Questions to ask your physiotherapist before treatment 

Starting physiotherapy can feel like a big step, especially if you are dealing with persistent pain, an injury, reduced mobility, or a condition that is affecting your everyday life. 

You may have questions such as: 

What is causing my pain? What treatment do I need? How long will recovery take? What should I do between appointments? And how will I know whether physiotherapy is actually working? 

Asking these questions can help you understand your condition, set realistic expectations, and become an active participant in your recovery. Research in physiotherapy has highlighted the importance of communication, trust, collaboration, and shared decision-making between patients and therapists (Hall et al., 2010; Grenfell & Soundy, 2022). 

Here are some of the most important questions to ask before starting treatment.

1. “What Do You Think Is Causing My Problem?”

One of the first things you should understand is what your physiotherapist believes is contributing to your symptoms. 

Depending on your condition, this could involve:

• Muscle weakness

• Joint stiffness

• Reduced mobility

• Tendon or muscle problems

• Changes in movement

• Nerve-related symptoms

• Previous injury

• Reduced tolerance to physical activity

• A combination of several factors

Ask: 

“Can you explain what’s causing my symptoms in simple terms?”

You don’t necessarily need a complicated medical explanation. What matters is understanding what your physiotherapist thinks is happening and why they are recommending a particular treatment. 

Good communication is an important part of the therapeutic relationship. A systematic review by Hall et al. (2010) found evidence that the therapist–patient relationship can be associated with outcomes in physical rehabilitation.

2. “What Are My Treatment Options?”

Physiotherapy isn’t a single treatment.

Depending on your condition, treatment could include:

• Exercise therapy

• Strength training

• Mobility exercises

• Manual therapy

• Education

• Activity modification

• Balance training

• Gait rehabilitation

• Vestibular rehabilitation

• Advice about returning to work or sport

Ask:

“What treatment options are available to me, and why do you recommend this approach?”

This gives you the opportunity to understand the reasoning behind your treatment rather than simply receiving a predetermined programme.

Shared decision-making is increasingly recognised as an important component of person-centred musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Research examining patients’ experiences found that communication and trust are important elements of shared decision-making (Grenfell & Soundy, 2022).

3. “What Does the Research Say About This Treatment?”

It’s reasonable to ask why a particular treatment has been recommended.

You could ask:

“Is this treatment supported by research?”

or:

“What evidence is there that this approach works for my condition?”

Evidence-based physiotherapy involves combining scientific evidence with clinical expertise and the individual patient’s circumstances, preferences, and goals.

It’s also important to remember that research doesn’t mean a treatment will work exactly the same way for everyone.

Your physiotherapist should be able to explain the expected benefits, limitations, and alternatives in a way that you can understand.

4. “What Are We Trying to Achieve?”

Your physiotherapy programme should have meaningful goals. 

Instead of focusing only on reducing pain, think about what you want to be able to do. 

For example:

• Walk for 30 minutes

• Return to running

• Go back to the gym

• Climb stairs comfortably

• Return to work

• Play with your children

• Sleep more comfortably

• Return to your favourite sport

Ask:

“What should our goals be, and how will we know when I’ve achieved them?”

Individualising treatment around the patient’s goals is consistent with the principles of shared decision-making and person-centred physiotherapy (Grenfell & Soundy, 2022).

5. “How Long Do You Expect Recovery to Take?”

This is probably one of the most common questions patients ask.

Unfortunately, there isn’t always a precise answer.

Recovery can depend on:

• Your diagnosis

• How long you’ve had the problem

• Severity of symptoms

• Previous injuries

• General health

• Strength and fitness

• Your activity levels

• Your goals

• How consistently you can follow your rehabilitation programme

Instead of asking only:

“When will I be completely pain-free?”

Consider asking:

“What improvements should I expect over the next few weeks?”

This can help establish realistic short-term milestones.

6. “How Will You Measure My Progress?”

Pain is only one measure of recovery.

Your physiotherapist may monitor:

• Pain

• Strength

• Range of movement

• Balance

• Walking ability

• Exercise tolerance

• Functional activities

• Sporting performance

• Patient-reported outcome measures

Ask:

“How will we know whether my treatment is working?”

This is useful because symptoms can fluctuate from day to day. Looking at your overall function and progress can provide a better picture than focusing on pain alone.

7. “What Do I Need to Do Between Appointments?”

Physiotherapy doesn’t only happen during your appointment.

