Your Visit

We completely understand that coming to Physiotherapy can sometimes seem daunting. But don’t worry – you’re in good hands! To help put your mind at ease, we’ve prepared our responses to some common questions about physiotherapy. We hope you find them helpful.

What to Expect

What is physiotherapy & what can I expect from Active?

Physiotherapy is a health care profession that assesses, diagnoses, treats, and works to prevent disease and disability. Physiotherapists are expert in the structure of the human body and its movement and function. They help you recover from injury, reduce pain and stiffness, increase mobility, balance and function and prevent further injury. They listen to your needs to tailor a treatment program that is specific to your goals and your condition.

At Active, we have strong experience in several clinical streams, spanning the continuum of care: Musculoskeletal, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Child and Adolescent Continence, Vestibular, Orthopaedics, Spinal Neurosurgery, Neurology, Cancer Care and Headaches. We proudly partner with our hospital and university partners, surgeons, nurses and allied health professionals to deliver these physiotherapy services.

We have adopted a unique approach, which provides a ‘connected care’ experience for our patients – continuing their physiotherapy care with the same experienced team, from preparation or prehab, during hospital admissions, working with their doctors in outpatient clinics, and then guiding rehabilitation at our community-based clinics and through online video consultations, via ‘PhysiApp’.

Do I need a referral?

A doctor’s referral is not necessary to see a Physiotherapist in private practice, although we frequently work in partnership with your doctor to plan and manage treatment for a specific condition.

What should I expect from physiotherapy?

To begin, your Physiotherapist will assess your condition, diagnose any problems and help you understand what is wrong. They will work with you to develop a treatment plan that takes into account your lifestyle, goals, leisure activities and general health.

Throughout your treatment program, your Physiotherapist will evaluate your progress at regular intervals and modify your treatment and goals accordingly. Wherever possible, your Physiotherapist will also help you to manage your condition independently for the longer term.

How long are my appointments?

Depending on the type of treatment and your condition, your initial appointment may last from 30 to 60 minutes. For your first visit, please arrive 10 minutes prior to your appointment to finalise any admission paperwork. This ensures we can get you into your appointment, on time.

How do I schedule follow-up appointments?

At your initial appointment, your physiotherapist will develop and provide you with a documented treatment plan. This will include:

What you have identified as your main problems
What your goals are, as discussed with your physio
A detailed treatment plan of what you and your physio will work on together
The optimal recommended treatment schedule to achieve your goals

After your initial appointment, our administration team will help you to schedule appointments for the recommended course of treatment. During each session, your Physiotherapist will review your treatment plan with you and suggest any modifications to the plan, to assist in your optimal recovery.

Will I always have the same Physiotherapist?

It is our policy to schedule you with the same Physiotherapist over the course of your treatment. Occasionally, substitutions must be made because of illness and holidays. A full handover is always provided, including full access to all of your clinical notes, to ensure continuity of care.

On other occasions, your Physiotherapist may recommend that you visit with another member of the team, who has additional expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of your condition. If, at any time over the course of your treatment, you would prefer to visit with another Physiotherapist, please inform our administration team and they can re-schedule an appointment for you.

What is the cost of my treatment?

Please refer to ‘Consultation Fees’

Will my insurance cover the cost of my treatment?

Please refer to ‘Consultation Fees’

What should I do if I am unable to make it to my appointment?

In order to accommodate each patient’s schedule and for the efficient operation of our practice, reserving time slots for treatments is very important. That time slot is held specifically for you. If you do need to reschedule or cancel your appointment, please give us 2 business days’ notice, to avoid a cancellation fee. A full consultation fee may apply if more than 3 same day cancellations are made.

What to Wear

We want you to be comfortable – unrestrictive or athletic clothing is highly recommended for all sessions. This allows your Physiotherapist to properly assess the area being treated. For low back, hip and lower limb problems loose, unrestrictive shorts are suitable. For neck and shoulder problems, a singlet is ideal. We also recommend comfortable footwear, preferably without a heel.

If you are coming straight from work, or have forgotten to wear or bring unrestrictive clothing, don’t worry. We have a range of shorts and t-shirts available for your use.

What to do Before Coming to your Appointment

We will send you an email with the details of your appointment, along with other important information including directions, what to wear and what to bring. The email contains a link to an online admission and medical history questionnaire. It’s important you complete and submit this form to us as soon as possible, but at least 2 days prior to your appointment.

If you do have a referral, an EPC, reports, X-rays or other imaging, it’s important for us to receive those beforehand. You are able to do this by uploading the documents within the online admission form. This means your physiotherapist has access to information before your appointment, maximising your time with them..

How do I Prepare for my Telehealth Appointment?

You will receive an email with details of your telehealth appointment, along with information on how to prepare for your online video consultation using PhysiApp, a telehealth and exercise app. PhysiApp is the telehealth and exercise portal we use to host our telehealth consultations and allows your physiotherapist to create an individualised exercise program to suit your needs.

Child Safety Statement

At Active Rehabilitation Physiotherapy, we are committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all children and young people.

We have zero tolerance for child abuse, neglect or harm. The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is central to our care, our decision-making, and the values that guide our organisation.

We are committed to:

Respecting the rights, dignity and voices of children and young people
Providing care that is inclusive, culturally safe and responsive to individual needs
Working in partnership with families and carers
Creating environments that promote safety, trust and wellbeing