What happens during a visit with a rehabilitation professional?

An appointment with a rehabilitation professional may take place in various settings, including at a hospital (both inpatient and outpatient), at a clinic, or at home.  Often, the therapist will provide a short summary of what to expect when you book an appointment.  Alternatively, you can ask questions about the process before the first meeting.

  • Bring any questions you have about your issue or treatment.  It is easy to forget little things, so having it written down will help.
  • Wear clothing that allows easy access to the affected body part (e.g., loose fitting pants if you have a knee problem).  Many clinics have a place to change if you would prefer to bring a change of clothing.

What information would it be helpful to give the rehabilitation professional?

The first step any clinician undertakes is to get a clear, complete picture of the problems you face.  Some things your clinician will ask you about1,2 include;

  • Your current issue (e.g., when did it start? does it change over time? what have you used to treat it in the past?)
  • Previous instances of the same problem
  • Other current conditions or injuries
  • The needs of your daily life
  •  Past conditions or injuries
  • The medication(s) that you take
  • Family health history
  • Your goal(s) for treatment

If you have had many health issues in the past, you may want to make a list, including dates, in advance to make sure you have everything straight.  While it is your choice how much of this information you share, this information will help the clinician decide the best course of treatment.  You should decide in advance what information you are comfortable sharing.

1Family Health Online. Your First Physiotherapy Visit. Accessed Feb 3, 2015, from http://www.familyhealthonline.ca/fho/modernliving/ML_physiotherapyVisit_FHa12.asp
2Occupational Therapy Ontario. Understanding OT. Accessed Feb 3, 2015, from http://otontario.ca/osot/working-with-an-ot/