6 Common Misconceptions You Probably Have About Physiotherapy

At ProSport Physio Huddersfield we see 100s of patients come through our door every week who are in pain and in desperate need of our help.

In spite of this we still hear the same misconceptions about what physiotherapy is and what we offer to our clients.

So, we’ve put together this list of our 6 most common physio misconceptions we hear week-in week-out. Do you recognise any of these?

“I need a referral from my GP to see a physiotherapist”

Physiotherapists are trained first line healthcare professionals. This means we are qualified to see a patient as soon as they walk in the door.

Our job is to ask the right questions at the right time so we can understand if the issue needs to be referred to another healthcare professional. We’re trained in spotting whether your pain will benefit from early physiotherapy without the need for a long referral process.

“I need a scan before seeing a physiotherapist”

As mentioned above, a physiotherapist is a trained first line healthcare professional. In most cases if you are in pain a scan is not necessary and will just delay your treatment unnecessarily.

If you are in pain a physiotherapist will perform a full assessment and if they feel a scan is necessary they will send a referral to your GP. It doesn’t have to be a long complicated process.

“Physiotherapists are not experts in back pain”

Physiotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for spinal issues. This is backed up by extensive and ongoing research into back pain.

At the ProSport clinic we have seen 1000s of people with back pain and continue to do so on a daily basis. Our physiotherapists will sit down with you and make sense of your back pain before conducting a full assessment to find out the true cause of the pain.

It is important to remember that during this assessment they will rule out any serious conditions. Your safety is number 1.

“Physiotherapy is always painful”

A physiotherapist’s aim is to reduce pain and discomfort every time a person comes into the clinic. Yes, sometimes, but not always, this may involve some slightly painful hands-on work to the tissues which are causing the issue.

Some patients may feel some soreness after their session with their physiotherapist, this is perfectly normal. This soreness should not last more than 48-72 hours, after which you should feel the benefits of the session.

“Physiotherapists just show me exercises and send me home to do them”

A home exercise programme is a big component of physiotherapy. However, knowing exactly which exercises to give at exactly the right time is a skill which separates physiotherapists from many healthcare professionals. This might seem like hard work but we promise it will get you back to what you love quicker.

Here at ProSport Physiotherapy our therapists are skilled in giving you the right exercises and will always ensure you are doing them correctly. They will also explain to you exactly why you are being asked to do them so that they make sense to you.

Finally, they are always sent to you via video on our very own exercise library. This ensures you know how to do them and can communicate back to your therapist if you are struggling with them so that they can rectify the issue without having to wait for your next session.

“Physiotherapy is just massage”

Although we as physiotherapists do offer massage as a treatment option, this is not the only thing we offer.

The difference between massage therapists and physiotherapists is that physiotherapists diagnose, assess and then treat your issue accordingly, to make sure we get you out of pain.

Here at ProSport Physiotherapy we take time to listen to your story so we can make sense of why you are in pain and together we will build a road map on how to get you out of pain and back to what you love as quickly as possible.

Did you recognise any of these misconceptions?

There are a lot of myths out there about physiotherapy and what it can offer. Sometimes it can be hard to know what to believe. Ultimately, if you’re experiencing pain, we want to hear from you.

If you or someone you know is suffering with pain and are ready to finally live a happy, healthy and pain-free life, we want to help.

All you have to do is click here, book your appointment and start your journey back to pain-free today.

Click here or call 01484 443173 to book your free 1-1 assessment now.