If you’re feeling pain or discomfort in your muscles, joints, or bones, or are recovering from surgery, you may be wondering how physiotherapy can help you. In this article, we will look at some tips on how to get the most out of your physiotherapy appointments, and highlight some of the more common questions patients ask.
Important questions to address
What should I expect during a Physiotherapy session?
In your first session, your physiotherapist will need to first determine the root cause of your symptoms. Depending on your condition, you may notice one or more symptoms for your pain or injuries. Your physiotherapist will first ask you a few questions to find out how your symptoms started, what are the possible mechanism(s) of injury, and if there are any underlying predisposing factors that might have contributed to your condition. The information gathered will be crucial for your physiotherapist to tailor his/her assessment and treatment to your needs.
After performing a thorough physical examination, your physiotherapist will discuss with you what is causing your pain or injury, before prescribing a tailored treatment programme for you. Your physiotherapist will be able to help you manage your pain. Be sure to follow through the physiotherapy treatment plan to reap the most benefits out of it.
If during the consultation your physiotherapist suspects a more serious underlying pathology that is causing your symptoms, they can also refer you on to a specialist doctor for further investigations and management.
How long do I have to undergo physiotherapy treatment?
There is no straightforward answer to this question as it is dependent on the individual’s condition, the severity of their injury, and the past treatment or procedure they may have had. Your physiotherapist will be able to advise you on the number of sessions you will need, and the frequency of your treatment sessions. Plan your schedule around your physiotherapy appointment so that you do not miss the session and risk prolonging your recovery time or re-injuring yourself. Every injury will require a period of healing, and it is best to follow your physiotherapist’s advice to gradually return to your usual lifestyle, sport and work even when the pain is improving. Feeling better is a great sign, but ultimately you should exercise caution and follow the recommendations from your doctor or physiotherapist to avoid any setbacks.
Will the physiotherapy treatment solve my condition or symptoms?
Physiotherapy can be very beneficial and effective in managing acute and chronic conditions. Physiotherapy treatments can be done to relieve your pain, improve your joint flexibility, and strengthen your muscles. Your physiotherapist can also provide you with useful tips to prevent injuries from recurring.
Whether physiotherapy will be able to solve your condition or symptoms 100% will be dependent on many factors such as the patient’s age, underlying medical condition, patient’s compliance to the physiotherapist’s advice.
What can I do to assist with my physiotherapy treatment?
While your physiotherapist may be seeing you on a regular basis, active patient participation and compliance is also crucial to an effective treatment outcome. Outside of your treatment session, your physiotherapist will also recommend some self management tips or teach you specific exercises like stretches or strengthening movements that you’ll need to perform to complement your treatment. It is important to be realistic with the time and commitment needed to perform these exercises and recommendations, and to do them consistently so that your rehabilitation journey towards recovery will be much smoother.
What should I avoid?
This is an equally important question to ask when you pay a visit to your physio clinic. Certain activities or habits may hinder or affect your healing. Regardless of what questions you may have, it is best to always ask your physiotherapist and describe your situation to them so that they can give you the appropriate and relevant advice. Generally, you will want to take it easier than your usual daily routine and lifestyle, and stay away from activities or habits that can aggravate your injury. For example, if you’re using heat treatment instead of icing, or stretching instead of resting when you have an acute injury these may actually impede your progress. Work closely with your physiotherapist for the best outcomes.
What should I wear to the physio clinic?
If you are unsure on what to wear for your physiotherapy session, try choosing an item of clothing that can readily expose the part of the body that you have injured. Your physiotherapist will need to assess your posture, movements and strength, so it will help to wear clothing that allows your physiotherapist easy visual access to the body part that you have injured as it will give them vital information about the structures involved.
During your physiotherapy session, your physiotherapists may also teach you exercises to aid in your recovery. Wearing loose fitting clothings, such as gym wear, will be more comfortable when performing the exercises.
Seek treatment with a reliable physiotherapist
Physio & Sole Clinic is your trusted team of professional physiotherapists in Singapore offering a wide range of treatments. We believe in delivering greater value and a high quality of care to our patients through ethical clinical practices and effective communication. We offer our Ask A Physio service so that you can conveniently speak to us about any questions you may have. Whatsapp your friendly Physiotherapist at 98997967 today or book an appointment at any one of our clinics islandwide.
