When Physiotherapy Treatment Doesn’t Work
Posted on 23 January, 2022 / Written by admin

We often hear from patients that they have put off seeking treatment following an injury because they have previously tried physiotherapy and found that it didn’t work. Understandably, this can lead to a reluctance to invest time and money into future treatments. While there are never any guarantees in healthcare, in this article we highlight a few reasons why your treatment may not have worked in the past and why it may be worth trying again.

1. You couldn’t commit to your exercise program.

With our busy modern lives, finding time to make an appointment with your physiotherapist can be hard enough, let alone making time to complete the exercises they prescribe. The tasks set for you at a home by your therapist are often actually more important than the treatment time and are highly targeted for your individual circumstances. Ensuring you are performing your exercises correctly as well as frequently enough are other factors that might leave you seeing little to no improvement.

2. You weren’t able to continue physiotherapy for long enough.

While very occasionally, an issue can be resolved in 1-2 visits, most conditions will require at least 5-6 visits for a significant change to be made. Chronic pain and injuries often need much longer still to make an impact. There are many reasons for not being able to return for treatment, however this is one of the most common reasons physiotherapy fails, there’s simply not enough of it to be successful. It is important to discuss with your physio at the beginning of treatment how much time may be needed for a full and effective treatment program. Once

pain and symptoms have resolved, it is also important to complete a full rehabilitation to help prevent future injuries.

3.  Your injury required medical or surgical intervention.

There are a small percentage of injuries that will require more intensive intervention to heal fully. It is often recomended that physiotherapy be trialled before attempting more invasive treatments. Your physiotherapist and medical team often work together to evaluate your injury and decide the best course of treatment.

4. Your physiotherapist was simply not the right fit.

While all physiotherapists are trained to an excellent standard, occasionally you might find that the treatment style of one therapist works better for you than another. It can be worth working with a new therapist before giving up on the idea of physiotherapy altogether. Often physiotherapists within the same clinic are happy to collaborate and offer new perspectives.

Our physiotherapists are happy to discuss any concerns you have regarding your treatment including issues with previous treatments. None of the information in this article is a replacement for proper medical advice. Always see a medical professional for advice on your individual injury.