Finding the right physiotherapist is essential if you’re searching for sessions that are going to help you long term. Your health is not something to be taken lightly, so be cautious when you first start hunting for a professional! Avoid just heading to your nearest clinic and look into who you’re trusting with your body; someone who doesn’t understand you and your unique needs might not be helpful at all, and in some cases, can make your issues even worse! If you’re curious as to what to look for when you’re considering starting a physiotherapist, here are a few tips to choosing the right physio for you.
Check up on the experience
As you would, when hiring a new member of staff, you need to check up on your physiotherapist’s previous experience! A good physio will display their qualifications and even a few big-names of previous clients if they have permission to do so. Qualifications are essential, so you should be pretty thorough when checking upon them. A reputable professional will be registered with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia (PBA), so keep an eye out for this! The PBA ensures best practice and makes sure that standards are kept to a professional high grade.
Educate yourself on the different areas of expertise
Before you take the dive and book an appointment, you should educate yourself on the particular kinds of physiotherapy that you might need. Although there is a one size fits all umbrella term for physio, there are some areas of the specification that mean that you could be getting more streamlined care. Specific areas include sports (learn more about sports therapy on Evokerpps), geriatric, orthopedic, neurological, and pediatric. You could also look into physiotherapists that specialize in precise areas of the body, such as a musculoskeletal professional. By looking into what kind of care you need, you’ll be ensuring that your investment will be effective and rewarding as possible.
Are they local?
As stated above, its best to avoid visiting a physio with the sole motivation of them being local, but accessibility is also important. A physiotherapy session is not a one-off thing, and you should be looking into getting a package of sessions or simply sustained treatments. This means that you should be looking for a clinic that isn’t too far away from your home or workplace. Anything that’s situated too far off will deter you from going as regularly as you might like.
Inquire about their ongoing availability
Akin to choosing a local therapist, you also need to be sure of their long term availability – it’s not good connecting with a physio if they don’t have the time or room to keep treating you for at least a handful of sessions! Inquire about their general availability over say six months or a year, and this will avoid any disappointment in the near future.
Consider the methods they use
Physiotherapists use a combination of treatments to achieve an overall result. This can include aspects such as massage, movement, acupuncture, reflexology, and hydrotherapy. Although it is best to trust your chosen professional, it’s always valuable to state if you have a specific issue with a particular treatment or if you’ve tried to before, and it simply doesn’t work for you.
By following these easy guidelines, you can feel confident that you’ll pick the perfect physiotherapist for you and your needs! To put it simply, you need to do a bit of research both online and on the phone, and never underestimate the power of word of mouth, and you can get some great recommendations from like-minded people in your social circles!
