Your first physiotherapy appointment

Bring the information that helps the physiotherapist understand your situation, and arrive with one or two clear goals. You do not need to know the diagnosis or choose the treatment in advance.

Your appointment letter or the clinic's instructions take priority over a general checklist, especially if you are attending after an operation or for a specialist service.

Before the day

Confirm the address, appointment format and length. Check whether any forms need completing and whether you should arrive early. Do not assume that a branch name on a search result is the same location as the appointment confirmation.

Make a short note of when the problem began, what you have noticed, what affects it and what you would like to do more easily. Include relevant treatment so far and any advice you have already been given. Keeping a note is helpful if you find it difficult to recall details during an appointment.

What to bring and wear

Bring your current medicine list and relevant letters or reports you already have. You do not need to arrange a scan yourself simply to attend. Berkshire Healthcare's preparation advice recommends comfortable clothing that allows movement and relevant information from other clinicians.

For a leg problem, you might bring shorts; for a shoulder problem, a top that makes the area accessible may help. Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS guidance explains that preferences about clothing can be discussed so assessment can be adapted where possible. Tell the clinic beforehand if you need a particular arrangement.

During the assessment

Expect a conversation as well as any physical assessment. Explain the effect on your day, rather than only giving a pain score. “I stop halfway to the station” or “I cannot complete my usual shift” can make your priorities easier to understand.

Ask the physiotherapist to explain any proposed examination and what it is intended to establish. The HCPC's public guidance says you can decline or stop an examination or treatment. You can ask about a companion or chaperone and should be able to dress and undress privately when needed.

Before you leave

Make sure you can answer these questions:

1. What is the proposed explanation or next step, and what remains uncertain?
2. What should I do between appointments?
3. If I have exercises, can I demonstrate them back so the instructions are clear?
4. What symptoms or changes mean I should seek advice sooner?
5. How and when will we review progress?
6. What are the costs or arrangements for any recommended follow-up?

Ask for written instructions or another suitable format if that will help you. If there is more information than you can comfortably take in, ask which two or three points matter most before the next review.

Afterwards

Follow the individual instructions you have been given and contact the service if they are unclear. Note questions that arise when you try the plan in everyday life. At a review, describe what you were able to do and what got in the way; that gives the practitioner something useful to respond to.

If you have not yet chosen a service, our physiotherapist checklist covers registration, experience, cost and access.