What to Expect For The First Visit?

Generally the first visit, can be the first session is more of assesment and terms as  ‘subjective assessment’. The majority of  first session will be a discussion to find out about you and your condition. This session includes a rigorous Q/A session between you and your physiotherapist. Collating all of this information is important because it will ensure that the advice the physiotherapist gives you is safe and will help to devise a hypothesis for the injury.  Your physiotherapist will also take in depth, your medical history. This is mainly to check and ensure, if your current condition could link to an existing condition. 

First Visit..

Plan for approximately 60 minutes for your first visit time depends on illness also.

You do not need a doctor’s note, but your insurance company may request one for reimbursement.

Filling of forms or various terms and condition and consent.

You could be walked through the clinic. The staff will show you around the facility and explain the flow of the clinic.

Introduction with PT or PTA that can provide personally attention for the programs allocated for you

Q/A SESSION

Typical questions that are asked include:

1. Physiotherapy session timings and schedule
2. Origin of the condition: How long have you had the condition for, how did it start, was it an accident or injury or long-term strain?
3. Have you already seen a practitioner?
4. What makes it better, what makes it worse?
5. How does it affect your daily life?
6. What are your work and hobbies (which might be impacted by injury).

OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT

The next step in this first appointment is to physically assess your injury, this is known as the ‘objective assessment’. At this point you will be asked to perform a series of movements which will help to demonstrate where you may have stiffness or discomfort.

This assessment helps to confirm the injury hypothesis made in the subjective assessment.

END OF SESSION

If there is time at the end of this session you may be given some treatment, or exercises for you to do at home. Your physiotherapist may also explain the objective of the treatment that you will undergo and what can be achieved by the treatments. A basic demonstration if the exercises can be give to you that you may have to do at home,if it covers the treatments.