WHAT DO PHYSIOS DO

WHAT DO PHYSIOS DO?

Physiotherapists are experts at the assessment and management of a wide range of health conditions and movement disorders.  What your symptoms and problems are will guide what a physio may do.  For example, treatment after a back strain will be quite different than physio after a knee reconstruction.

Broadly, physios will take a careful history of the problem a person may come in with.  This helps diagnose what the problem may be and why the problem came up.  Sometimes it is simple – there was an accident or a strain.  Sometimes it is more difficult as the problem came along slowly.  Knowing how the problem affects a person and their life is important.  What a person expects from treatment is vital to know so that a physio and the patient can work together to the same goals.

Physios will typically do a physical examination where movement and pain are assessed, as well as ask you about your concerns.  Special tests may be used to confirm or negate a diagnosis so that an accurate management plan can be put together.

In treatment, physios have a wide variety of techniques available.  This can be hands-on joint mobilising, spinal mobilising and stretching, massage, dry needling, exercises for strengthening or stretching, brain-training and pain physiology education for pain management, taping, bracing – all sorts of things as well as very specific techniques for special conditions.

This is what sets physios apart from other professions.  Physios are trained to look at the whole body and to know how to connect the dots.  It’s not just about treating pain in one area, but looking at why there is a problem, and whether problems in other parts of the body are contributing to the pain, and then also knowing what to do try to correct, treat, and manage the problem.

We also take pride in work closely with GPs, specialists and other health professionals, staying in touch about our patients and their progress.  We know that if  we can’t provide the solution to their problems then we can point them in the direction of someone who may be able to help achieve the goals set in the initial appointment.  We are a profession that is passionate about getting people moving to their optimal level of ability and function.  Achieving the goals, a patient has means a fantastic outcome for everyone, and using the whole health team sometimes facilitates that better than one treatment in isolation.

ABOUT US

We have clinics across the Port Stephens area, in Salamander Bay, Medowie and Nelson Bay.  Each clinic is in a commercial/shopping area so access for your appointment is easy.

We are a group of clinics with therapists who are passionate about our work and helping people across all ages (from babies to the elderly and everyone in between) achieve their health goals.  We believe in evidence-informed practice, meaning we strive to integrate latest techniques and research into treatment, where it is practical, and helps people in a meaningful way.  We want to not just meet your expectations of care but exceed them.

We believe in hands-on assessment and treatment being optimised with best-practice exercise prescription in order to build strength, flexibility, and to reduce likelihood of recurrent injury. We provide massage and dry needling to assist with management where appropriate but understand that keeping strong helps prevent strain.

All our therapists work hard to improve their knowledge and skills across a range of areas by attending a variety of conferences and professional development courses each year.  This means we have therapists with a special interest in different aspects of physiotherapy, so we can better treat your specific problem area.