Physiotherapy is a highly beneficial treatment that can not only help you recover from injuries and a range of medical conditions, but can also be used to manage chronic pain and other problems. It’s quite tough to answer the question of how many physiotherapy sessions will be needed as a result – the treatment is very individual, and will be tailored to your specific needs, physiology, and overall health.
While some patients may only need a session or two to resolve a problem, others find they need ongoing physio sessions for a prolonged period of time. Consider, for example, the difference between recovering from a torn tendon in your leg, and trying to regain mobility in your leg following a spinal injury.
Both conditions are in the same location, but the treatment and recovery are worlds apart.
As a result, it’s not possible to give a blanket answer to this question. The number of physiotherapy sessions you need will depend on you. However, on average we find that patients should expect to need around five sessions to achieve the desired result. The more severe the issue we’re trying to resolve the more sessions you’re likely to need.
How Determines How Many Physiotherapy Sessions I Will Need?
When you attend your first physiotherapy appointment your physiotherapist will assess your needs, health, and condition. They will put a treatment plan in place and advise you on the number of sessions you’ll need based on the results of this assessment.
As you continue your journey in physiotherapy, your therapist will also keep you updated on your progress. They will let you know, from session to session, how much progress you’re making and whether you’re on track for their original estimation for recovery. Should they find you’re progressing more slowly than expected, or that your condition is more complex than originally thought, they may decide that more sessions will be needed. Should this be the case, they will let you know so you always have a realistic time frame in mind.
Because of this ongoing need to monitor and reassess, it’s important to keep your physiotherapist well informed of anything you feel or any changes that occur between sessions.
How Fast Can I Complete My Physiotherapy Sessions?
For many wondering how many physiotherapy sessions they will need the core concern is speed of recovery. It’s natural to want to be fully recovered as swiftly as possible. Often when a client asks for the number of sessions needed, what they really want to know is how quickly they will recover. The logical desire once they know how many sessions are needed is to work through them as quickly as possible.
How frequently you have physio sessions will – again – depend on the nature of the condition we are treating, as well as your unique response to therapy. When your therapist advises you on how many sessions will be needed, they will also let you know how frequently you should attend sessions.
Your therapist may recommend you come for treatment up to four times per week. It’s highly unusual to recommend more frequent sessions, your body needs time to recover between. It’s more likely your therapist will recommend 2-3 sessions per week initially, and reducing that to 1-2 sessions as your treatment progresses. It’s important you resist the urge to rush through the number of sessions you’ve been told are needed as quickly as possible. You run the risk of exacerbating your condition in your haste to fix it.
For more information and advice on how physiotherapy can help you, book an appointment at our clinic in Northwich. One of our specialists will be happy to advise you on the best course of treatment.
