physiotherapy and clinical pilates

A referral is not needed for physiotherapy. If another health care practitioner has referred you to the clinic, then it would be beneficial if a referral letter was provided for background information regarding your condition, but it is not a necessary requirement.

Please bring any scans (ie. ultrasound, x-ray, MRI) you have had that may provide additional information about your condition to your physiotherapist.

If you are attending physiotherapy, it would be beneficial to wear loose comfortable clothing that allows easy access to your area of concern (eg. a low tank top for a shoulder injury, shorts for a knee injury). However, we do have freshly washed tank tops, shorts and gowns that you may use for your session. Also, you should bring anything else that you think would help your physiotherapist make an accurate diagnosis (ie. running shoes, picture of your work space etc).

If you are attending clinical pilates, loose fitting clothing is best as it will promote ease of movement. Health and safety regulations also require that you wear socks while using the pilates equipment. We also have several pairs available on site for you to borrow if you have forgotten your own. Alternatively, you can purchase some pilates grip socks from reception.

Coastal Balance has ample free onsite parking. Parking is located in front of the surf shops off the Surf Coast Highway, as well as across the road from McDonald’s, near the Surf Coast Library.

Yes, all accounts must be paid in full at the completion of each session. HICAPS is available for easy onsite insurance claims, however, as many health insurance plans do not cover the full appointment fees, you will have to pay the gap.

Coastal Balance welcomes all TAC and Workcover patients, but you are required to pay for your session in full and claim back from your respective agency or insurer. TAC and Workcover generally only cover a portion of the fees, so you will have to pay the gap as well.

Coastal Balance prides itself on high quality professional care with one-on-one “hands-on” appointments lasting 30-45 minutes. Although you may have had full insurance coverage at other physiotherapy clinics, chances are you were not getting one-on-one attention for a full half hour.

Coastal Balance understands how valuable your time is and we will strive to make sure that we are not late for your appointment. We would appreciate the same level of courtesy.

If you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment time, please let us know at least 24 hours in advance, so that we can offer your time to another patient in need. If you fail to provide 24 hours notice, we must charge you the full fee of the consultation, as your physiotherapist will, otherwise, not be paid for his or her time.

If you happen to arrive late, but in your allotted appointment time, you may have a shorter consultation, so as not to inconvenience waiting clients. We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise occasionally, and we will do our best to reach an accommodation that will benefit both you and your physiotherapist.

At Coastal Balance, we understand the importance of feeling comfortable and confident that you are receiving only the best care from your physiotherapist.

It is important for you to know that all physiotherapists are not the same. Although all physiotherapists registered to practice in Australia are qualified to provide safe, effective health care, many have, through experience and ongoing education, developed special interests in certain areas, such as spinal injuries, sports injuries, hip or pelvic pain.

Here are some important questions to ask your physiotherapist:

• What is your highest level of education?
• How long have you been practicing in this field?
• Have you treated many patients with this type of injury or condition?
• Have you taken many professional development courses?
• Are you a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association?  Members are required to undertake a certain number of professional education courses each year to stay up to date with the latest assessment and treatment techniques.

These are all key questions to ask to get to know your physiotherapist and to be confident that you will receive the best care for your condition or injury.

At Coastal Balance, we prefer that you stay with the physiotherapist that assessed your condition initially, because this will ensure that you are receiving treatment from someone familiar with the full extent of your injury.

If, for some reason, you would prefer to see another physiotherapist, please do not hesitate to ask.

All physiotherapists have completed a university degree and must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency in order to be eligible to practice physiotherapy in Australia.

Physiotherapists can choose to become members of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA). The APA requires members to complete a specified number of professional development courses each year in order to stay up-to-date with the latest research and physiotherapy techniques.

Physiotherapists may also specialise in their chosen area of interest (ie. musculoskeletal, sports, women’s health) by completing a coursework Masters Degree. This provides additional critical thinking and evidence based practice skills, as well as advanced assessment and treatment techniques.

The APA rewards physiotherapists who have undertaken advanced study or who have had extensive experience in their area of interest with “Titled” and “Specialist” designations.

Titled Physiotherapists are members of a certain clinical group within the APA (ie. musculoskeletal, sports), and have obtained either a Masters degree by coursework or have had extensive clinical experience in their chosen field of interest.

Specialist Physiotherapists are Fellows of the Australian College of Physiotherapists, and have obtained the highest level of expertise in their particular field of physiotherapy via a rigorous education and examination process. Specialist Physiotherapists also contribute to the professional education of colleagues and have involvement in research activities.

No, just like doctor’s clinics, dentist’s offices and health spas, not all physiotherapy clinics are alike. At Coastal Balance, our physiotherapists deliver the best care possible with longer session times in private treatment rooms.

Be sure to ask the following questions, so that you can be confident that you are receiving the highest quality of care:

• How many clients are seen per hour?
• How long are the treatment sessions?
• Are the consultations private and one-on-one?
• Is the clinic accredited by the APA?
• Are the physiotherapists members of the APA?

Of course!

You will still require an assessment with your physiotherapist to determine your health goals, and you may need several one-on-one sessions prior to attending the supervised classes. However, you do not need to be injured or require rehabilitation to participate in clinical pilates.

Pilates provides several health and fitness benefits including:

• injury prevention;
• increased postural awareness;
• improved muscular strength and flexibility;
• enhanced breathing control;
• increased muscular tone and joint mobility; and
• restoration of normal movement patterns.

At present, Coastal Balance does not encourage unsupervised pilates programs, however, please let us know if you would be interested, as we may implement this type of service in the future.

Physiotherapists often use acupuncture or dry needling as an adjunct to their treatment, which means that it will be covered under most health care insurance plans.