What happens during an initial appointment?
An initial physiotherapy appointment usually begins with a discussion about the reason for your visit. This gives the physiotherapist an opportunity to understand the problem, how it is affecting you and what you would like to return to doing.
The assessment may then consider factors such as movement, strength, function and other findings that are relevant to your presentation. What is assessed will depend on the individual problem rather than following exactly the same process for every person.
What might the assessment include?
Depending on the reason for your appointment, an assessment may include:
- A discussion about your symptoms and relevant history
- Observation of movement and function
- Assessment of mobility or range of movement
- Strength or capacity testing where appropriate
- Discussion of activities, work, sport or training that may be relevant
The findings from the assessment help guide the clinical reasoning process and determine whether physiotherapy may be appropriate.
What happens after the assessment?
The next step will depend on the assessment findings. Where appropriate, this may include education and advice, physiotherapy treatment, exercise rehabilitation or a combination of these approaches.
Rehabilitation can also change over time as symptoms, function and physical capacity change. Where further medical assessment or referral is indicated, that should take priority.