What To Expect At My First Visit

What you should expect from your first visit with us:

  • You will meet our friendly front office staff, who will welcome you to Amped Physiotherapy.
  • You will meet with our physiotherapist for the initial evaluation.

Step 1: Introduction

  • We will explain what we will do on the first day, from start to finish of the appointment.

Step 2: About You

  • We will ask about your history and daily habits. Do you exercise, do you smoke, do you have kids? All of these may seem unrelated to your problem, but they are not. Please be sure to share all the information we ask about!

3: Your Goals

  • We will ask what you want out of your treatment – What is your main goal? Why is this important to you? What does your success look like? Imagine we are having this conversation a year from now – what would you be happy to achieve?

4: Assessment

  • We will assess you, then explain your problem as clearly as we can in our working diagnosis. It may be a simple, specific diagnosis, or you may have a regional problem that requires us to work on more than just the sore area to help you get better.

5: Treatment

  • We use manual therapy, movement control, and exercise in your treatments. Your homework will reinforce what we have done in the clinic.

6: Homework

  • We won’t promise the homework will be easy, but we do promise it will be realistic for you to fit into real life.

7: Plan of Care

  • We will fill out your Initial Plan of Care form, which outlines the number and frequency of your future appointments, and what we will focus on to help you achieve your goal. You will get a copy to take home with you.

8: Booking

  • We will take your form to the front desk, where your plan will be reviewed. Our client care staff will book as much of your plan as possible, and you will receive an email or paper copy of your upcoming appointments. We offer many convenient appointment times, however, prime times can become busy, so it is best to book ahead as much as possible.

9: Follow-ups

  • We will ask how you have changed since the assessment. We will review your homework, and use our manual therapy, movement control work and exercise treatment tools during your visit.

10: Recovery Expectations

  • You should notice a definite change in your symptoms by the 4th or 5th visit. If you don’t, we will re-evaluate our treatment approach with you, and may recommend strength sessions with our coach, assessment of your pelvic musculature, or a consult with another one of our physiotherapists in Ottawa.

How you should prepare for your visit:

  • Arrive a few minutes early for your first appointment.
  • Make a list of questions that you have to discuss on your first visit.
  • List signs and symptoms that can be of importance to the therapist.
  • Have in writing key past medical history, previous treatments, current medications, and other important information.
  • Bring comfortable clothing that will allow the physiotherapist to visualize the area you are having treated.
  • Bring your calendar to book your follow-up appointments!