What We Use to Help You

Comfort practitioners will use types of training associated to physiotherapy and osteopathy to bring about the ideal treatment for his patients. Treatment is very much geared towards the use of manual techniques, as these far outreach the scope of even modern machinery.

• Manipulation and Articulation to improve movement of stiff joints
  
• Soft tissue massage — to improve flexibility of affected muscles
  
• Electrotherapy including ultrasound and interferential — for soft tissue repair
  
• Instruction in Pilates (core stability exercises) — to strengthen key muscle groups
  
• Instruction in Gym Ball exercises — to strengthen and mobilise the spine
  
• Instruction on home flexibility exercises — to maintain improved mobility/function
  
• Advice on posture at work and play
  
• Post-operative rehabilitation advice/exercise regimes

Your First Visit 

Please ensure you arrive 10 minutes prior to your appointment time; if you are running more than 10 minutes late then we will need to reschedule your appointment.

Upon entering the building, please have a seat in our reception where you will be greeted by either our receptionist or your practitioner at the time of your appointment; you will then be invited to have a seat in one of our treatment rooms.

Initial Consultation

Your Physiotherapist or Osteopath will take a history of your problem by asking for details of the onset of the problem, any factors which make the problem worse or better and any other treatment or investigations you may have had.

Initial Examination

They will then carry out an examination of your problem. This will include a standing observation of your posture and asking you, if possible, to do some simple movements such as bending backwards/forwards. This examination may be better performed with a removal of some items of clothing, e.g. to look at a neck problem the removal of your shirt.

Sometimes, if the root of your problem is elsewhere other items of clothing may need to be removed. For example, a slightly shorter leg may affect your neck and it may therefore be appropriate to remove your trousers to allow a full examination of the lower limb.

If you feel uncomfortable about removing clothing please let your Physiotherapist or Osteopath know; it is usually possible to work around clothing provided it is soft and unrestricted e.g. jogging bottoms or shorts, although this may mean that the diagnosis of contributing factors may be impaired. There are treatment gowns provided if preferred.

After the observation examination, you will be asked to lie down on the treatment bench so that your Physiotherapist or Osteopath can examine you passively (without your muscles doing anything) in order to complete their diagnosis.

Examination Result and Recommendations

Your Physiotherapist or Osteopath will then explain what they have found, what this means in terms of your problem and what treatment options you have and whether any further referral or investigation is necessary.

Treatment

If appropriate your Physiotherapist or Osteopath will then begin a short treatment which will enable him/her to read your body's preference for treatment and allow you to experience the approach that will be taken.

During treatment, he/she will sometimes ask for feedback — do be honest and don't be shy, it is your body and your treatment.

Please feel free to ask questions at any time in the consultation — the more you understand your problems the less worried you will feel and the better able you will be to help rather than hinder the treatment.

Exercises and Homework

Your Physiotherapist or Osteopath may give you some exercises or homework to do such as hot or cold bathing etc.

This advice should be followed in order to make best use of your treatment and for you to get better as quickly as possible — if you choose not to do them then you may find your progress is slower than your Physiotherapist or Osteopath originally anticipated.

If you're having difficulty with or pain doing any exercise then you should stop doing the movement and speak to your osteopath before re-commencing.

Payment and Follow-up

Private Clients: Follow up treatments if required can be booked online or over the phone.

NHS Clients: After your treatment, you do not need to do anything apart from making your next appointment online or over the phone in accordance to what your Physiotherapist or Osteopath has advised.

We are recognised by all of the major health insurance companies and are able to take payment directly from some of them. We also accept credit/debit cards and cheques. Please ensure that you have all your relevant policy information to be able to give to the receptionist in order that your claim can be dealt with swiftly and correctly.

Cancellation Policy

To assist other patients in gaining prompt attention we maintain a cancellation list. Please extend your courtesy to others in need of treatment by offering 24 hours notice of cancellation where possible.