Deciding to see a physiotherapist is a positive first step toward addressing pain or injury, but it’s natural to feel a little uncertain about what to expect. If you’ve never had physiotherapy before, you might have questions like: Will it hurt? Is this the right treatment for me? And what happens during the session?
At W5Physio, a leading physiotherapy clinic in Ealing, we believe in making your journey to recovery clear and comfortable from the very beginning. This guide explains exactly what happens during your initial assessment at our new, state-of-the-art clinic in West London, so you can feel confident and prepared.
Your first appointment will be divided into three key parts: the subjective examination, the objective examination, and your diagnosis. Let’s break down what each stage involves.
The Subjective Examination: Listening to Your Story
As physiotherapists, we work within a biopsychosocial model. That might sound complex, but it simply means we focus on “listening to you about your complaint.” We call this the “subjective examination.”
The first part of your initial appointment will involve us collecting a lot of information from you about what’s wrong and, more importantly, how it’s affecting you so that we can work out how to help. We want to understand the full picture, from the specific pain you’re feeling to its impact on your daily life, work, and hobbies.
During this subjective examination, we’ll ask questions that aim to rule out things like chronic pain (pain that’s been present for a long time, comes from the central nervous system and may be better treated by specialists such as a psychologist); or, things like tumours, that unfortunately won’t benefit from physiotherapy either.
It’s really important we ask you lots of questions to gather as much information as possible. We’ll likely ask you what you think is going on and whether you have any thoughts on how we can help you to get yourself better.
It’s all part of us building a partnership where you’re in the driving seat and we’re simply helping you to your destination of feeling better. We appreciate that the journey to recovery will look different for every individual.
The Objective Examination: The Hands-On Assessment
The next stage is the objective examination. Based upon the information you provided us in the subjective, we probably have an idea of what the complaint could be. This part of your appointment helps us to test some of our thoughts around what we think the problem is.
This is the “hands-on” part of your session where your physiotherapist will use gentle movements and/or manual therapy techniques to confirm your complaint and to help the pain and restore some movement, should you be having mobility issues. Our modern clinic is equipped with excellent facilities, allowing us to perform a thorough and precise assessment.
We’ll ask you to show us where it hurts and when it feels better by guiding you through a series of movements such as bending, stretching and twisting. We’ll carry out a full assessment, palpitating muscles and checking joints for stiffness or laxity.
The objective is also the part of the examination where we use our neurological testing skills. This means testing your reflexes, muscle strength and sensation. A thorough neurological exam helps to “rule in” problems of the nervous system and can help your physiotherapist decide whether you need an x-ray or scan.
The Diagnosis: Understanding and Planning Your Recovery
Once we’ve carried out both the subjective and objective examinations, we can reach a diagnosis and discuss what we can do to help. We’ll explain our findings in clear, simple terms and outline a personalised treatment plan. We’ll also estimate how much treatment is required and how long it will take to reach the goals we agree on together.
This plan may involve manual therapy, a tailored exercise program, or other specialised treatments. For instance, depending on your diagnosis, we might recommend advanced services like Shockwave Therapy for persistent tendon issues or Ultrasound-Guided Injections for joint inflammation. We also have specialists in areas like Women’s Health physio to address specific needs.
By the end of your first session, you’ll understand:
- What’s wrong
- What to do about it
- An approximate recovery time
- How to prevent the problem from coming back
Start Your Journey with the Leading Physiotherapy in Ealing
Taking control of your health starts with understanding your body. Your first appointment at W5Physio is designed to empower you with knowledge and a clear path forward. Our team of friendly, professional staff leverages their experience and our modern facilities to put you at ease and start you on the road to feeling better.
If you’re looking for expert physiotherapy in West London, we are here to help. Get in touch to arrange your initial appointment at our new Ealing clinic and experience the W5Physio difference.
