What To Expect At Your First Assessment With A Remuera Physio

Excruciating pain can take a toll on a person in more ways than one. It can be frustrating to tackle every day with limited movements. And yet, some patients still bear through the pain until they can barely get out of bed or walk properly to seek assistance from a professional. Taking painkillers continuously with no sign of improvement is a clear indicator that your body is not healing and that it is time to see a Remuera physio to assist you to take control of your body again.

Even though we always advise patients and potential patients to make a booking as soon as possible, more often than not many people put it off until the pain is truly unbearable. This can become more of a hassle than you realise as it could cause serious damage to an already problematic area as well as lengthen your recovery process. Not only is this a timely exercise, but it can become more costly than you expected.

After making a decision to see a physiotherapist for your pain, you will be taken through a physical assessment to evaluate the nature of your injury as well as be able to determine a recovery and rehabilitation plan as well as future sessions. But you will also be required to answer questions pertaining to your current health, your injury and body beforehand. And so the majority of your first therapy session is simply an evaluation of your body before the real work can begin. This is split between the subjective and objective assessments.

The Subjective Assessment

This is the first part of the assessment as it involves the physiotherapist learning more about you in detail. You will be questioned on your medical history, along with your existing pain problem. You will need to give details about any medication you are on and must provide your therapist with an overview of your daily schedule and review your current activity levels.

Your physiotherapist will also want to find out what your other health concerns are besides your pain or symptoms to ensure that you get complete care rather than just paying attention to an isolated issue. You will be asked to indicate what your goals are for physical therapy as well as what you want to address next.

The Objective Assessment

In this part of the assessment, your injury is examined by the physiotherapist by observing the injured area, seeing how you move, your strength and flexibility. They will also palpate (touch) the injured area to ascertain the structures that may be injured. After this, they will then perform some special tests that puts extra stress on the potentially damaged structures to see if these are the course of your pain. From here, a treatment plan can be developed that addresses the pain, weakness, tightness or decreased control of the area that is injured, with the ultimate goal of alleviating your pain completely and returning to your chosen activities. Your therapist will also address posture adjustments to implement into your daily routine and may give you some additional exercises that are safe enough to be done at home.

This is also an opportunity for you to be honest and forthcoming about your pain as well as raise concerns and questions. Be open with your therapist about the amount of pain you are in, ask to stop if it becomes worse and ensure that you speak up if you feel uncomfortable. Finally, a Remuera physio at Cairnhill Physiotherapy can give you an estimated timeline for your treatment.

Whether you need a first assessment or have experience with a physio already, we can ensure that you feel comfortable throughout the process without feeling any pressure. To make an appointment with us, book online today.