Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t find the answer to your question here? Simply contact us using the button below and we will get right back to you.
FAQ's: Most frequently asked questions and answers
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8.00am – 6.00pm
Tuesday, Thursday 8.00am – 9.00pm
Saturday and Sunday 9.00am – 1.00pm
An initial assessment and follow-up treatments are typically 30 minutes, however occasionally assessments and follow-up treatments may require 45 minutes.
No, that is not necessary, however some insurance policies do require a referral, please check with them. We accept referrals from a wide range of Consultants and GP’s. In turn we can refer you to some of the best consultants and imaging facilities in the area.
Just come as you are, or if you prefer to change, wear some comfortable clothes that you can easily move in.
We are registered with most Health Insurance companies, please phone to check with us if you are in doubt. To commence treatment and then process your claim we will need your Membership Number and Claim Authorisation Number.
We offer Sports and Therapeutic massage as well as Pregnancy Massage and Manual Lymphatic Drainage.
We have our own FREE parking and disabled access.
We accept cash, cheque, credit or debit card. If you have medical insurance we can deal with them directly.
Yes, we can arrange a domiciliary visit when necessary if a patient cannot attend the clinic. This might be at home or in a nursing home. However, there is a charge to cover mileage on top of the appointment charge
We ask for 24 hours notice for cancellations. There will be a 50% charge if any less notice is given.
We aim to find you an appointment in 24 hours of your enquiry. However, if this is not possible, we do operate a waiting list should we receive any last minute cancellations.
How we keep you safe
We want to reassure all our patients that we take every precaution and follow strict guidelines from our professional body. The health and wellbeing of yourself and our team are always of utmost importance to us. All rules round social distancing, PPE and sanitising are strictly adhered to
For more information please take a look at our Covid-19 page
Physiotherapy can be helpful for people of all ages with a wide range of health conditions, including problems affecting the:
bones, joints and soft tissues – such as back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain and sports injuries
brain or nervous system – such as movement problems resulting from a stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS) or Parkinson’s disease
heart and circulation – such as rehabilitation after a heart attack
lungs and breathing – such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis
If you suffer from pain and mobility issues it is quite common for us to get by, using over the counter pain killers and ointments. Often we don’t seek the support of a Physio until we have been referred via a GP or until the pain is so bad.
Physiotherapists are trained professionals that help injured patients get back to full range of movement and function. If left untreated injuries often don’t heal as well as if you were on a treatment plan. Injuries, if left for 12 weeks can become chronic and chronic injuries are a lot harder to treat. Injuries also heal a lot quicker if you work with a physiotherapist, with the added benefit of often having less pain and more range of movement than before you had your injury.
If you feel it is only a minor injury and you are still in pain 48 hours after the injury, make an appointment with a physiotherapist. If you feel the injury is more serious make an appointment immediately. If for an extended period, you have been living with chronic pain and or limited mobility and range of movement make an appointment with a physiotherapist.
There are many reasons for choosing to see a private physiotherapist such as:
- Being able to see someone more quickly if you are in pain or need to know what to do to optimise your recovery and not aggravate any symptoms that you are having. We don’t have a waiting list and can usually see someone within 24 hours.
- Arranging an appointment time to suit you to fit in with your work or other commitments. We offer early morning, evening and weekend appointment times.
- Receiving a more hands-on approach to your treatment including treatments such as manual therapy and soft tissue release treatments which are often not available on the NHS due to time constraints.
- Being able to choose your physiotherapist and know how much experience and post-graduate qualifications they have. All of our physiotherapists have extensive post-graduate experience, and many have further post-graduate qualifications or specialisms.
Give us a call and we can have a chat about your requirements and particular issues and advise you from there.
Alternatively, you can book a ‘Physio call-back’ through this website.
This usually depends on factors such as:
- How long you’ve had a problem
- The severity of your symptoms and condition
- What you want do be able to do? For example, a person wishing to get back to training for a specific sport or event may require a longer course of treatment for a knee injury than a sedentary office-worker.
A fairly standard course of physiotherapy would be 3-5 treatment sessions but this can vary considerably.
A person seeking advice on what they should and shouldn’t be doing in relation to their condition or problem might just attend for 1-2 sessions to be shown some specific exercises to do themselves at home and receive some general management advice for their condition. Similarly an individual with a relatively minor injury might just need a few treatments to assess their condition and alleviate their symptoms. At the other end of the scale, a patient receiving treatment post-operatively or for a condition that has been present for some time may require treatment over a longer period to see them through to full rehabilitation.
This is up to you, but generally we would try and see you as soon as possible after your injury to advise you and start treatment. If you have recently had surgery, your Consultant should advise you on when is best to start your physiotherapy.
If you are still unsure please give us a call and we can advise you. Alternatively you can book a ‘Physio call-back’ through this website
Our Physiotherapists use different treatment methods in order to deal with a wide range of injuries. Depending on the nature and severity of your injury, you may require:
- Manipulation or mobilisation of joints
- Electrotherapy
- Acupuncture
- Exercise therapy
- Stretching and strengthening
- Core stability training
- Soft tissue massage
- Heat or cold therapy
- Patient education, home exercises
- Biomechanical analysis
At Cotswold Physiotherapy all our physiotherapists are members of the Health & Care Professions Council and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
Chartered Physiotherapists are qualified to treat all spinal problems. In fact a large percentage of their workload is made up of back and neck problems.
We often find that patients who have had hip or knee replacement are desperate for more time with their physiotherapist after surgery, to aid optimal progression through their rehabilitation.
At Cotswold Physiotherapy we give patients the opportunity to spend more time with a specialist physiotherapist, guiding them through the rehabilitation process, step by step.
Where appropriate we provide you with the right exercises, give you self help treatments and advice to do between visits to ensure your recovery is optimised.
