At physio recovery room I often get asked this question "should I attend a chartered physiotherapist", the answer I reply is "what would you like to achieve from visiting a chartered physiotherapist and what is your perception of physiotherapy".
Firstly how do you know you are attending a chartered physiotherapist, he/she should be registered by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapy (ISCP) and CORU registered. These bodies assure that best practice is been practiced and implemented.
"What would you like to achieve from your visit with a chartered physiotherapist" the goal of physiotherapy should be lead by you but guided by the chartered physiotherapist. Use their knowledge to guide your goals and expectations.
Thermis-information that physiotherapy is a massage based profession and massage is best for the treatment of all conditions but this is not the case. Massage will give you short term relief as it is causing a neurophysiological effect to your body by the application of touch. This will give you pain relief but only short term. Exercise and strength training will have a longer lasting affect of reducing pain by causing a neurophysiological effect.
A chartered physiotherapist should discuss what is the best way of managing your pain or injury to optimize recovery and self management. This is a key term self management, you will only have about 45 minutes with your chartered physiotherapist, there are 23 hours and 15 minutes left in the rest of the day.
An understanding of your pain or injury will help you cope with these 23 hours and 15 minutes of the day, this may be through factors like education regarding benefits of sleep, nutrition, exercise, strength training, management of stress and pain.
Rely on your physiotherapist for this be guided and educated and reassured by them but you are the most important person to help your pain or injury. Without implementing these factors physiotherapy will become a revolving 45 minute door as your 23 hours and 45 minutes are the most important time to change these factors.
So the question was should I attend a chartered physiotherapist the choice is yours but if you are seeking help with an injury/pain, post surgery or need guidance with exercise and strength training then a chartered physiotherapist is needed for that journey.
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