Physiotherapy can help recover from injury, reduce pain and stiffness, and increase mobility. A Physiotherapist can also 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.

Do You Need A Referral?

No! As first contact practitioners, a doctor's referral is not necessary to see a Physiotherapist. Physiotherapists, doctors, and other health professionals will often work as part of a team to plan and manage treatment for a specific condition.

What Do Physiotherapists Do?

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

The following are common treatment methods physiotherapists may use:

exercise programs to improve mobility and strengthen muscles
joint manipulation and mobilisation to reduce pain and stiffness
muscle re-education to improve control
soft tissue mobilisation (massage)
dry-needling
hydrotherapy
assistance with use of aids, splits, crutches, walking sticks and wheelchairs.

What To Expect From Your First Treatment

When presenting to your Physio with a new complaint, your physiotherapist will attempt to develop a clear picture of what is happening, how it impacts your daily life, what is contributing to the complaint, and then develop an appropriate plan which fits with your goals. As part of this process you should expect:

a thorough interview to help identify factors that may contribute to your complaint
if the problem is musculoskeletal in nature, observation of your posture, function, strength and mobility
collaborative goal setting between yourself and your Physio

In order for your therapist to accurately assess these elements, various levels of undress may be required. We recommend bringing some loose fitting shorts and singlet with you to your appointment. Always discuss any of your concerns with our friendly staff, and feel assured that your dignity is paramount at all times.

Sports Physiotherapy

Injuries are a common occurrence when participating in sports. Physio can play an important role in evaluating the severity of your injury, referring the patient for a medical opinion if required, advising patients on how to acutely manage the injury, devising a rehabilitation program, and helping the patient return to sport in the best condition possible.

Post-Surgical Rehabilitation

Undergoing surgeries such as a joint replacement is a traumatic event on the body. Making the commitment to undergo surgery is a big one and we want to make sure you get the most out of it. Seeking guidance for your rehabilitation can help give you improved outcomes. Our physio team are highly skilled at helping people who have undergone hip, knee, ankle or shoulder surgery. We offer an in-home service, keeping you at home with your loved ones instead of going to an expensive rehab facility. Once your mobile again, we can write a discharge letter to your existing physio or continue with your rehab in our clinic.

Physiotherapy, Workcover & TAC

We believe that involvement in work & leisure activities are important in the overall enjoyment of life. For this reason, Richmond Rehab welcomes Workcover/WorkSafe & TAC patients. Alongside your GP, employer and your extended rehabilitation team, the team at Richmond Rehab strive to get you back to your best physical function while working within the Early Intervention Physiotherapy Framework. If you're interested in learning how the Victorian Government is working to help those with work related injuries or road trauma simply follow the link.