Physiotherapy Or Chiropractor- What's the Difference?

If you're experiencing pain or discomfort in your muscles, joints or spine, you may be wondering which type of healthcare professional to see. Physiotherapists and chiropractors are both specialists in musculoskeletal health, but they have different approaches to treatment.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that uses physical interventions to improve movement and function. Physiotherapists assess your pain or condition and then develop a treatment plan that may include:

Exercises to strengthen and stretch your muscles. Exercises may be designed to help to improve your range of motion, strength and endurance.
Manual therapy: This includes techniques such as massage and joint mobilisation. Manual therapy can help to reduce pain, improve range of motion and restore normal function.
Education and advice: Physiotherapists are trained to create a personalised approach, with the patient's goals and aspirations at the centre of this. They will provide you with education and advice on how to manage your pain or condition. This may include information on exercises, stretches, posture and ergonomics.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a healthcare profession that focuses on the spine and its relationship to the nervous system. Chiropractors believe that misalignments of the spine, or subluxations, can cause pain and other health problems. They use a variety of techniques to adjust the spine, including:

Manipulation: This is a quick, forceful thrust that is used to move a joint back into its normal position.
Lifestyle and dietary advice that may be related to your treatment
Instrument assisted treatment- including massage and soft tissue mobilisation using special tools.

Which Type of Healthcare Professional Is Right for You?

As we are Chartered Physiotherapists here at PhysioGo Physiotherapy Clinics, we are not best placed to give advice on Chiropractic treatment, but if you are unsure whether physiotherapy is right for you, we are always happy to discuss treatment prior to you booking.

In a nutshell, as Chartered Physiotherapists we are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council, meaning we have to adhere to strict regulations and monitoring. This can give you reassurance that you will get an excellent standard of care.

We promise to:

Set up a treatment plan that is individualised to you and your goals.
Empower you with the tools and knowledge to manage your condition.
Provide you with an individualised exercise programme with descriptions, pictures and videos.
Be honest and transparent with you.
Never oversell to you.

What we need from you:

We need you to be motivated to help yourself and work at your exercises and implement the advice that we give you.
Attend sessions you have booked and give more than 48 hours notice of changes to appointments.
Bring a positive outlook!

Here are some additional things to keep in mind when choosing a healthcare professional:

Make sure the practitioner is qualified and registered with a professional body.
Ask about the practitioner's experience and approach to treatment.
Check out reviews on Trustpilot, Google and Facebook
Find a practitioner who you feel comfortable with and who you can trust.

If you're experiencing pain or discomfort, and think we might be the right fit for you, get in touch or book online today.