Both patients and practitioners are coming to accept virtual care as a permanent part of physiotherapy treatments for the foreseeable future.
But attending a physiotherapy session via an electronic device rather than in-person and face-to-face with your practitioner is understandably a jarring change, especially the first time.
This uncertainty has the potential to prevent you from getting the most out of your appointment, which in turn could cause delays in your recovery.
Here are some tips for easing the transition between in-person and virtual care, and for making the most of your online session.
Learn What to Expect
First and foremost, in order to get as comfortable as possible prior to your appointment, we suggest getting a feel for what to expect from your session.
We recently published another blog post on this topic – give it a read to get an idea of what takes place during your first, and subsequent, virtual physiotherapy appointments.
If you’re looking for more information about virtual care, you can also visit our virtual care FAQ page.
Having an idea of what will occur during your appointment will help make the transition that much easier when the times comes for your first online session.
Make Sure Your Electronic Devices Work In Advance
The last thing you need during your first – or any – virtual session is to have it interrupted by technical issues.
There may not be much you can do to address potential problems such as network disconnections, which are unpredictable and can be difficult to address in a time-sensitive manner, but you can make sure that your device of choice is charged and working properly prior to your appointment.
So take the time before your session starts to check that your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer has no issues that will interrupt or prevent you from attending your appointment.
Ask Questions
During your appointment, you will be given the opportunity to ask any questions and address any concerns about your condition, the exercises you’ll be working through, your progress towards recovery, or anything you may want to discuss regarding the appointment or your health.
Your practitioner will likely ask you if you have anything you’d like to discuss prior to starting the session itself, but if at any time you feel the need to ask a question, you may.
You will also have another opportunity for discussion at the end of the appointment.
So be sure to speak up if anything comes to mind throughout the session – our practitioners are here to help you get well and stay well however we can!
Book a Virtual Care Session Today
Ready to make the most of your first virtual physiotherapy session? Head over to our virtual care page and book an appointment today.