What to expect at your first appointment

A first physiotherapy appointment at Sportscare Caloundra is mostly detective work, because treatment aimed at the wrong structure wastes everyone's time. You will leave knowing what we think is wrong, what the plan is, roughly how many sessions it should take, and what to do between now and next time.

How the appointment runs

1. The story. How it started, what provokes and eases it, your training or work load, health history and medications. The story alone gets us most of the way to a diagnosis.
2. Screening. Quick checks for the uncommon presentations that need a doctor before a physio. This is standard at every initial consultation here.
3. Physical assessment. Movement, strength, joint and nerve testing relevant to your problem. Wear or bring clothes you can move in: shorts for knees and hips, a singlet for shoulders.
4. Diagnosis and plan. What we found, in plain language, with honest uncertainty where it exists. You will hear the estimated number of sessions and the stages between here and your goal.
5. Treatment starts same day. Hands-on treatment where useful and the first two or three exercises of your program, chosen because they matter, not to fill a sheet.

What to bring

• Any scans and their written reports, if you have them
• Referral paperwork if you are coming under a GPCCMP, WorkCover claim or DVA
• Private health card for rebates
• For runners and gym athletes: your training log, and shoes if it is a running problem

Questions worth asking us

Good care survives scrutiny, so ask: what is the diagnosis, what else could it be, how many sessions do you expect, what happens if it is not improving by then, and what can I do myself to need you less? We will volunteer most of this, and you are entitled to all of it from anyone who treats you.