When you have never had a physiotherapy session before, it is easy to get anxious about what it might involve. You might have questions such as “What should I wear?” or “How long is a physiotherapy session?”. While you may not have any real worries about the procedures, you might just prefer to know exactly what you need to do on the day.
We have put together this quick guide to help patients prepare for their first physiotherapy session. Within this blog, we will cover how long a session will take, questions you might be asked and how the session is likely to go. We hope that all of this information will help ease any nerves, making the whole process a more enjoyable experience.
Before we get into it, find out how to prepare for a physiotherapy session here.
How Long is a Physiotherapy Session?
Your first physiotherapy session is likely to be longer than any following sessions. You can expect your first session to last anywhere from 30-60 minutes. This is due to additional time being used by the physiotherapist to get a good understanding of your aches and pains and then formulating your course of treatment. This is a universal experience, so no matter which physiotherapist you go to, most will begin with a consultation period.
How Does a Physiotherapy Session Go?
Physiotherapy sessions are usually broken up into parts, especially your first session. Bearing in mind the information above about the estimated running time of your first session, it can be divided into four parts. The four stages of a physiotherapy session are as follows.
1. Assessment and Consultation
The first stage, like previously mentioned, is the assessment and consultation period. At this stage, the physio will ask you about your pains, medical history and any other relevant information that may be able to shape your course of treatment. During this stage, if permitted, the physio will assess aspects such as your range of movement, strength, flexibility and movement. These can be thought of as benchmarks.
2. Treatment
The second stage is where the typical physiotherapy session begins. At this stage, the physio will begin massaging where applicable, areas they sense are harbouring tension or may release pain from affected areas. Depending on the pain and tension you are feeling, they might guide you through exercises designed to relieve pressure and ease pain. These are good exercises to remember for future use.
It is important to remember that when it comes to physio, it is a team effort. You need to be willing to work on your tensions and pains outside of the clinic to help reduce the chances of the pain returning.
3. Managing Symptoms and Other Advice
Once they have completed the treatment phase of your session, your physio will sit down with you and talk you through your condition. This is to help patients understand the cause of their pain, put them at ease and help formulate a plan to reduce the risk of the injury or pain returning.
If it is a sporting injury that you have sustained and is the reason you require physiotherapy, it is essential you pay close attention to the preventative measures being offered by the physio. Unless you are planning to never take part in said sport again, there remains a risk of reinjuring if appropriate measures are not taken.
4. Follow Up
The chances are you require more than one session of physiotherapy to manage your pain. At the end of your first session your physio will talk you through your remaining treatment and your plans for rehabilitation. They will likely give you some exercises and stretches to perform at home to help with said rehab. Following sessions from your first one are likely to take up less time. You can expect these to take up to 45 minutes in duration.
Book Physiotherapy with The Orchard Clinic
If you’re experiencing pains and tension in your body or you have recently suffered a sporting injury that is stopping you from continuing, why not book a consultation with The Orchard Clinic? Our experienced team has helped people across Berkshire get back to feeling their best thanks to our physiotherapy treatments. For more information, get in touch today.
