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What Makes A Good Physiotherapist?

These 5 hats are what an excellent physio should wear during your journey to healing:

they are physio and rehab nerds

A physio should always be up to date on evidence-based physical therapy to assist in getting their clients back to function as soon as possible. Information is everywhere but it takes a discerning physio to know what is a trend vs what truly works based on research and reputable evidence.

So many physios just go through motions of treatment as it is what they have seen or been doing for many years; however medicine and science is forever evolving and a physio needs to keep up with what is best to get their clients back on their feet.

Throughout treatment, your physio should say things like “recent studies have shown...” Having structure during each session and even AFTER the client leaves the clinic is an important aspect to achieving goals. Knowing how to facilitate the healing beyond clinic time is a must and a physio who gives proper instruction and homework is a must.

Another great trait of an excellent physio is staying on top of their game; they’re leading and paving the way to giving back to the profession in ways such as contributing to community, giving talks to community and engaging and supporting in on-going learning in professional learning.

they pay attention and are good listeners

Not only is it important to understand the ailments of each client, but to truly listen to what could be the cause and contributor to any continued issues.

Half the game of treatment is listening to the reason why injuries/pain occurred and what aggravates or alleviates that injury/pain. There is no judgment in therapy but only compassion and support to assist in the healing process.

they motivate you and get you to move

Sometimes in the healing journey, a good boost to confidence and understanding of the healing process is a must so that intellectually and mentally the clients move along the journey with proper expectations.

Helping clients set their own personal goals (short term weekly) and long term (the final goal) is a great step-ladder in progression in rehab.

they are very Hands-On in their teaching and doing

One of the major skills in physio is manual skills: hands-on therapy to mobilize joints, to reduce myofascial adhesions, to decrease pain perception, to assess, treat and facilitate the healing process.

Research evidence shows that hands-on touch assists significantly in the healing process; so as a client, it’s important to know how to improve the outcome of treatment.

During the process of manual therapy, what is being done and assessed to understand how and why certain treatments are being done is discussed and clarified so that each client is empowered with knowledge of why they are healing and why injuries may have occurred.

consistent, Trustworthy and Credible

When it comes to reviews, the best review is word-of-mouth and being well-liked not only as a person but a therapist who truly cares about the process of making each individual client well.

Being a well-rounder and a physio who has passions in specific sports and lifestyle is a bonus as it shows they can translate their focus to helping each client.

Also for clients who are involved in sports, it takes a physio who understands the athlete’s mind to help them along their journey to the next start and finish line.