Physiotherapy Services: The Quick Reference
Physiotherapy Services: the whole thing in five minutes, for when you want the numbers and nothing else.
Assessment and treatment of movement problems, largely through exercise and education.
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 speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
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 |
In one paragraph
In much of England you can refer yourself without a GP appointment, and most people do not know it.
Worth doing
- 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
Worth avoiding
- Expecting passive treatment alone to resolve the problem
- Stopping exercises as soon as pain settles
Where to go next
- New to Physiotherapy Services? Start Here
- Physiotherapy Services: The Questions People Actually Ask
- Physiotherapy Services — the reference entry
- Occupational Therapy: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- What the Guidance Really Says About Speech and Language Therapy
When to speak to a doctor
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.
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