The Broadway, Walsall

What is physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is a health care profession concerned with human function and movement. Physiotherapists assess and provide treatment to individuals to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and function throughout life.

Physiotherapists help and treat people of all ages and backgrounds with physical problems caused by injury, illness, ageing or environmental factors.

At Walsall Mind & Body our physiotherapist assesses, diagnoses and treats patients with musculoskeletal problems. The aim is to alleviate pain, promote self-management and enable you to reach the highest functional level possible.

Physiotherapy may be beneficial for you if you are suffering with, among other conditions:

• Low back pain or sciatica

• Neck pain

• Arthritis

• Joint or muscular pain

• Tendon problems

• Sports injuries

• Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

• Poor posture

If you are unsure if physiotherapy would be beneficial for you please contact the physiotherapist who can discuss this with you over the phone.

What should I expect on first appointment?

Physiotherapists aim to identify and maximize quality of life and movement potential. Your physiotherapist will use your history and a physical examination to arrive at a diagnosis and establish a treatment plan.

The initial appointment will consist of a full assessment, diagnosis and discussion regarding your treatment plan, followed by a possible treatment.

During your initial assessment your physiotherapist will ask questions about your current problem and past medical history.

They will then carry out a physical examination during which they will assess your posture, range of movement, muscle strength and carry out any other tests that it is felt will help to diagnose your condition.

Following the assessment, your physiotherapist will discuss your diagnosis, treatment options and goals. You may receive some treatment on the day of the assessment but it is possible that your treatment will commence at a follow-up appointment.

It is possible that you may experience a slight increase in your symptoms following the initial assessment, however this should not last any longer that 24 hours and your physiotherapist will be very sensitive to your needs if you are in a lot of pain so please do not be concerned.

If for any reason we find that physiotherapy may not be beneficial to you, we would discuss other options.

What should I wear for my appointment?

As part of the initial assessment it is very important that your physiotherapist is able to see the part of the body that will be assessed and to observe your posture. It is therefore likely that you will be asked to remove some items of clothing during the assessment.

• It would be helpful if you could wear loose, comfortable clothing for your physiotherapy appointments.

• Please bring shorts for back, hip, knee, ankle and foot problems.

• Ladies, you may want to bring a strappy top for neck, back, shoulder and elbow problems if you would be uncomfortable undressing down to your underwear.

Should I bring anything with me?

Please bring along a full list of your current medications and the results of any recent x-rays or scans that you may have had if you have them available.

How long will my appointment last?

Both your initial assessment and any follow-up treatment sessions will last for 30 minutes.

Please arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment, as your physiotherapist will require you to complete some paperwork prior to the assessment.

What kind of treatments do we offer?

The techniques and approaches that are used are wide-ranging and include:

• Advice and education

• Remedial exercise

• Postural re-education

• Mobilisation / manipulation

• Massage / soft tissue therapy

• Taping

Following your initial assessment your physiotherapist will discuss which treatment options they feel would be most beneficial to you, and with your assistance will formulate your treatment plan.

What is the cost of physiotherapy?

The cost of the Initial Assessment and any follow-up appointments will be £30 per session.