Common questions about physiotherapy and its sessions

There is no single number that suits everyone: it depends on the problem, how long you have had it, how severe it is, your goals and how regularly you do your home exercises, so it cannot be stated honestly before an assessment. After the first assessment the physiotherapist explains the plan and the expected number of sessions, then reviews it with you as you improve. Be wary of a fixed package offered to everyone before any examination.

Read more: Your first session, How to choose the best physiotherapy clinic · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy

It depends on your condition and its stage, and the physiotherapist sets it after the assessment. Sessions may be closer together at first, for example after surgery, a recent injury or when pain is severe, then spaced out as you improve. In most cases they do not need to be daily, because much of the progress comes from the exercises you do at home between sessions and from giving your body time to adapt.

Read more: Your first session · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy

For most muscle and joint pain and recent injuries, it is better to start early with gentle movement rather than long rest, once a fracture or an injury that needs a doctor has been ruled out. After surgery or a fracture, your surgeon or doctor decides when to start and what is allowed. With long-standing pain you can start at any time. And if an injury is taking longer than usual to get better, physiotherapy may help.

Read more: Sports injuries, Post-surgery rehab · Source: NHS — Sprains and strains · NICE NG59 — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s

Usually it is not harmful in itself, but more sessions do not mean faster progress. The aim is for you to manage your problem yourself with exercise and activity, not to rely for a long time on passive treatments such as machines or massage, which guidelines do not recommend on their own. If you have not improved after a reasonable period despite keeping up your exercises, it is better to be reassessed or see a doctor than to add more sessions.

Read more: How to choose the best physiotherapy clinic · Source: NICE NG59 — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s · World Physiotherapy — What is physiotherapy?

It depends on the problem and how long you have had it. Some people notice easier movement or less pain after the first sessions, while building strength and the ability of muscles and tendons to take load takes longer with regular exercise, and pain may go up and down along the way. Your physiotherapist reviews your progress regularly; if you are not improving as expected or the pain increases, the plan is changed or you are referred to a doctor.

Source: NHS — Physiotherapy · World Physiotherapy — What is physiotherapy?

Session length differs between clinics and depends on the treatment and your condition. What happens in it matters more than its length: a proper assessment at the start, then treatment, exercise and an explanation of what to do at home. At Revibe a session lasts forty-five minutes, and the assessment is part of the first session, with no separate appointment.

Read more: Your first session · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy

It starts with an assessment that rules out warning signs and looks for what triggers the pain. Guidelines advise staying active and carrying on with daily activities as much as possible, with exercise as the basis of treatment; manual therapy, such as joint mobilisation and soft-tissue techniques, is added as part of a plan that includes exercise, not on its own. They advise against traction, ultrasound, TENS or interferential therapy for low back pain. The aim is to get you back to your activities and to know how to manage if the pain returns.

Read more: Back pain · Source: NICE NG59 — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s

Usually they should not be very painful. You may feel mild discomfort or stretching during some exercises, manual therapy or muscle-knot release, and a small prick with a brief twitch during dry needling, which is expected. Tell your physiotherapist whenever pain increases so they can change the pressure or the exercise, or stop; good treatment progresses at a pace you can tolerate. You may feel tired or mildly sore after new exercises, and this usually settles within a few days.

Read more: Manual therapy, Dry needling · Source: NHS inform — Pain and injuries after exercise · Brady S, McEvoy J, Dommerholt J, Doody C (2014). Adverse events following trigger point dry needling: a prospective survey of chartered physiotherapists. J Man Manip Ther 22(3):134–140

It always starts with an assessment: the physiotherapist asks about your problem, examines movement and strength, and then chooses what suits you. Treatment is usually built on therapeutic exercises that progress step by step, with an explanation of the problem and advice on daily activity. Manual therapy, such as joint mobilisation and muscle-knot release, or dry needling or cupping, may be added when they fit the plan. Machines are sometimes used, but they are not the core. You then continue with home exercises between sessions.

