In-person physiotherapy requires patients to acquire treatment either in a clinic or a hospital. The practice of physiotherapy is changing. More and more people are realising they can receive professional physiotherapy services at home in a safe, effective manner. If you have googled “physiotherapy near me” or started to research “physio at home,” being familiar with how physiotherapy in the home works and whether or not it is for you will help you make informed decisions along your healthcare journey.
What Is In-Home Physiotherapy?
In-home physiotherapy is one way of providing certified physiotherapy directly to you, and bringing your home into being a unique treatment space. Instead of walking through a crowded waiting room with a niggling thought about what would happen if you had to walk from the car through the parking lot into a clinic, or thinking about how long it would take you to organize transportation to the clinic, the patient could receive a complete and dedicated treatment with a licensed professional physiotherapy while in the comfort of their home.
Home physiotherapy can replicate all of the effective modalities, professionalism, and patient-centred care you have had in your experience of a physiotherapy clinic without layers of excess discomfort and inconveniences to get there, making it an excellent option when searching for “physiotherapy near me”.
How Does Physio at Home Work?
The physiotherapy process begins with an initial consultation with the patient, either over the phone or in person, to learn about their condition, their medical history, and their treatment goals. This initial assessment gives the physiotherapist the ability to inform their patient of their individual treatment plan.
In practice, physiotherapists utilise a number of evidence-based treatment modalities/actions in their physiotherapy practice. These actions may include manual joint mobilisation, soft tissue massage, therapeutic exercise that is individualised for you, or electrotherapy. One unique feature of in-home physiotherapy treatment is that the physiotherapist is able to assess your home environment to make functional recommendations in that context.
Recovery usually entails a series of physiotherapy sessions taking place over several weeks or months, which will vary depending on the nature and severity of the injury. Most of the time, between physiotherapy appointments, the physiotherapy will provide you with an exercise program to complete independently, so you are reinforcing the work being done in the physiotherapy sessions and moving towards your recovery.
Who Benefits Most from In-Home Physiotherapy?
Here are the groups that particularly benefit from in-home physiotherapy services:
- Elderly Individuals:
- Benefit due to mobility limitations or transportation challenges.
- Receive care in a familiar environment, potentially enhancing healing.
- Avoid the struggle of travelling to a clinic.
- Post-Surgical Patients:
- Often choose in-home care after procedures limiting mobility (e.g., joint replacements, spinal surgeries).
- Avoid painful and counterproductive travel to appointments.
- Can begin rehabilitation immediately while better managing comfort and energy levels.
- Busy Professionals and Parents:
- Struggle to fit regular clinic appointments into tight schedules.
- In-home services offer flexibility for consistent treatment (e.g., sessions during lunch, evenings, weekends).
- Eliminates the need for time off work or childcare arrangements.
- Individuals with Chronic Conditions:
- Such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, or neurological disorders.
- In-home physio allows for better long-term symptom management.
- A therapist can assess the home environment’s impact on daily activities and recommend modifications for improved quality of life.
Advantages of Choosing Physio at Home
The personalised attention that is provided by physio at home appointments is typically more than what any busy clinic may offer, as physiotherapists do not have to rush from one appointment to another, which allows them to give more time towards solving your problems and your understanding of what is being done and why.
