7 Things to Look Out for When Choosing a Physiotherapist in Singapore

If you’re reading this, chances are you are deciding (a) if you should see a physiotherapist in Singapore to fix certain issues,  (b) between a few clinics to visit.

Firstly, kudos on taking the first step on the road to recovering and gaining more functional mobility!

Secondly, we get it. Selecting the right physiotherapy clinic can be a daunting task in itself. It is a strangely intimate thing to trust a stranger to guide you through your body’s recovery or rehabilitation phase and to experience the ups, the downs, the pains and the gains along with you. Also, there are a myriad of options and clinics out there – so how can you navigate the selection process with confidence when you’re seeking physiotherapy in Singapore?

To help ease your process along, here are what we consider to be a few key factors that should play a significant part in your decision.

1. Qualifications of the Physiotherapist

Cover the basics first. If you have a candidate or clinic in mind, browse their website, or better yet, their staff profiles if available, and make sure their physiotherapists are AHPC certified. Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) is a professional board under the Ministry of Health which governs and regulates the professional conduct and ethics of registered allied health professionals, in accordance with the Allied Health Professions (AHP) Act 2011.

Other things to look out for would include the physiotherapist’s history of recent practice and continued professional education. An example of this would be clinical pilates, which is the combination of physiotherapy treatments and rehabilitative Pilates exercises. You would want to make sure the physiotherapist is also properly Pilates certified under a trusted and comprehensive system, such as Polestar Pilates.

2. Your Personal Goals

Take a minute to manage and clarify your expectations for yourself beforehand. What are your short term or long term goals in seeking physiotherapy? Strengthening? Treating specific symptoms? Treating the root cause of something? Sometimes, the goals you have in mind may simply not be realistic or attainable due to the limits of your condition – that is something that will have to be discussed and assessed with your physiotherapist. Having that added clarity would help in determining what sort of physiotherapist or approach you might need, be it someone with alternative treatment methods or with a more holistic approach and so on.

3. Specialist Niche Areas

Whilst many physiotherapists have a general practitioner approach that would work well for a range of conditions, if you have a specific situation, concern or issue that requires more expertise, you should find someone who has had the necessary experience and training to better address your concerns. Common areas of concern would include scoliosis management, prenatal/postnatal physiotherapy, postural correction, sports conditioning, injury recovery, geriatric or paediatric care.

4. Methods of Treatment

Physiotherapists are usually trained to treat patients with a mixture of approaches from exercises to stretches to massage. Similar to having different niche areas of expertise however, some may offer alternative treatment methods for pain relief and muscle release such as ultrasound, shockwave therapy, structural bodywork, Pilates and dry needling. If you have a preferred form of treatment method, it is important to check if the clinic or physiotherapist you have in mind is able to offer that method!

5. Cost of Physiotherapy

Let’s face it – physiotherapy costs are not the lowest here in Singapore, but if the pandemic has taught us all (especially the desk bound warriors amongst us) anything, it is that the golden adage, “Health is Wealth”, is infinitely true. See it as an investment for the future – strengthening your body, correcting your body alignment and bad habits will serve you well in the many years to come. With that said, if your insurance (personal or company) may be able to cover it, make sure you try to do so. Do your due diligence – check with your insurance providers, get that doctor’s referral letter and check with the physiotherapy clinic of choice!

6. Accessibility and Availability

Whichever physiotherapy clinic you go with, make sure they are somewhere readily accessible and near your usual spaces. If you’re in a wheelchair and travelling alone, try to ask if the building itself is wheelchair friendly or if any necessary assistance can be provided. Also, remember that both your personal schedule and the physiotherapist’s schedule should mostly align for you to get the regular care and sessions in. If you need flexibility or certain things schedule wise, communicate with the clinic upfront to avoid any major schedule disruptions.

7. Connection and Communication

The best physiotherapist in Singapore for you would be someone who you can be comfortable with, who seeks to understand your history and lifestyle, whilst adjusting the exercises and treatment methods accordingly. Building that comfort level, trust and rapport is essential – it not only serves as great encouragement along the journey towards better health but it also allows for two way communication in a safe space, which is crucial especially when dealing with sensitive and painful areas.

Sometimes, having a shared experience of a certain sport helps too. For example, here at Core Fitness, we have had patients who are cyclists, requesting for a physiotherapist who is also a cyclist. That shared knowledge and experience can aid greatly in quickly building rapport whilst supplying the innate first hand knowledge of the sport specific problems.

Because of the industry’s nature, many clinics and physiotherapists may try to sell unnecessary treatments. Try to look at reviews and seek out an ethical clinic or physiotherapist that prioritises your well-being and plans your therapy regime within your budget. Don’t be afraid to try out a few places to see where you’re most comfortable! Your recovery process will be easier if unnecessary stress can be minimised.

Hopefully, this article and the points raised will aid you in your decision making process regarding your choice of physiotherapist/clinic and should our stars align, we look forward to welcoming you at Core Fitness sometime soon!