition start, and how long has it been going on?
- When are you in the worst and least pain?
- Do any daily activities and movements cause you pain flare-ups?
- What do you currently do to relieve the pain?
- Do you take any medications, either for the condition or any other unrelated ones?
- What is your full medical history
- What is your goal from seeking out physiotherapy?
With the information from your initial consultation, your physiotherapist will help you to create the best treatment plan for you that is tailored to your specific needs. Treatment plans can include educating you on your condition and what is both good and bad for managing it on your own and tailoring stretches and exercises to help improve your condition.
As the reasons for seeing a physiotherapist can vary greatly, the treatment plans can drastically vary as well. In some cases, manual therapy, electrotherapy, and specific home-care instructions will be recommended.
What can Physiotherapy Treat?
Physiotherapy works both as a rehabilitation treatment as well as a preventative one. Treatment can be used to help just some of the following:
- Joint pain related to issues with the bones and muscle
- Lower Back pain
- Arthritis
- Bladder and bowel issues pertaining to childbirth
- Some lung issues such as asthma
- Post-surgical fatigue, pain, swelling or stiffness
- Mobility issues relating to certain traumas or diseases, such as spinal trauma or Parkinson’s disease
You Don’t Need to Decide Right Away
Undergoing physiotherapy, or any kind of treatment for that matter, can be a lot to think about. Your initial consultation is only that: a consultation.
Seeking a physiotherapy consultation does not mean agreeing to undergo a full treatment plan, so know it is perfectly okay to ask for more time to consider the information of your consultation or to seek an alternative professional for a second opinion.
Ultimately, your treatment and the way you recover is your decision.
