Frequently Asked Questions
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Will physiotherapy help my problem?
Physiotherapy is a treatment for all conditions that relate to muscles, joints and nerves. There is such a
range of conditions that can be resolved through physiotherapy. If you are at all unsure, the best thing to
do is to have a chat with a physiotherapist who can listen to your symptoms and give you some advice.
Rest assured, we do not want to treat anything outside our scope of practice. For this reason, we have a
Discovery Visit option at Honiton Physiotherapy. This is a free 15 minute session to come in and chat
with a physiotherapist face to face. Please do contact us on 01404 480035 if you would like to book one
of these sessions.
PS: people often mistakenly think that if you have a back problem you should see a chiropractor, but
physiotherapists also provide effective treatment and advice for all types of back issues.
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What happens in a Physiotherapy Session?
When you first come for your physiotherapy session you will need to have an initial assessment. This
entails simply answering a few questions regarding your problem, including a little bit about your medical history. Your health and safety is of the upmost importance, so it is very important that your
physiotherapist spends some time getting a thorough history.
Your physiotherapist will then look at your movements and do some simple tests to confirm a diagnosis.
Finally, some initial appropriate treatment will start you on the road to recovery, and you will often get
some exercises to do at home.
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Will the treatment be painful?
Often there is very little discomfort at all during a physiotherapy session.
Your physiotherapist will do their very best to keep your discomfort to a minimum. However, already
painful conditions can sometimes feel a little sore during, and sometimes after the treatment. This will
only usually last for anything up to 24 hours, and then you should feel much better.
It is always essential that you keep reporting levels of pain to your physiotherapist during your session.
Your treatment is not supposed to be an unpleasant ordeal!
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Will I get hands-on treatment or just exercises?
At Honiton Physiotherapy, we are committed to real physiotherapy. That means hands-on treatment to
help you to recover more quickly. Exercises are also a key part of your progress, and the two elements
together make a fantastic combination when it comes to your overall recovery. You will usually get some
specific exercises prescribed according to your stage of recovery. Don’t worry about whether you can
remember them or not, we have software that can produce a bespoke exercise programme which can be
emailed or printed.
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How many sessions will I need?
The number of physiotherapy sessions that you require will vary considerably depending on a number of
factors. Generally speaking, the longer that you have suffered from the problem, the longer it takes to
fully solve. Our philosophy is one of achieving the absolute optimum outcome – which is often a
complete resolution of the issue. We do not believe in the “quick fix” – instead we focus on the “complete
fix”.
We will make recommendations after the initial assessment, but you are free to choose how many
sessions you have – you will never be pressured to have more. We sincerely hope that after talking to
us, you will see that we always have your best interests at heart.
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What should I wear?
It is best to wear loose clothing that provides access to the area. Please see the following specific areas:
- Hip, knee or ankles = shorts or loose trousers
- Shoulder or Neck = vest top (females)
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Can I use my private insurance?
Yes. We are fully qualified and registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC). We are registered
with virtually all private health insurance companies. We also provide company invoices on request
which you can use to claim back the cost of your treatment with some providers.
We regularly service clients of AXA PPP, Health Shield, Simply Health, Aviva, and HCML.
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Will I always see the same physiotherapist?
Yes. If you want to! It is usually best to keep the same physiotherapist for continuity of care. However,
you are free to choose, and different physiotherapists have different skills which may suit you better.
Simply discuss this with your physiotherapist, they only want what is best for you so they won’t be
offended if you would like to consider changing.