Depending on your condition, you may be given:

• Home exercises

• Strengthening exercises

• Mobility exercises

• Walking programmes

• Activity recommendations

• Advice about modifying certain activities

Ask:

“What can I do at home to support my recovery?”

This is particularly important because following a home exercise programme can be challenging.

A 2023 scoping review identified self-efficacy, social support, and understanding the value of the task among important factors influencing home exercise adherence in people receiving physiotherapy for musculoskeletal conditions (Chester et al., 2023).

The best exercise programme is therefore not necessarily the longest one — it is one that is appropriate, understandable, and realistic for you.

8. “How Often Should I Do My Exercises?”

More exercise isn’t automatically better.

The appropriate frequency depends on the exercise, your condition, your current physical capacity, and how your symptoms respond.

Ask:

“How many times should I do this exercise?”

“How many repetitions should I perform?”

“How hard should it feel?”

“What should I do if my symptoms increase afterwards?”

Having clear instructions can make it easier to follow your programme correctly.

Research suggests that instruction and problem-solving are among the behaviour-change strategies that may help address barriers to exercise adherence in musculoskeletal physiotherapy (Chester et al., 2023).

9. “What Should I Do If an Exercise Hurts?”

This is one of the most important questions to ask.

Depending on your condition, some exercises may produce mild or temporary discomfort. However, severe, unexpected, or progressively worsening symptoms may require the exercise to be modified.

Ask:

“What level of discomfort is acceptable?”

“When should I stop the exercise?”

“What should I do if my symptoms are worse afterwards?”

Having a clear plan can prevent you from either pushing through symptoms unnecessarily or stopping every exercise at the first sign of discomfort.

10. “Do I Need Hands-On Treatment?”

Manual therapy may be appropriate for some conditions and can include techniques such as:

• Joint mobilisation

• Soft-tissue techniques

• Massage

• Other hands-on approaches

However, hands-on treatment is only one possible component of physiotherapy.

Ask:

“How will hands-on treatment help my recovery?”

and:

“What should I be doing alongside it?”

This encourages a broader discussion about your overall rehabilitation plan.

11. “Can I Continue Exercising?”

Don’t automatically assume that you need complete rest.

Depending on your condition, maintaining an appropriate level of physical activity may be an important part of rehabilitation.

Ask:

“Can I continue going to the gym?”

“Can I keep running?”

“Can I play sport?”

“Are there activities I should temporarily modify?”

Your physiotherapist can help you determine how to modify your activities and progressively build your capacity.

12. “When Can I Return to Work or Sport?”

If your injury has affected your job, exercise, or sport, make returning to those activities part of your rehabilitation goals.

Instead of asking:

“When can I go back?”

ask:

“What do I need to be able to do before I return?”

For example, returning to sport might involve assessing:

• Strength

• Balance

• Movement control

• Exercise tolerance

• Confidence

• Sport-specific tasks

A gradual return may be more appropriate than immediately returning to your previous level of activity.

13. “Do I Need Further Tests or Scans?”

Patients sometimes assume that pain automatically means they need an X-ray or MRI.

That isn’t always the case.

Depending on your symptoms and clinical assessment, imaging may or may not be necessary or useful.

Ask:

“Would further testing change how we manage my condition?”

“Do you think I need a scan, and why?”

This can help you understand the role of imaging in your particular situation.

14. “Are There Any Warning Signs I Should Know About?”

A physiotherapist should also consider whether your symptoms could indicate a problem requiring further medical assessment.

Ask:

“Are there any symptoms I should be concerned about?”

“When should I contact my GP or another healthcare professional?”

This is particularly important if your symptoms change significantly or don’t behave as expected.

Physiotherapy isn’t about treating every possible cause of pain. A good assessment should also identify when referral or further investigation is appropriate.

15. “What Happens If I’m Not Improving?”

This question is often overlooked.

Before starting treatment, ask:

“What will we do if I’m not making the expected progress?”

Your physiotherapist may reassess:

• Your diagnosis

• Your exercises

• Your activity levels

• Your treatment approach

• Other contributing factors

They may also recommend referral to another healthcare professional if appropriate.

Your treatment plan shouldn’t necessarily remain unchanged if you’re not progressing.

16. “Can We Make the Treatment Fit My Lifestyle?”

This may be one of the most important questions you ask.

A theoretically excellent exercise programme isn’t very useful if you cannot realistically follow it.

