Physiotherapy Services
Assessment and treatment of movement problems, largely through exercise and education.
Last revised
Key takeaways
- Self-referral: available to NHS musculoskeletal physiotherapy in many areas
- Main treatment: graded exercise and education
- Most useful single change: Check whether you can self-refer locally.
- Commonest mistake: Expecting passive treatment alone to resolve the problem.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Why it matters
In much of England you can refer yourself without a GP appointment, and most people do not know it.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Self-referral | available to NHS musculoskeletal physiotherapy in many areas |
| Main treatment | graded exercise and education |
| Manual therapy | recommended only as part of a package including exercise |
| Adherence | the main determinant of outcome |
What helps
- Check whether you can self-refer locally
- Do the home programme; that is where the effect comes from
- Say early if something is not working so it can be changed
What to avoid
- Expecting passive treatment alone to resolve the problem
- Stopping exercises as soon as pain settles
Where to go next
- Physiotherapy Services: The Questions People Actually Ask
- Physiotherapy Services: The Quick Reference
- Occupational Therapy: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- What the Guidance Really Says About Speech and Language Therapy
When to get help
Seek emergency care rather than physiotherapy for numbness around the genitals or back passage, bladder or bowel changes, or weakness in both legs. See a GP urgently for pain with fever, unexplained weight loss, a history of cancer, or progressive limb weakness.
Where this comes from
- NICE — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s
- Chartered Society of Physiotherapy — self-referral
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.