Ever felt like you have to ‘break up’ with your Physio? Starting a bout of treatment feeling sore but getting better to the point you don’t feel like you need to keep coming whilst your Physio continues to suggest ongoing appointments. Awkward right…?
We often get enquiries from people in pain, needing help, but worried about how long they will need treatment for. Ultimately, this stems from a lack of client-practitioner trust, explanation of a clear treatment plan from the therapist, and the Physio not clearly explaining what your journey to reaching your physical best will entail from the very first visit.
At Thrive Physio Plus, we try to be upfront and honest in the very first appointment about what your treatment journey with us will entail.
We are under no illusions that we have magic hands and can fix you in a few visits.
The cold hard reality of treating musculoskeletal pain is that pretty much EVERYTHING will take between 8-12 weeks of treatment to fix. This is simply how long the body takes to consolidate healing and adapt with meaningful change.
Over this 8-12 weeks, the first few weeks usually entail getting you out of pain and feeling more comfortable. Then it’s onto regaining mobility and range of motion before commencing a tailored and specific strength and conditioning program to ensure your injury doesn’t return and you can participate in what you love at the level you need to. Injuries are usually the manifestation of weeks, months and years of cumulative load, so unfortunately they take time to fix.
In the early stages of an injury, we find we get much better outcomes with clients we catch up with frequently over the first few weeks before tapering our involvement as your symptoms settle. For example, seeing a client twice per week over the first two weeks allows us to gain significant momentum in getting you out of pain and on the road to recovery, employing hands on techniques, gentle pain relieving exercise whilst closely monitoring the effect of home exercises. If we have a client with a condition we see four times over four weeks, compared to a client with the exact same condition we see four times over four weeks, we can guarantee the client who comes more frequently early in their journey is going to get better quicker. They’ll also be more likely to see their rehabilitation through the end stage and be less likely to get re-injured as they experience less pain and improved function at an earlier stage.
Once you’re out of pain, The ‘armour’ analogy applies. After regular catch ups at the early stage, we taper our involvement and space our appointments to weekly, fortnightly, three weekly and so on. Each stage at this time we’re giving you an extra level of strength or ‘armour’ to ensure your previously injured area has more resiliency and an extra layer of protection so it doesn’t get injured again. By the end of a treatment journey, you have a pain-free, strong, resilient area of the body that will function at it’s best and capable of dealing with everything life throws at you.
As Physio’s, we can do OUR BEST WORK once you are out of pain and moving well.
To summarise, no your Physio won’t see you too much. Our management plans provided to you on day 1 will outlay how long your journey to your physical best will take and at what frequency we’ll likely need to see you. Our recommendations are based on research, clinical experience, and our desire to get the best outcome for each and every client. We can add significant value to you at each and every visit and want to help you avoid the pattern of pain and injury moving forward.
Any questions about what your treatment journey with us would look like? Shoot us an email or call the clinic on 8490 0777. Alternatively, want to kick start your journey to your physical best today? Book online here.
Frequently Asked Questions
When to see a physio?
When you suffer an injury, have pain that persists longer than 24-48 hours or to seek advice regarding your physical wellbeing.
How long does it take for physio to work?
Pain relief is generally achieved immediately to 24 hours after treatment. Long-lasting changes and results usually occur within 4-12 weeks.
How many physio sessions do I need?
For pain relief, 1-4 sessions. For more chronic issues, 8-12+ sessions are usually needed.
How long do physio appointments last?
Our initial consultations are 60 minutes long, to allow for a thorough assessment and management planning. Follow-up appointments are 30 minutes.
What should I wear for my physio appointment?
Comfortable loose-fitting clothing which allows freedom of movement and easy access to the affected area of the body.