Tell your physiotherapist about:

• Your working hours

• Family responsibilities

• Access to equipment

• Activities you enjoy

• Activities you dislike

• Your previous exercise experience

• How much time you realistically have

Patients’ experiences of shared decision-making in musculoskeletal physiotherapy suggest that communication, trust, and involvement in decisions are important components of person-centred care (Grenfell & Soundy, 2022).

Your treatment should work with your lifestyle rather than against it.

17. “What Can I Do to Prevent This Problem From Coming Back?”

Once your symptoms improve, you may want to know how to reduce the likelihood of future problems.

Ask:

“What can I do to prevent this from happening again?”

Your physiotherapist might recommend:

• Continuing strength training

• Maintaining mobility

• Gradually increasing activity

• Improving exercise technique

• Managing training loads

• Continuing specific rehabilitation exercises

• Making changes to your work or activity routine

Prevention isn’t always possible, but improving your physical capacity and understanding your condition can help you manage future symptoms.

The Importance of Communication With Your Physiotherapist

Physiotherapy should be a partnership, not a one-way conversation.

You should feel comfortable telling your physiotherapist:

• If you’re worried

• If you don’t understand something

• If an exercise isn’t working

• If you’re struggling with the programme

• If your symptoms have changed

• If your goals have changed

• If you disagree with part of the treatment plan

A systematic review by Hall et al. (2010) found that the therapist–patient relationship may influence rehabilitation outcomes.

Similarly, Grenfell and Soundy’s (2022) systematic review found that patients’ experiences of shared decision-making in musculoskeletal physiotherapy highlighted the importance of trust, communication, and collaboration.

You don’t have to agree with everything your physiotherapist recommends. A good therapeutic relationship should allow you to ask questions and have an open discussion about your options.

Your Quick Checklist

Before starting physiotherapy, consider saving these questions on your phone:

About your condition

☐ What do you think is causing my symptoms?

☐ Can you explain my condition in simple terms?

About treatment

☐ What are my treatment options?

☐ Why do you recommend this approach?

☐ What evidence supports this treatment?

About your goals

☐ What should we aim to achieve?

☐ How will we measure my progress?

☐ What improvements should I expect?

About exercises

☐ What exercises should I do?

☐ How often should I do them?

☐ How hard should they feel?

☐ What should I do if an exercise hurts?

About everyday life

☐ Can I continue exercising?

☐ Can I work normally?

☐ When can I return to sport?

☐ What activities should I modify?

About your wider care

☐ Do I need further tests or scans?

☐ Are there any warning signs I should look out for?

☐ What happens if I’m not improving?

☐ What can I do to prevent the problem from returning?

Final Thoughts

Starting physiotherapy doesn’t mean sitting back while someone else decides what happens to your body.

You should be an active participant in your recovery.

Asking questions can help you understand your condition, clarify your goals, make your rehabilitation programme more realistic, and establish a stronger working relationship with your physiotherapist.

Research supports the importance of communication, trust, individualisation, and patient involvement in physiotherapy (Hall et al., 2010; Grenfell & Soundy, 2022).

It’s also worth remembering that successful rehabilitation doesn’t happen only inside the clinic. Your ability to understand and follow your home programme can be important, and research suggests that factors such as self-efficacy, social support, and understanding the purpose of exercises can influence adherence (Chester et al., 2023).

Ultimately, the best physiotherapy programme isn’t necessarily the one with the most treatments.

It’s the one that makes sense for you, fits your goals and lifestyle, and gives you the knowledge and confidence to manage your recovery.

References:

Chester, R., Daniell, H., Belderson, P., Wong, C., Kinsella, P., McLean, S., Hill, J., Banerjee, A., & Naughton, F. (2023). Behaviour change techniques to promote self-management and home exercise adherence for people attending physiotherapy with musculoskeletal conditions: A scoping review and mapping exercise. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 66, 102776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2023.102776

Download PDF.

Grenfell, J., & Soundy, A. (2022). People’s experience of shared decision making in musculoskeletal physiotherapy: A systematic review and thematic synthesis. Behavioral Sciences, 12(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12010012

Download PDF.

Hall, A. M., Ferreira, P. H., Maher, C. G., Latimer, J., & Ferreira, M. L. (2010). The influence of the therapist-patient relationship on treatment outcome in physical rehabilitation: A systematic review. Physical Therapy, 90(8), 1099–1110. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20090245

Article Link.

Thacker, J., Bosello, F., & Ridehalgh, C. (2021). Do behaviour change techniques increase adherence to home exercises in those with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders? A systematic review. Musculoskeletal Care, 19(3), 340–362. https://doi.org/10.1002/msc.1532