Can’t come to the clinic? No problem.
The Coronovirus situation means great numbers of us are confined to our homes for the time being. Regardless of this many people still have injuries to contend with.
This coupled with the huge increase in people now working from home with make shift offices at dining room tables and living rooms the numbers with neck and back pain are expected to rise.
In response to this situation we have taken the physiotherapy consultation process online. This means you can have a ‘virtual’ consultation via video link on your computer, tablet or smart phone all from the comfort of your own home.
Your Physiotherapist will assess your injury, make a diagnosis and then formulate a tailored rehabilitation Plan. All this would be sent to you as a written report to your email inbox.
We have made the process as simple as possible. There is no software to download and no services to sign up for. Just a simple weblink to click.
Now I know what you are thinking. “How can Physiotherapy be performed online?” Well, the results of hundreds of studies has Physiotherapy as a whole gradually move away from a reliance on complex machines and manual techniques, and more towards structured rehabilitation plans that the patient carries out themselves under expert guidance.
Online consultations are not a new concept. Research looking at online consultations have concluded that they can be as good as, and in some cases, better than traditional ’in person’ consultations.
However, you can rest assured that if we feel that you do need to see a specialist ‘face to face’, we will certainly let you know and facilitate this once Covid-19 restrictions are eased.
How does it work?
- SELECT – Navigate to the booking page on our website, select “Virtual Physiotherapy Consultation” and choose a suitable day and time. You will be sent an email with a weblink to click on at your appointment time.
- ASSESS – At the time of your appointment click the link within your email and video link will pop up in your browser. Your physiotherapist will join you on the video and ask you many questions in order to assess your injury.
- DIAGNOSE – Your Physiotherapist will diagnosis the problem and create a personalised rehabilitation programme for you.
- TREAT – Once you receive your plan follow the advice and complete your exercises as directed.
- PREVENT – attend a follow up virtual session so your Physiotherapist can assess your progress and make changes to your programme to progress you on.
Here is an example of an exercise plan you would receive as part of your consultations. It includes images, clear instructions, reps and sets and a link to view a short video of each exercise being performed
Additional benefits of a virtual Physiotherapy consultation are:
Saves you travelling time.
Saves you petrol.
No sitting in traffic on the way to or from the clinic.
Be comfortable in your own home.
Stay safe in your home as instructed during the pandemic.
Access quality Physiotherapy advice wherever you are.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: Is my injury suitable for online physiotherapy?
A: Most muscle, ligament and joint injuries are suitable for an online Physiotherapy consultation, but if we determine that your injury or situation is not at all suitable for an online consultation by a Physiotherapist, we will let you know, and refund the cost of the consultation.
If you are unsure whether your injury is suitable for a consultation or not, send us an email, and we will let you know!
Q: Do I need a referral from my GP?
A: If you are self referring you do not need a referral to have a consultation with us. If you have health insurance you will need to check with your provider to see if you need a referral from your GP first and if they fund virtual appointments.
Q: How can a Physio diagnose my injury without touching me?
A: All physical physiotherapy assessments start with a subjective history. This involves asking you a structured series of questions to learn about your injury and how it affects you. After this your Physio should already have a good idea what the problem is. The physical tests after this just confirm their thinking.
On a video consultation your Physio will be able to direct you to perform any physical tests infront of them therefore gaining any extra information to confirm the diagnosis.
If at any time your physio is unsure of the diagnosis they will not hesitate to refer you for a face to face consultation.
Q: How can a physio treat me without touching me?
A: The traditional view of Physiotherapy is that it involves “hands on” manipulative treatment. In reality the bulk of your rehab comes from educating you about your injury, advising you about your daily activities and lifestyle that can be affecting it, and most importantly providing you with an exercise programme strengthen your body and bring about tissue healing. This then needs to be progressed as you get better. The hands on treatments form only a small portion of additional benefit and are ineffective when solely relied upon. For instance, if you you have shin splints because your calves are weak and tight. Hands on treatment can ease your symptoms but if you do not stretch or strengthen the muscles you will never fully recover.
Over the last 5 to 10 years, Research has guided Physiotherapy to move away from a reliance on complex machines and manual techniques, and towards rehabilitation programs carried out under guidance. This puts you in much more control of your own recovery. Research has shown that the outcomes from this approach are as good, and in some cases, better than since you are much more likely to carry out your exercises with this model.
Naturally, if we feel you have an injury that requires “hands on” Physiotherapy, we will let you know.
Q: Do I need any specific programmes or equipment to have a video consultation?
A: The programmes we use are cloud based. That means you do not need to download any software or sign up to any services. You will need either a computer with webcam or a smartphone / tablet. If you are viewing this page on the internet then you should have no problem with an online consultation. If this is proving problematic then we can look at alternatives such as Skype, whatsapp and FaceTime
Q: How do I pay for my session?
A: You will be given the option to pay for your session at the time of booking. Alternatively you can be billed afterwards. You will be sent an invoice with BACS details for online payment from your smartphone banking app or desktop online banking. Alternatively you can pay by PayPal.
Q: I have health insurance. Do they cover payment for online consultations?
A: Some providers do and some do not. You would have to check with your specific insurer. Many health insurers go through Nuffield health and at this time with social isolation due to Covid-19 Nuffield Health and Bupa are allowing online consultations to be carried out.