Physiotherapy is a form of physical therapy that helps people recover from injuries. It can help with everything from back pain to sports injuries of the shoulder, knee, ankle or any other area of the body. At Stittsville Sport Physio, we focus on providing one-on-one care to our clients and ensuring that they receive the best possible treatment.
When you come in for physiotherapy, it is important to wear comfortable clothing that you can move freely in so the physiotherapist can observe you doing functional (day to day movements) that may be contributing to the pain you have. This blog will give you some tips on what to wear to physiotherapy.
What to Consider Before Your Appointment
There are a few things you should consider before coming in for your physio appointment:
- wear comfortable clothing that you can move around in
- bring a water bottle if you would like
- bring a list of any medication that you take on a regular basis
- ask our receptionist any specific questions you may have regarding your appointment. They are ready to help answer all your pre-appointment questions.
What Should You Wear to a Physiotherapy Appointment?
First and foremost, you should wear comfortable clothing. Depending on your injury or area of pain we often want to see how you do common movements like a squat or go up/ down a step. If you think your injury is related to running or walking consider bringing the shoes you use for these activities with you. Avoid wearing anything too tight or constricting or bring along a pair of shorts (or capri length pants or track pants) that you can change into if needed. You should also avoid any jewelry that could get caught on something or get in the way of your treatment. This is especially important if you are coming to see us because you have neck, upper back or shoulder pain.
In most cases your physiotherapist may need to see the area you are having pain. We will always ask you for your consent if we need to further expose any area to examine it properly for example roll up a pant leg or roll up the bottom of a shirt to see your lower back. If you are not comfortable doing this do not hesitate to let your physiotherapist know.
We always have clean shorts, tank tops and gowns (hospital style) so if you forget your shorts for your knee/ hip treatment or you arrive in a big turtleneck to have treatment on your neck we have options available on site.
If you are coming to physiotherapy for a lower body (lower back pain, leg pain) issue we will probably want to see how you look in a standing position without any footwear. As mentioned above, if your pain is related to walking or running, try and remember to bring those shoes along to your appointment on the first day. If you are wearing sandals or flip-flops, depending on the movements or exercises we may need to you do we may ask you to to take those sandals off to ensure you have stable footing. Safety is always a top priority. It will really depend on the sandal and the exercise involved!
Why Clothing Matters?
The type of clothing you wear during physiotherapy can affect your treatment in a few ways. First, it can affect your physiotherapist’s ability to assess and treat the affected area. It can also affect your comfort during the physiotherapy session as well as possibly your safety (think slippy shoes or flip-flops).
Summary
These are some general tips that apply to all physiotherapy appointments. The type of clothing you wear should be comfortable, allow for a full range of motion, and not be constricting. Footwear may need to be removed depending on the injury and exercise we are assessing.
If you are unsure about what to wear or have any other questions, please call the clinic at 613-435-9100 and speak to our receptionist. If needed they will ask your physiotherapist for advice. We are here to answer all your questions.
Ready To Book Your First Physiotherapy Appointment?
If you are ready to book your first physio appointment, we are ready to help you! At Stittsville Sport Physio, we want you to feel comfortable and relaxed during your physiotherapy session. Contact us today to book an appointment.
We look forward to helping you reach your physiotherapy goals!