Read more: Your first session, Manual therapy · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy · NICE NG59 — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s

Usually yes, if it is mild and short-lived. It is common to feel mild muscle soreness or stiffness for a few days after new exercises, manual therapy or dry needling, easing gradually, and gentle movement helps. If the pain is severe or getting worse after a few days, tell your physiotherapist; if it comes with spreading redness, warmth and swelling, a fever, or new numbness or weakness, see a doctor the same day.

Read more: Manual therapy · Source: NHS inform — Pain and injuries after exercise · Brady S, McEvoy J, Dommerholt J, Doody C (2014). Adverse events following trigger point dry needling: a prospective survey of chartered physiotherapists. J Man Manip Ther 22(3):134–140

Carry on with your daily activities gently rather than resting completely, and start your home exercises as they were shown to you: doing them regularly between sessions is one of the main things that brings improvement. If you feel mild muscle soreness, light movement and gentle stretching, or a cold pack wrapped in a cloth, may help. Note what changed after the session and which exercises were hard, to tell your physiotherapist next time, and tell them sooner if the pain clearly increases.

Read more: Videos · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy · NHS inform — Pain and injuries after exercise

The first session starts with listening to your story: when the pain began, what makes it better or worse, and what you want to get back to. The physiotherapist then examines movement, strength and nerves, explains the findings and the expected plan, starts treatment and gives you home exercises. Bring any reports and scans, and wear comfortable clothes that let you move and make the area easy to examine. At Revibe the assessment is part of the first session itself.

Read more: Your first session · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy · Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists — Frequently asked questions

Physiotherapy is generally safe when a qualified physiotherapist provides it after a proper assessment. The most common effect is mild soreness or stiffness for a few days after exercise, manual therapy or dry needling, which settles on its own. Serious complications are rare; to keep the risk low we ask about your health and medicines first, ask specific questions before treating the neck, and avoid or adapt some techniques in cases such as severe osteoporosis, pregnancy or blood thinners. Tell your physiotherapist if pain increases a lot.

Read more: Manual therapy, Dry needling · Source: Brady S, McEvoy J, Dommerholt J, Doody C (2014). Adverse events following trigger point dry needling: a prospective survey of chartered physiotherapists. J Man Manip Ther 22(3):134–140 · Rushton A et al. (2023). International Framework for Examination of the Cervical Region for Potential of Vascular Pathologies of the Neck Prior to Musculoskeletal Intervention: International IFOMPT Cervical Framework. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 53(1):7–22

Yes. They are two names for the same profession, practised by a physiotherapist. In Arabic it is called al-ilaj al-tabii in some countries and al-ilaj al-fiziyai in others, and in English it is physiotherapy in some countries and physical therapy in others. The word tabii (natural) does not mean herbs or folk remedies: it is treatment based on assessment, movement, exercise and hands-on therapy to ease pain and restore movement and daily function.

Source: World Physiotherapy — What is physiotherapy?

For most muscle and joint problems, yes. Guidelines recommend therapeutic exercise as a core treatment for osteoarthritis, and exercise, with manual therapy as part of a combined plan, for low back pain. The benefit is greater when treatment fits your problem after a good assessment, and when you keep up the exercises at home between sessions. Relying on machines or massage alone usually brings limited, short-lived benefit.

Read more: Back pain, Knee osteoarthritis · Source: NICE NG226 — Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (2022) · NICE NG59 — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s

It often helps nerve pain that comes from the spine or nearby joints and muscles, such as sciatica, a neck disc pressing on a nerve, or carpal tunnel syndrome: exercise, manual therapy and advice are part of the care guidelines recommend. Physiotherapy also has a role after a stroke and in other neurological conditions, which needs a specialised assessment. If weakness in an arm or leg is getting worse, see a doctor the same day; numbness around the buttocks or loss of bladder control needs the emergency department straight away: 911 in Jordan or 122 in Iraq and Kurdistan.

Read more: Sciatica, Neck disc and pinched nerve · Source: NICE NG59 — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s · NHS — Physiotherapy

No. A physiotherapist is not a medical doctor but a health professional who studied physiotherapy and specialises in movement and rehabilitation. Some hold a doctorate in physiotherapy, which in the United States, for example, is the degree needed to practise, so the title doctor then refers to that degree, not to medicine. They assess your problem, plan your treatment and carry it out, and refer you to a doctor when needed, for example if warning signs appear; decisions about medicines, injections and surgery usually belong to the doctor, and the two often work together.

