Is PhysioFit for me?
If you answer yes to any of these questions then PhysioFit may be able to help you.
- Have you had an injury that is not progressing as anticipated?
- Have you had pain lasting longer than 6 weeks.
- Have you had recurrent episodes of pain.
- Have you ever had a significant episode of spinal pain that has now recovered – Prevention of a second episode is better than cure!
- Are you unsure of what you can or can’t do because of your problem.
- Do you avoid activities so as not to aggravate your problem.
- Have you been off work longer than 4 weeks due to your pain.
- Do you need to take regular or extended time off work due to your problem.
- Do you have poor posture.
- Do you have patellofemoral or other types of knee pain.
- Do you have shoulder pain from shoulder impingement or rotator cuff tears or shoulder instabilities.
- Do you have Spinal Pain from multiple sources including disc injuries, whiplash, muscle strains, neural involvement.
- Do you suffer from Repetitive Strain injuries (RSI).
- Do you have a bursitis, tenodinitis or tendinopathy that is not resolving?
- Have you had various surgeries, (Spinal, Ankle, Knee, Shoulder, Major Trauma) and still not fully back on track after your acute phase rehabilitation.
- Have you been diagnosed with Chronic pain, CRPS (chronic regional pain syndrome) or Central pain sensitization?
- Do you have incontinence, prolapses and other pelvic floor related issues.
- Do you want to begin exercising for health, weight loss or mental health benefits but are unsure of what to do as you are at risk of developing injuries.
- Do you need to exercise to maintain bone density.
- Do you want to improve your posture or performance.
- Do you want to reduce your risk of injury in sport.
I want to see a PhysioFit exercise physiologist or physiotherapist what do I do now?
Call us on 9744 6466 and book in. You do not need a doctors referral.
If you are seeking treatment under workers compensation or third party insurance you will need your Doctor to write a referral to us. Once this is done call us on 9744 6466. We will need from you the referral letter and your workers compensation details. From there we will put in a request for treatment. As soon as approval is received we will call you to book you in for an initial appointment.
What will happen at the initial appointment?
You will be seen by one of our team which will involve a top to toe assessment, looking at your pain/injury history, current physical ability, body type, posture, muscle function (“core” stability, endurance and strength), and flexibility. It will also cover your work and home situation and how your injury is affecting your ability to perform your work and activities of daily living.
Please wear or bring comfortable loose clothing (shorts and t-shirt are best). We will be using an ultrasound machine to look at your abdominal and pelvic muscles (“core” muscles that support the spine) and, as such, require you to have a full bladder at the time of your consultation. Please drink 2 big glasses of water, 40-60 minutes prior to your appointment.
At this assessment we will also spend time discussing your needs and your goals to be able to design the best management plan for you. At the end of your assessment we will provide you with a written plan identifying areas of concern and what we feel you need to ensure your goals are achieved. This will include a guide on how many sessions you may need and the time frame the sessions will likely be delivered and the results we feel you can achieve.
Workers Compensation and Third Party clients will also have a questionnaire to fill out that can take around 30 minutes to complete. This questionnaire provides us with information the insurance companies want that helps us to re-enforce your need for our services. You can arrange to pick it up prior to your initial appointment to complete at home at your leisure and bring back on the day or fill it out on the day of your appointment. At the end of your assessment, we will provide your insurance company and Dr with written plans identifying areas of concern and what we feel you need, to ensure your goals are achieved. This will include a report on how many sessions you may need, the time frame the sessions will likely be delivered and the results we feel you can achieve. We will fill out the necessary paperwork and AHRR request forms to seek approval for your treatment. As soon as your sessions are approved you will be called and booked in to get started.
How many times will I need to come?
How many times you will have to come and the time frame will vary based on many factors including what your goals are, how strong your pain is, how long you have had it for, how many areas are not working properly, how quickly your body learns, how much time you have to give to your goal and then how much time you actually give. Usually there will be at least 1 week in between appointments. Our average client will see us 10-12 times over 3-6 months.
Do I need a referral?
No, you do not need a referral to see a physiotherapist. If you have a doctor referral, please bring it along so we could communicate with the referring doctor if required.
If you are receiving physiotherapy under a Workers Compensation claim, Third Party Insurance (CTP), Medicare or DVA, then a referral from your GP is required.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Yes. An appointment will usually be available within 24-48 hours.
How long are appointment times?
Initial appointments usually last for 60 minutes. In some circumstances initial appointments can be 30 minutes, this will be discussed with the physiotherapist seeing you. Follow up appointments are 30 minutes.
What do I need to bring to my first session?
It is best to bring any x-rays and scan results that you may have to give the physiotherapist as much information as possible. It is ideally to wear loose, comfortable clothing to allow the physiotherapist to access the injured body area for assessment and treatment.
How do I pay for my treatment?
We cover most of the private health funds so if you have private health fund that covers physiotherapy, please bring your health fund card so we can process your health fund rebate on the spot and you only need to cover the gap.
If you have been referred for medicare sessions (EPC) you must pay for the consultation up front then claim the rebate from medicare yourself after the consultation.
Payment is required at the time of treatment and we accept cash, MasterCard, Visa and EFTPOS.
If your treatment costs are being claimed through Workcover, Third party insurance or Veterans Affairs then once the appropriate paperwork is in place there is no cost to you. As a provider of more comprehensive programs, upfront approval by the insurance company is required prior to our first consultation. Rest assured there is no additional work required by you just give us the details of your claim and we do the rest.
What If I cannot speak English?
If you would like to attend the treatment session with a family member or English speaking interpreter we welcome the support as this aids in the recovery process.
What if I am running late for my appointment?
If you are running late, please give us a call so we can try to accommodate you or you may be able to reschedule your appointment to later that day. If you are unable to attend your appointment then we require at least 12 hours notice otherwise a cancellation fee of 50% of your fee may be charged. We kindly ask you to make every effort to keep your scheduled appointments to avoid us having to turn other clients away when we are fully booked.
What happens if I want a session run in my gym or pool?
If you wish for us to design a gym/pool based program for you to do we will usually need 1-2 sessions to design it and show you how to do the exercises properly. You will need to check that we can come into your gym/pool and also pay for our entry fee if applicable. If your gym/pool will not allow access, we can run through most exercises in the clinic or one of the surrounding gyms/pools we have access to. Depending on the complexity of your situation, it may be important to have an initial appointment in the clinic before the gym session. This will be decided by your treating therapist or Dr in conjunction with us. Follow-up sessions are always available to check technique, progress your exercises and answer any questions you may have. These can be run in the rooms or in the gym/pool.