If you’re suffering from muscular aches and pains, a physiotherapist can help. But how many sessions will it take before you are free from pain?

Reasons for visiting physiotherapists

From ergonomics to poor posture, there are a number of reasons to visit a physiotherapist. By recommending changes in diet and lifestyle and incorporating exercise into your daily routine, your physio will help you develop a healthier lifestyle and avoid visits to the physiotherapist in the future.

However if you suffer from chronic movement problems caused by cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis, you’ll need ongoing visits to the physio throughout your life.

Stroke patients will also need regular visits. A physio will help a stroke victim retrain their muscles to perform basic movements, such as sitting, walking, writing, and feeding themselves.

The severity of the stroke will determine how many visits to the physio a patient will need to fully recuperate – although rehabilitation after stroke is usually a lengthy process.

First consultation

In your first consultation, the physiotherapist will assess your condition, write down your history and discuss a treatment plan.

Your therapist will give you a rough estimate of the number and frequency of visits needed.

At the beginning you may to see the physio frequently, especially if your injury or pain is acute. A treatment will usually be between 30 and 60 minutes long, although the first treatment will usually take longer than subsequent sessions.

Strains or injuries such as sports injuries will require a few consultations. Initially these will need to be a couple of days apart. The time between visits will gradually increase until you are back to normal function and the pain is relieved. This process may take weeks or, if the injury is severe, months.

Identifying the cause of the injury

The physiotherapist will be able to identify the cause of your problem, whether bad posture is to blame, your backhand serve at tennis, or your workplace setup is causing strain on your back or other muscles. The physio can also advise you on solutions to prevent your injury recurring.

At home treatment

The physio will advise you on what to do at home to supplement your treatment, including exercises, stretches or heat and ice therapy. Continuing with this recommended treatment at home will help you to heal more quickly and you’ll need to visit the physiotherapist less frequently.

If you are suffering from pain or injury or need advice on muscular injury or other matters, please see your physiotherapist for more information.