If you have never made an appointment with a physiotherapist in Castle Hill, then now might be the time for that to change, particularly if you are experiencing any form of joint or muscular pain. A muscle therapist can provide a series of exercises and strategies to help you improve your joint mobility, flexibility and minimise any lingering discomfort you may have. If you have never had a session with a qualified therapist, then you might be a little apprehensive about the whole thing. So, if you’re about to see your local physiotherapist in Castle Hill, here is what is involved in a conventional session.
Medical history
After a brief introduction, which will include exchanging names and information, your muscle therapist will probably ask for a basic rundown of your medical history. If you have made an appointment because of an injury or recent surgery, make sure you fill them in regarding any updates. Explain how the incident occurred, where the pain is, and any other details related to the event and your medical past. Details of your surgery will be passed on from your specialist surgeon, so there is no need to worry about that.
Provide relevant documents
Your physiotherapist in Castle Hill will likely ask for any medical documents you have regarding the injury. This could include x-rays, doctor reports, MRI scans and anything alike. Make sure you have these in your first consultation.
Initial assessment
After this, your physiotherapist in Castle Hill will likely perform an initial assessment of the injury or area in question. They will perform a few light movements to gauge the exact origin of the discomfort and evaluate your range of movement. They will closely examine all affected muscles and joints. If the affected limb or area is close to a private area, they may ask for you to change into a gown for the initial examination.
Diagnosis
After the initial assessment, your physiotherapist in Castle Hill will likely diagnose your injury, including a recommended course of treatment. Depending on the nature and complexity of the injury, your therapist may not necessarily know exactly what the injury is or what is causing your pain. If this is the case, you may need to visit another specialist or have further tests on the affected area.
On the other hand, if you are in rehabilitation from a recent surgery, then their diagnosis will be relatively straightforward, and they’ll begin assigning exercises and various treatments.
Massage
After the diagnosis, your physiotherapist in Castle Hill can finally begin with administering the preliminary stages of the treatment. Generally, this will begin with a deep tissue massage, which is designed to “activate” the area. This involves loosening the muscles and stretching the ligaments. For example, if you are returning from a shoulder reconstruction, it’s not just your shoulder that is affected, it is the muscle groups connected to your shoulder. This includes your biceps, lateral and pectoral muscles. The deep tissue massage can be quite uncomfortable, especially in your early sessions, so be prepared.
Exercises
Finally, your physiotherapist in Castle Hill will demonstrate several exercises that you will need to complete to rebuild the damaged area (tissue, ligaments, etc.) Your sessions after this will consist of an initial massage and any necessary stretching exercises before you finally get into the more intensive treatment.
At home
Your sessions are incredibly important, however, what you do at home is also very important. Your physiotherapist in Castle Hill will give you a program to take home, which will consist of several exercises that you need to complete at home to ensure your treatment is on the right track.