Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that assesses, diagnoses, treats, and works to prevent disease and disability through physical means. Physiotherapists are experts in movement and function who work in partnership with their patients, assisting them to overcome movement disorders, which may have been present from birth, acquired through accident or injury, or are the result of ageing or life-changing events.

Physio Plus physiotherapists can help you recover from injury, reduce pain and stiffness, and increase mobility. A physiotherapist can also help you prevent further injury by listening to your needs and working with you to plan the most appropriate treatment for your condition, including setting goals and treatment outcomes.

As first contact practitioners, a doctor’s referral is not necessary to see a Physio Plus physiotherapist. Physiotherapists, doctors, and other health professionals will often work as part of a team to plan and manage treatment for a specific condition.

Physiotherapists are trained to assess your condition, diagnose the problem, and help you understand what’€™s wrong. Your treatment plan will take into account your lifestyle, activities, and general health.

The following are common treatment methods Physio Plus physiotherapists may use:

• joint manipulation and mobilisation to reduce pain and stiffness
• soft tissue mobilisation (massage)
• exercise programs to improve mobility and strengthen muscles
• muscle re-education to improve control
• airway clearance techniques and breathing exercises
• acupuncture
• hydrotherapy
• assistance with use of aids, splints, crutches, walking sticks and wheelchairs.

If you’ve got a specific problem (like pain on running) your physiotherapist might even want to run with you! We will target your treatment to your specific goals.

Physio Plus physiotherapists treat a wide range of conditions including back pain, sports injuries, neck pain, shoulder pain, work injuries, heart and lung conditions, whiplash, headache and many more! We work closely with you based on your condition to achieve your goals!

Yes, interpreters are available for every patient that requires their services.

Where possible, we ask that patients bring a family member or friend that can interpret for them due to improved comfort in the care of the patient.

However, where this is not possible, we utilise the services of interpreters via telephone, video or face to face dependant on best best patient care.

We get asked this all the time!

Most people automatically expect that we will start raving on about how good Physiotherapists are and how bad Chiropractors are!

The truth is there are great chiropractors and bad chiropractors, just like you can find great physiotherapists and bad physiotherapists (or great plumbers and bad plumbers for that matter!).

The main differences between physiotherapy and chiropractic in private practice come from the origins of each profession. Physiotherapy evolved out of a combination of massage, manual therapy and rehabilitative exercises. Chiropractic has evolved from the use of spinal manipulations to treat pain and dysfunction.

As such, physiotherapists still tend to use more massage, manual therapy and exercises, while chiropractors tend to use far more spine manipulation during treatments.

These professions will always have their differences. As technology and research progress, the knowledge base of physiotherapists has increasingly become in parallel with our medical colleagues (which is why you will always find physiotherapists working at hospitals). Where necessary we’ll work with your doctor and specialists to achieve the best outcome. Chiropractors have a similar knowledge base which is now evolving. Make sure your professional is using evidence based research to guide their practice!

Whoever you choose to see, we hope the professional will:

• Listens to you and understand your concerns and problems.
• Understand why it is important to you that the problems are addressed and corrected.
• Use only treatments that have been proven to be effective.
• Have knowledge and experience of treating similar injuries and understand how to get the best results.
• Constantly involve the patient in the process and their recovery.

No you don’t.

Physiotherapists are primary contact practitioners meaning that we are qualified to assess and diagnose you as your first port of call!

Referrals are required if you are wishing to have your physiotherapy treatment covered by Medicare (through the Enhanced Primary Care Plan), WorkCover (or other self-insured companies), CTP or TAC (Motor Vehicle Accidents), or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

You can request an appointment online!

Private health insurance cover varies from individual to individual, so unfortunately we can’t determine your level of cover without knowing the details of your policy.

Most patients with “extras” are covered for Physiotherapy. Typically there is a gap to pay.

We would recommend that you contact your health insurance provider to discuss your cover with them.

Many insurance policies offer a variety of incentives for individuals to use Physiotherapy as a way of maximising their well-being and developing healthy lifestyles!

Make sure you bring your private health insurance members card when you visit us: we provide instant private health rebates at all Physio Plus clinic through the HICAPS sytem, meaning you pay less on the day!

You might be! Private Health insurance policies vary depending on your level of cover and your provider. We can’t tell you without knowing more about your insurance.

In most cases though, your insurance will cover a portion or any products your health professional recommends during your consultation.

Physio Plus stocks a fantastic range of physiotherapist-approved health products! These are available to view in store (with free advice!).

If we believe a brace, support, orthotic, shoe, hot pack, cold pack or anything else will help your condition or improve your recovery we will discuss it with you.

If we don’t have what you need we’ll either order it in or advise you where you can find it!

Your physiotherapist may refer you for diagnostic tests including x-rays, ultrasounds, scans and MRIs but only where it’s clinically indicated. The majority of conditions will not require radiology.

Just bring yourself! Of course, if you have been referred please bring your referral. We will also be interested in scans, x-rays, any any other information that may help describe your injury or condition.

If you have private health insurance, please bring your member card – we offer instant private health rebates at Physio Plus clincs!

All Physio Plus physiotherapists hold current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). To achieve registration your physiotherapist will have a bachelor, masters or professional doctorate degree.

Several members of our team also hold postgraduate qualifications in specialised fields!

Exercise physiology is performed by is a university qualified allied health professionals who specialise in clinical exercise interventions for persons at high-risk of developing, or with existing chronic and complex medical conditions and injuries.

These interventions are provided by exercise delivery including health and physical activity education, advice and support and lifestyle modification with a strong focus on achieving behavioural change.

Exercise physiologists are qualified to prescribe exercise for people with chronic disease.