Practical information before your appointment.

No. Physiotherapists in South Africa are first-line practitioners, which means you can consult a physiotherapist directly without a referral from a doctor or other healthcare professional.

As a first-line practitioner, a physiotherapist assesses whether the presentation falls within the scope of physiotherapy and, where appropriate, will refer you to another healthcare professional or recommend further medical assessment or investigation.

If you intend to claim from your medical aid, you should confirm any referral or authorisation requirements directly with your medical aid, as these may differ between schemes and plans.

Your first appointment will usually begin with a discussion about the reason for your visit, your symptoms, relevant medical history and the activities you would like to return to or work towards.

An assessment may then include movement, mobility, strength or other relevant physical tests. What is assessed will depend on your individual clinical presentation.

The assessment findings will help guide the next steps. Where appropriate, this may include advice, physiotherapy treatment, exercise rehabilitation or a combination of these approaches.

Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move easily and, where appropriate, allows the area being assessed to be accessed.

Depending on the reason for your appointment, shorts or suitable training clothing may be helpful. If you are unsure what to wear, contact the practice before your appointment.

Physiotherapy appointments are generally between 30 and 60 minutes.

The exact duration may vary depending on the type of appointment and what is required during the assessment or treatment.

Payment is made directly to the practice at the time of your appointment.

You can then submit the relevant documentation to your medical aid for possible reimbursement. Cover and reimbursement depend on your individual medical aid scheme and plan, so you should confirm your available benefits directly with your medical aid.

If you have relevant medical reports, imaging reports or referral information related to the reason for your appointment, you are welcome to bring them with you.

You do not need to bring a detailed medical file. Relevant history and information can be discussed during your assessment.

You can enquire about an appointment with Riaan Allison Physiotherapy via WhatsApp or email, or use the booking link below.

Exercise rehabilitation uses appropriately selected and progressed exercise as part of the physiotherapy rehabilitation process.

Depending on the assessment findings and the individual clinical presentation, this may include work on movement, strength, physical capacity and activities relevant to everyday life, work or sport.

The rehabilitation approach is progressed according to the clinical presentation, functional progress and individual rehabilitation needs rather than following the same programme for every person.

Physiotherapy may form part of the assessment and rehabilitation of injuries that occur during sport or physical activity.

Management depends on the individual injury, assessment findings and the demands of the sport or activity. Where appropriate, rehabilitation may include education, exercise, progressive loading and gradual progression towards the demands of activity or sport.

Some injuries may require further medical assessment or investigation. This will depend on the individual clinical presentation.

Not necessarily. Whether an activity should be continued, modified or temporarily stopped depends on the injury, your symptoms, physical capacity and the demands of the activity.

Where appropriate, rehabilitation may involve adjusting training while progressively developing strength, movement capacity and tolerance to the activities that are relevant to you.

Decisions about exercise and return to sport should be based on an individual assessment rather than a general rule.