Find answers to some of the big questions in the FAQ below.

Is there anything I should prepare before my first appointment?

There are a few things you should be mindful of beforehand:

• Try to arrange a quiet corner where we can discuss relevant items and perform part of the assessment. This deserves special attention if you plan on meeting me in a busy work environment, care home or hospital setting.
• Be ready to perform tasks which you are having trouble with. So if you are a golfer who is experiencing low back pain during a golf stroke, don't have your clubs too far away.
• Rest beforehand if you can, especially if fatigue is an issue. Sessions can be quite exhausting, but they are also very rewarding :-)
• Don't wear restrictive clothing, as you will most likely have to move around throughout the session.

What should I expect during my first appointment?

As a German I like structure. And I really value it in the context of physical therapy. Therefore we will use the first session to sort through your mobility challenges and order the common chaos. We will spend a great amount of time and effort developing meaningful rehabilitation goals based on your current mobility problems. These goals will direct all rehabilitation activity from that point onward. You will be taken through a comprehensive and problem-based examination to further substantiate and specify the treatment goals.

At the end of the first session I would like to reach a point where:

• You have a better understanding of your current situation and your mobility challenges,
• You understand and can apply some of the management strategies, such as specific exercises or movement adaptations, and
• We have a tentative plan for upcoming physical therapy treatments, or, if no further therapy is indicated, you know what to watch out for and when to seek further help.

The first session can be a lot to deal with and prepare for. Feel free to give me a call at any time if you have concerns or questions regarding your first appointment.

What is your cancellation policy?

In order to maintain an effective and efficient service as a very small business, I have a 24 hour cancellation policy in place. I charge a $20 fee for cancellations I receive within 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment. So please let me know as soon as possible, if you have important appointments in the way of our next meeting. Keep in mind though that there aren't many things more important than your next physical therapy session :-) Being sore or tired usually does not count as a good reason to cancel your upcoming session. There is always something we can work on!

What is my involvement and responsibility?

I truly value empowering physical therapy. Rather than creating a lasting dependency, I want to give you the tools and knowledge you need to better manage your mobility challenges. As you can imagine, this approach needs your full attention, commitment and involvement from the beginning. It starts with your involvement in the development of therapy goals and continues from that point onward. Often I will take on a coaching role to guide you along the way, and you will have to put in the work and effort it takes to make some meaningful changes in your mobility.

What kind of therapy do you offer?

I offer task oriented, client centred physical therapy. What is that all about? This is about clearly identifying and working on those tasks which are meaningful and important to you, but you have difficulties performing due to pain, weakness, lacking mobility, neurological impairments or other reasons. This can be anything from relearning to roll in bed or to training complex athletic movements and tasks. Under this umbrella, we will implement solutions which are most promising to have positive long-term effects. Choices will be based on a combination of your specific problems and goals, the best available research findings in this field and my clinical experience.

Often we will work directly on challenging tasks, or components of the task and we will address factors which may (directly or indirectly) affect task performance. This means that within the process we will address underlying components such as balance, strength, range of motion and other factors as well. Common interventions include anything from traditional exercise- and manual therapy to movement behaviour adaptation strategies.

How often do I need to have physical therapy?

The amount and frequency of physical therapy you need is dependent on many factors. Some people can do quite well with one or two appointments in which they undergo a proper diagnostic procedure and receive education regarding their injury as well as receive some instructions on simple and effective management strategies. Other people, especially those with more complex or chronic conditions often need continuous physical therapy over several weeks or months.