Frequently Asked Questions

No. You can refer yourself directly to the Clinic and the Receptionist will make your appointment. Ann is a highly trained sports therapist and will assess you thorougly before undertaking any hands on intervention. You might think you want or need a hard sports massgae but she will assess the needs of the underlying tissues and advise accordingly.

Please click through to our Contact Us page. You'll find our address and a map.

Not an easy question to answer but certainly someone you can trust, someone who will listen, someone who has the clinical skills and can understand your problem and get you better as quickly as possible. It must also be stated that they have the expertise to know whether another approach would be better.

Yes. The clinic has very easy access via a ramp at the rear of the building. Should you require any other assistance then please let the Receptionist know before you attend and every possible help will be made available.

Yes. Please ask the Receptionist is you need the therapist to come and treat you at home or until you are well enough to travel to the clinic. They are usually done in the afternoon.

This can range anywhere between 30-60 minutes depending upon the body part and the acute or chronic nature of the condition.

Yes. We welcome anyone attending with you. They can go into the consultation with you or wait in the waiting room and enjoy a tea or coffee.

If you are insured then please bring full insurance details including membership number and authorisation number.

If you are attending with a lower limb condition then it is a good idea to bring some shorts so that the therapist can examine the joints more easily.

If the condition is potentially caused by lower limb bio-mechanics then bring your trainers with you as you may be put onto the treadmill to analyse your gait.  Trainers and shoes are also checked for signs of unequal or excessive wear.

From an examination point of view we can look at as many in the available time allocation. However the insurance companies now insist that you have a separate authorisation number for each so that they are aware of all your problems and have validated all treatment.

This question has many answers and all are valid but need careful understanding of how the claim is to be reimbursed.  Many also depend on the terms and conditions of your claim.

1. Those self-referring, or who have been referred directly from GP, pay at time of treatment and a receipt proffered for inclusion in the claim. You can send to the solicitor.
2. If a solicitor refers you then frequently after the initial evaluation the therapist will indicate as to how many sessions considered necessary to expedite recovery. An interim payment is then sought via the solicitor.
3. If you have been referred by an intermediary then they too ask how many sessions will be necessary with direct involvement from therapist regarding negotiations and payment. Payment is received directly from the intermediary.

Yes. A receipt is proffered for payment you have directly made. You can send onwards to Medicash for reimbursement

Most of the insurance companies request that you have either been seen by or had a telephone consult with your GP to validate the claim. They will then only authorise the claim and give you an authorisation number for that specific body part. They no longer insist on a letter, merely that something has been recorded in your records.

You can self-refer.   All the therapists at the clinic are able to diagnose and decide which is the best intervention for your specific complaint. We are happy to send a letter back to your GP though to inform him of our findings and your response.  Good communication is necessary in case you need further help. eg. Specialist opinion or MRI scan.

That is a question frequently asked and yet not an easy question to answer without knowing exactly what structure has been injured and hence causing the pain.

It should be stressed at this point however that GP opinion should be sought if the pain is very severe, limiting all activity or has positive neurological signs such as leg weakness or any bladder/bowel disturbances.

With regards to understanding back pain lumbosacral sprains and strains frequently occur in specific activities and sports with sprains of the musculo-ligamnetous complex being the most common cause of pain. The ligament sprains can be the result of sudden muscle contractions pulling on a joint. The pain is typically to the side of the spine and there may be localised spasm of the musculature.

Disc injury is frequently as a result of heavy lifting, sudden twisting or straightening up powerfully from a bent position. The load can be very high in specific combined movement making the disc /spine vulnerable to injury resulting in severe generalised back pain or referred pain down the leg.

Physiotherapists encourage the use of ice, relative rest, taking regular prescribed analgesia and gentle activity thereby maintaining general mobility and minimising gross inflexibility. All activity should be done in such a way as to minimise any progression of the symptomology. Most patients quickly learn which positions suit them best to offload the offending area.

Targeted exercises will be progressed gradually paying particular attention to mid line position and core control ensuring that the muscles on either side of the spine are recruited simultaneously together with the abdominals to create a stable "corset". Stretches of other specific muscles might also be required, avoidance of any imbalance either from front to back or side to side thereby enabling the spine to steadily accept increasing levels of stress/ activity until normal function, range , power, co-ordination and lifestyle are restored.

It is very important to ensure that activity is progressed to avoid the pain and a reduction in function becoming chronic.

Be assured all physiotherapists are members of the Chartered Society and have the letters MCSP after their name. Our Osteopath is registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). They are all also registered with the Health Professions Council which is the only body that monitors and provides State Registration.