About HH&WB

Standard appointment length for an initial standard assessment is approximately 50-60 minutes long. A follow-up appointment is around 25-30 minutes. Other products will vary in length - and will be specified in the booking information. 

Usually at an initial assessment at least half of the session will be taken up by a structured interview concerning your health generally and then your present complaint. The rest of the session will involve a comprehensive physical assessment.  You may be offered some treatment towards the end of the initial  session (as time allows) and will then be given some advice and/or exercises to get on with. 

The follow up sessions are usually used to check your progress - add additional exercises and provide hands on treatment as appropriate. 

In order to do a thorough assessment ideally your physio will need to be able to see the area where you are getting your pain or symptoms (and sometimes the areas around it) and palpate (place their hands on it) to identify any changes in the tissues around that area such as swelling, heat, stiffness and trigger points in the muscles.

What you should wear will depend on where your pain is:

If you have a neck, upper back or shoulder problem you will usually be asked to remove your top so we can clearly see your posture, however for men it is fine to wear a sleeveless T-shirt and women it’s absolutely fine to wear a strappy top or vest if you feel more comfortable like this. Your physio will check your comfort and consent at each stage and there are plenty of towels here for dignity if needed. 

For lower back, hip and knee problems it’s a good idea to bring shorts, especially if you have pain radiating down the leg. You will usually be asked to remove or roll up your top so I can see your lower back to be able to observe tissues and how your back is moving. 

For foot and ankle problems - tights should not be worn, and shoes and socks will usually need to be removed during the appointment so the area can be observed and moved around easily. 

For elbow, wrist and hand problems a short sleeved top is a good idea.

If your issue is linked with a sport like running it may be advisable to bring a set of running trainers.

If you have any cultural or religious reasons for not wanting to remove an item of clothing - or you simply prefer not to then that is not a problem, just let me know and I will do my best to work around it.

As I work as a sole practitioner - it is recommended that if you wish to see a female therapist you may need to try one of the other excellent local clinics that can accommodate this. 

That will depend on your condition and how quickly it responds to treatment. If I feel your condition is not suitable for physio or that you may be better treated elsewhere then I will recommend this. I am happy to write a letter to your GP or other professional to help advocate for you and support your care in this case. 

Exercise therapy is a mainstay of treatment and this would take at least four weeks to have an effect. Usually longer time is given between sessions to allow time for exercise to take effect. If you are having hands on treatment such as massage, mobilisation or manipulation -  the benefits and evidence for this will be discussed with you and secondly you may be asked to come more frequently to help maximise the impact of such treatments. I am passionate about building confidence resilience and self-management skills and if I feel you can self-manage without additional sessions I will inform you and give you all the support and advice to help you do this.