Your questions, answered

What patients ask us most about physiotherapy, in plain words.

What does a physiotherapist do?

We assess how you move, find what is driving your pain or weakness, and treat it with hands-on care, targeted techniques and exercise. The aim is not only to ease the pain today, but to get you moving well and keep it that way.

Do I need a doctor's referral?

Many patients book with us directly, and some come with a referral from their doctor. If we find anything that needs a doctor, a scan or a specialist opinion, we tell you and refer you.

What happens at the first session?

One hour, one-to-one. We listen to your story, test your movement, strength and the structures involved, explain what we find in plain words, start treatment, and give you your first exercises. You leave knowing what is going on and what the plan is.

What should I wear or bring?

Comfortable clothes that let us see and move the painful area, plus any scans, reports or list of medication you have.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on the problem and your goal. Many people feel a clear change within the first few sessions. A full plan usually runs over several weeks, with fewer visits as you take over more of the work at home.

Can physiotherapy help me avoid surgery?

For several common problems, yes. Large trials found results similar to surgery for some knee, back and shoulder problems (details below). When surgery is the right choice, physiotherapy before and after it improves the recovery.

Will it hurt?

Assessment and treatment should feel manageable. Some techniques and exercises cause short-lived discomfort; we always explain first and adjust to you.

What the research shows

Key findings from systematic reviews, randomised trials and major studies indexed on PubMed. Numbers link to the full references below.

Knee meniscus tears

Randomised trial · 140 patients

In middle-aged adults with a degenerative meniscus tear, 12 weeks of supervised exercise therapy gave the same knee results at two years as keyhole surgery (partial meniscectomy), and built more thigh strength in the first three months.[1]

Torn ACL

Randomised trial · 121 patients

In young, active adults with an acute ACL tear, structured rehabilitation with the option of surgery later gave the same results at two years as rehabilitation plus early reconstruction, and 36 of the 59 patients in that group never needed the operation.[2]

Narrowing of the spinal canal

Randomised trial · 169 patients

In people aged 50 or over who were candidates for surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis, a physiotherapy programme led to similar gains in physical function at two years as surgical decompression.[3]

Rotator cuff tears

Prospective study · 452 patients

In people with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear not caused by an injury, a structured physiotherapy programme improved pain and function by 6 and 12 weeks, and about three in four patients had not needed surgery two years later.[4]

Better together: shoulder pain

Randomised trial · 52 patients

For shoulder impingement, adding hands-on manual therapy to supervised exercise reduced pain more, and improved strength and function more, than the same exercises alone.[5]

How we use it at Dr. Phyx

Every plan starts with a one-hour assessment. From there we combine hands-on care, targeted techniques such as dry needling or shockwave when they fit, and exercise, and we change the mix as you improve.

Between sessions we check in on WhatsApp, so you are never left guessing whether an exercise is right.

Always by a qualified specialist, after a full assessment, because your health comes first.

When we are careful

Physiotherapy suits most muscle and joint problems. See a doctor urgently instead if you have:

Back pain with numbness around the groin or buttocks, or new problems controlling your bladder or bowels
Weakness that is getting worse in an arm or a leg
Pain after a fall or accident and you cannot put weight on the limb
Severe pain at night that no position eases, with fever or unexplained weight loss
Chest pain, or a hot, red, swollen calf

Not sure where to start? Ask us.

Send us a message on WhatsApp. We will tell you honestly whether it suits your case, and book a first assessment if it does.

Ask on WhatsApp

References

Kise NJ, Risberg MA, Stensrud S, Ranstam J, Engebretsen L, Roos EM. Exercise therapy versus arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for degenerative meniscal tear in middle aged patients: randomised controlled trial with two year follow-up. BMJ. 2016;354:i3740. PubMed · doi:10.1136/bmj.i3740
Frobell RB, Roos EM, Roos HP, Ranstam J, Lohmander LS. A randomized trial of treatment for acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. N Engl J Med. 2010;363(4):331-342. PubMed · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0907797
Delitto A, Piva SR, Moore CG, et al. Surgery versus nonsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(7):465-473. PubMed · doi:10.7326/M14-1420
Kuhn JE, Dunn WR, Sanders R, et al. Effectiveness of physical therapy in treating atraumatic full-thickness rotator cuff tears: a multicenter prospective cohort study. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2013;22(10):1371-1379. PubMed · doi:10.1016/j.jse.2013.01.026
Bang MD, Deyle GD. Comparison of supervised exercise with and without manual physical therapy for patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2000;30(3):126-137. PubMed · doi:10.2519/jospt.2000.30.3.126

This article is general information reviewed by a physiotherapist. It is not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan.