Question – What is a Physiotherapist?
Answer – A Physiotherapist is a licensed physician that specialises in the structure and movement of the human body. As a highly-trained health professional, they will assess your physical condition to provide you with a tailor-made treatment plan aimed at alleviating the physical pain arising from injuries, illnesses and the effects of ageing.
Your OsteoPlace Physiotherapist will aim to improve your overall quality of life by restoring movement and function of the body or, in some cases, to lessen the effects of any dysfunction or impairment.
Treatments may include but are not limited to; manual therapy (joint manipulation and mobilisation, resistance training and stretching), exercise programmes (muscle strengthening, posture retraining and cardiovascular training) and education.
Question – What and who do Physiotherapists treat?
Answer – Our Physiotherapists at OsteoPlace welcome all manner of people: Babies, small children, pregnant people and those undergoing rehabilitation, athletes, elderly people and office professionals.
We treat a broad range of health conditions, sports and workplace injuries, chronic health and musculoskeletal conditions, including sprains, strains, back and neck pain, as well as reduced mobility. This also includes post-surgery rehabilitation.
Your Physiotherapist will not only work to reduce your pain but address the underlying conditions to prevent further injury. Back pain, for example, may be related to bad posture or repetitive work activities.
Question – How many Physiotherapy treatments will I need?
Answer – The answer to this question greatly depends on your initial assessment, diagnosis and medical history, as well as the severity of your injury and a variety of other factors. Depending on these variables, you can expect to see positive results within a few visits, or you may need several months for complete rehabilitation.
We recommend asking your Physiotherapist for their professional opinion on how many sessions you may need until your body will adapt with meaningful change. At OsteoPlace, we aim to provide you with a detailed treatment plan explaining what to expect from your personal journey. This includes the estimated length of your treatment and the frequency at which we recommend you to come and see your Physiotherapist.
Rest assured that although we love our clients, the ultimate goal for us always is to send you off into a pain-free life. We will only have you return for further treatments and check-ups when it is necessary to ensure the long-term benefit of your Physiotherapy treatment and to prevent similar issues in the future.
Question – Are Physiotherapy treatments painful?
Answer – Physiotherapy is safe and not usually painful. All treatments aim to ease your pain and help you move better. Your Physiotherapist will take all due care to make you as comfortable as possible during your treatment.
They will use their hands to find areas of weakness, tenderness or restriction in your body and then treat those with gentle and sometimes forceful techniques. In instances where your body is sensitive, weak or stiff, be it as the result of injury or a chronic illness, treatments may temporarily add stress to spots that are causing you pain.
If you do ever experience any kind of pain or discomfort during or after your treatment, do not hesitate to tell your Physiotherapist.
Question – Do I need a referral from my GP?
Answer – No, a doctor’s referral is not required to see your Physiotherapist at OsteoPlace. Physiotherapists are primary health care practitioners. All you need to do is
give us a call or
book your appointment online. Make sure to bring any relevant reports and imaging to help your Physiotherapist make an accurate assessment.
If you wish to claim a Medicare rebate for Physiotherapy, make insurance claims after an accident or would like to claim a work injury, you will, however, need to see your GP first. If you have any questions in regards to this,
get in touch with us.
Question – Are Physiotherapy treatments covered by Medicare?
Answer – Yes, Medicare now covers a range of Physiotherapy treatments. If you have been referred to a Physiotherapist by your GP and have presented with chronic pain for six weeks and more, Medicare may cover up to five treatments per calendar year.
Please note; to claim Medicare benefits, you must have a referral from your GP. Visit the Department of Health website to learn more about
Individual Allied Health Services under Medicare.
Question – Are Physiotherapy treatments covered by my private health fund?
Answer – Yes, Physiotherapy is covered under the extras cover of most major Australian health insurances. We offer instant rebates via HICAPS when you are paying for your appointment. Since rebates vary depending on your health insurer, we recommend checking the details of your policy.