The Ultimate Guide to Physiotherapy

What is Physiotherapy?

The simplest physiotherapy meaning:

Physiotherapy is a manual treatment that assesses, diagnoses, and treats a wide range of physical conditions. It focuses on improving your mobility, flexibility, and function, whether you are affected by an injury, illness, or just aches and pains that won’t go away.

The ultimate goal for physiotherapy sessions is to help rehabilitate you, manage and erase your pain, and prevent future injury. Physiotherapy is highly effective and suitable for people of all ages and abilities. 5.2 million NHS patients alone visited a physiotherapist in 2019-2020, and demand has only grown since.

The kind of physiotherapy you require really depends on what ails you. But one thing all types of physiotherapy have in common is that they are conducted by a professional physiotherapist.

Physiotherapists – What They Do

A physiotherapist is a highly trained specialist. To become a physiotherapist, the professional will have attained a degree through university or a degree apprenticeship and have registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). So, you can rest assured that all physiotherapists in the UK are accredited and regulated.

The role is all about health and wellness, helping patients (like you) to maintain freedom through restoring movement and function. Our team of physiotherapists in London want to permanently fix your body so you can live pain-free, for example.

You can rely on a physiotherapist for assessments, diagnosis, and treatment. As part of the training to become a physiotherapist, we become experts in:

• • Anatomy and physiology

• • Musculoskeletal conditions

• • Cardiopulmonary conditions

• • Neurological conditions

We can also specialise in certain areas, like pre and postnatal physiotherapy, medical rehab, sports injuries, and paediatric conditions, to just name a few.

Being a physiotherapist means we’re ready to be hands-on. During sessions, we’re pros at assessing, diagnosing, and communicating with you to help you understand what’s happening as we go through manual treatments.

It’s important that you know exactly what experience, expertise, and accreditation your physiotherapist has, from their HCPC registration to potential membership with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. At One Body, all our physiotherapists are experienced professionals, and you can choose who you want to see through our online “meet the team” bios.

How Physiotherapy Works (What to Expect)

Along with One Body, we have created a list of the Best Physiotherapy London Clinics to guide you. Whether you book into a private physiotherapy clinic or are referred through the NHS, this is what happens at physio.

1. Assessment

You start with an assessment, where you can chat with your physiotherapist about your problems. This is the time to go through your:

• • Medical history and family history

• • Current medical problems and medications

• • Pain levels and how it impacts your daily life

You’ll also get a physical assessment, where your physiotherapist will assess your:

• • Posture

• • Mobility and joints

• • Reflexes

• • Strength levels

• • Balance

• • Endurance

• • Areas of pain (or where pain may be referred from)

There’s no jumping to treatment or exercises without a thorough assessment first, even when using a physiotherapy voucher.

2. Diagnosis

During that first assessment, you’ll also get a diagnosis. This might be confirming what your physician has told you, or if you are visiting a physiotherapist for an undiagnosed condition, it’s a chance to gain clarity.

You’ll find out what is causing issues and how we can help you. Read our article What Does Physiotherapy Do to learn more.

3. Ongoing Sessions

The next step after you have been assessed and diagnosed is creating an ongoing treatment plan. Physio is a hands-on process conducted through numerous regular sessions. At each session, your physiotherapist will use treatments and exercises (see below!) to aid your recovery. They might also provide advice and guidance on how to move and prevent injury between sessions.

Importantly, physio often involves constant re-evaluations to assess how your body is handling the treatment and identify other problems that might emerge. So, you should feel comfortable and confident in your physiotherapist so you can communicate how you feel and address concerns.

The number of sessions you need, the length of the sessions (often 25 to 80 minutes), and the frequency of sessions are all highly variable. Some people come to us and only need two or three sessions to focus on an injury. Others who come to us with long-term, posture-related, and age-related aches and pains, may need quite a few more. Remember, it’s about finding a long-term fix.

Tip: the best way to find out how many sessions you’ll need and other details, such as the cost of sessions, is to book an initial assessment. You can find a physiotherapist clinic near your location or book an assessment for physiotherapy in London through us.

Physio Treatments and Exercises

Each session at the physio clinic is conducted in a private treatment room or gym area. Whether you are exercising with your physiotherapist or receiving manual therapy, we provide all the equipment. You just need to bring yourself and wear comfortable, flexible, and breathable clothing – a T-shirt and leggings is a great choice. You can also bring a pair of loose-fitting shorts for easier access to assess your legs.

Common treatments that we may use include manual therapy and prescribed exercise techniques. Examples include:

• • Soft tissue massage

• • Deep tissue massage

• • Acupuncture

• • Sports taping

• • Strength training and conditioning

• • Athletic rehabilitation

• • Injury rehabilitation

• • Vestibular physiotherapy

• • Personal training

• • Osteopathy-specific techniques

Whether you need an expert in sporting injuries, ankle problems, knee physiotherapy, or athletic performance, your physiotherapist will use a range of techniques to take a holistic approach. Your sessions are tailored to your body, medical issues, and goals – a unique blend of exercises and therapies that you can’t just find on YouTube.

Types of Physiotherapy Explained

The type of physiotherapy you need depends on your condition – if you aren’t sure, you can discuss this with a physiotherapist during your initial assessment. We don’t expect you to know everything!

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Any aspect of your body that involves your bones or muscles is covered by musculoskeletal physiotherapy. So, everything from arthritis and tendonitis to strained muscles and general back pain are covered by this type of physio. You’ll find physiotherapists in London who specialise in specific conditions, too, like physiotherapy for sciatica.

Manual therapy and exercise are most beneficial for musculoskeletal physiotherapy. We work to reduce pain and restore mobility using holistic techniques. Physiotherapy exercises for lower back pain, for example, may also target the core muscles, hip flexors, and glutes for surrounding strength and support.

Sports Physiotherapy

Sports physiotherapy overlaps with musculoskeletal physiotherapy, focusing on muscle, bone and joint problems associated with sports. This includes sports injuries, as well as reduced or declining performance.

Sports physiotherapy exercises focus on recovery, enabling you to build strength, agility, and endurance, whether you’re a casual player or a professional athlete.

Neuro Physiotherapy

Neurological physiotherapy involves treating symptoms of neurological conditions. After a stroke or traumatic brain injury, physio can be part of a strong rehabilitation plan. Neurophysiotherapy can also help those with long-term conditions like MS or Parkinson’s.

The core of neuro physio is helping patients regain bodily functions to improve their quality of life. The exercises we use focus on your fine motor skills, balance, and coordination while rebuilding lost muscle and strength.

Paediatric Physiotherapy

Paediatric physiotherapy is physiotherapy for kids – from infants through to teens as old as 19. It focuses on developmental problems that impact physiology and movement. This can range from simple coordination problems and delayed development to neurological conditions like cerebral palsy and childhood cancers.

Paediatric physiotherapists are highly specialised and skilled – you’ll be referred to one by your doctor if needed. Children’s physiotherapy treatments focus on learning essential skills, strengthening muscles, increasing endurance, and minimising pain.

Cardiac and Respiratory Physiotherapy

Cardiac physiotherapy and respiratory physiotherapy are highly targeted – they focus on issues of the heart and lungs. For example, if you’ve had heart surgery or a coronary artery disease diagnosis, cardiac physio uses exercises and techniques to help you manage symptoms and reduce the likelihood of further complications. Likewise, respiratory physiotherapy can be used to manage and treat pulmonary conditions, including asthma and COPD.

Treatments used vary significantly but tend to focus on education as well as life-long tips to manage the condition and exercises to rebuild strength. Reaching and maintaining optimum health is crucial here.