Read more: How to choose the best physiotherapy clinic · Source: World Physiotherapy — What is physiotherapy? · American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) — Becoming a Physical Therapist

Physiotherapy is a health profession that helps ease pain and restore movement, strength and the ability to do everyday activities, starting with an assessment of what is causing the problem. People of all ages can benefit: those with back, neck or joint pain, sports injuries, recovery after surgery or a fracture, and some pregnancy-related problems. It is built on exercise and advice, with hands-on treatment and other techniques when needed.

Read more: FAQ · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy · World Physiotherapy — What is physiotherapy?

Prices differ between clinics and countries, and depend on the length of the session and what it includes, such as an assessment, cupping or a home visit, and whether there are packages of several sessions. Because the number of sessions is set after the assessment, the total cost differs from person to person. Before you start, ask what the price includes and what the expected plan is; our current session and package prices are on the prices page.

Read more: Prices · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy

The price of a home session differs between clinics and may differ from a clinic session, so ask about the current price and what the visit includes before you book. At Revibe we tell you the current price of a home visit before confirming the appointment; you can ask Rivo or message us on WhatsApp. Details of home visits are on the home physiotherapy page, and clinic session prices are on the prices page.

Read more: Home physiotherapy, Prices · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy

Choose a clinic where a licensed physiotherapist works, whose licence you can ask about, who starts with a careful assessment before treatment, explains the findings, the plan and the expected number of sessions, combines hands-on treatment with home exercises, and tells you honestly when you need a doctor. Be wary of promises of certain results, the same package for everyone without an assessment, or pressure to prepay for many sessions. A clinic near you is convenient, but quality matters more.

Read more: How to choose the best physiotherapy clinic · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy · World Physiotherapy — What is physiotherapy?

It depends on your insurance company and your policy, so there is no single answer for everyone. Before you start, ask your insurer whether physiotherapy is covered, for how many sessions, whether you need a doctor's referral or prior approval, and whether they work with the clinic you chose. You do not need a referral to book at Revibe, and for insurance questions you can message us on WhatsApp.

Read more: Prices · Source: Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists — Frequently asked questions

Guidelines advise older adults to do activities that strengthen muscles and improve balance and flexibility on at least two days a week, such as standing up from a chair and sitting down again, standing on one leg next to a steady support, or resistance-band exercises, together with walking and less time sitting. Strength and balance exercises can help you feel steadier and more confident on your feet if you worry about falling. Start gradually, and speak to your doctor first if you have not exercised for a while or have long-term conditions.

Read more: Home physiotherapy · Source: NHS — Physical activity guidelines for older adults · NHS — Balance exercises

Yes. Physiotherapy can take place at home for people who find it hard to reach a clinic, such as older adults, people recently out of hospital or after surgery, or when severe pain makes sitting in a car difficult. A home session includes assessment, exercises, practice walking and using stairs safely, and advice to lower the risk of falls. Revibe offers home visits in Amman for cases that need them, with a female physiotherapist on request depending on availability.

Read more: Home physiotherapy · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy

For many common aches, largely yes: guidelines advise staying active and carrying on with daily activities as much as possible, with regular exercise as the basis of treatment, and these are things you do at home. An assessment helps choose the right exercises and how hard to make them, and adjust them as you progress. See a physiotherapist if the pain persists, keeps coming back or followed an injury, and see a doctor promptly for warning signs such as increasing weakness, fever or severe pain at night.

Read more: Videos, Posture and stretching · Source: NICE NG59 — Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s · NICE NG226 — Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (2022)

Yes. Many women and girls prefer to be treated by a female physiotherapist, and that is their right. Physiotherapy suits women of all ages, including for back and neck pain, rehabilitation after injuries and surgery, and some pregnancy-related pain. At Revibe you can ask for a female physiotherapist when you book; the session takes place in a private room, every step is explained and your consent is asked; if you would like someone to accompany you, tell us when you book.

Read more: Female physiotherapist · Source: NHS — Physiotherapy