If you're in pain, it can sometimes be confusing knowing which health professional to choose. So, we've collated a few important points of difference between physiotherapists and other health professionals to make your decision easier! While there are a lot of health professions that can do one or two of the points below, physiotherapists are the only health professionals that can do all of them!
Physiotherapists are qualified to diagnose, not merely treat, your injury!
- Both physiotherapists and doctors are able to diagnose your injury. Like doctors, physiotherapists are “first contact” practitioners so we don’t need a referral from a doctor in order to examine, diagnose and treat your pain. Physiotherapy is a primary care treatment and while it’s the most common referral from Australian GPs, a referral is by no means required. This means you can walk in to most physiotherapists off the street and make an appointment. We do take private health funds to help you subsidise costs, or if you are referred under a care plan, you might receive your treatment bulk billed. The benefit of being a primary health service is that you can get the relief you need right away.
Physiotherapists can treat from the acute (very early) to chronic (very late) stages of pain or injury!
- Physiotherapists are experts in immediate injury management, as well as treating chronic pain that may have been present for years. This makes us suitable in a range of settings from the clinic to the sports field to the weights room. We are comfortable and qualified no matter where you are on the injury continuum. We also provide valuable "prehab" to prepare you for an upcoming surgery or help reduce your chance of getting injured in the first place!
Physiotherapists can use both hands-on techniques and exercise interventions!
- Physiotherapists can utilise a range of modalities to treat your pain. We are not intimidated by manual therapy or the weights room! Whether your goal is to get stronger, improve your balance, rehab your rolled ankle or perform the splits - we can help!
Physiotherapists only use evidence-based interventions!
- Alternative medicine describes any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine, but which lacks biological plausibility and is untested, untestable or proven ineffective. In contrast to alternative medicine, Physiotherapy is “allopathic” or “Western” medicine. This means, for example, that you can see us in a hospital setting (unlike Chiropractors, Homeopaths, Naturopaths etc.), you can study physiotherapy at a mainstream university (as opposed to a college of natural therapy), and we will only perform evidence-based treatments - no quackery here!
Sycamore Health is a multidisciplinary clinic located in Morayfield and home to your local physiotherapy experts. Our professional team will work with you, assess your needs and provide the best quality service to ensure the greatest outcome. If you have any other queries, please contact us!
