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Chester Osteo & Physio

FAQs

What are Physiotherapy and Osteopathy?
Physiotherapy and Osteopathy are disciplines involving the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and the prescription of rehabilitation exercises or manual therapy to help people overcome their pain. Our clinic in Chester is perfectly placed to get you back to what you love doing as we have both disciplines in house who have extensive NHS experience at senior level.
Our Osteopaths are trained to treat problems of the musculoskeletal system. This means pain and injuries to your muscles, ligaments, joints and tendons. This includes injuries like back pain, and neck and shoulder pain. Sports injuries like knee injuries, ankle and Achilles pain and tendonitis. Hand and finger pain and dysfunction experienced during pregnancy such as pelvic girdle pain and sciatica. Our osteopaths also treat people after broken bones and surgery and guide people through their rehabilitation and get them back to full function.
No, you can refer yourself to see us without seeing a GP and pay for the treatment yourself. If you intend to use medical insurance you might need a GP referral first, or some insurance companies offer triage calls. A triage call is where you speak to a physio or nurse over the phone before being referred to us.
You can do this, however to get access to NHS treatment you will first need to see your GP. This could take 3-4 weeks just to get your appointment with the GP. Once the GP has referred you to NHS physiotherapy you could be waiting 4-6 months here in Chester only to be given a sheet of exercises in a
It is quicker and easier to book your appointment online by clicking on the “BOOK NOW” button or alternatively call our reception on 07541092579. Please arrive 5 minutes prior to your appointment and ensure youā€™ve filled the new patient form that will be E-mailed to you before hand. This saves us valuable time in clinic so we can get on with helping you to reduce your pain and make a plan.
We aim to offer you an appointments within 24 hours of you contacting us. All you need to do is call our reception team on 07541092579 or book online.
No, don’t worry, unlike the NHS physio department we are not just open Mon-Fri 9-5pm. We offer evening and weekend appointments as well as day time appointments. We operate from 08:00am to 14:00 on a Saturday. If you canā€™t find availability online please call 07541092579 and request a call back. We will call you personally and arrange a time out of hours if its an emergency.
We request that all children U16 are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Adults do not require a chaperone unless you feel you would prefer to bring one with you. We cannot provide trained chaperones. If you would prefer to only see a male or female therapist please select the therapist you would prefer to see when booking online, or speak with our reception team who will assist you.
If an injection is recommended your therapist will discuss this with you. Ultrasound guided injections are available through a trusted local colleague and if willing to wait a few weeks on the NHS we can write a referral letter and have you seen sooner as we have contacts in the local GP surgeries who trust our clinical judgement.
Most appointments are 45-60 minutes. Your treatment time may be less than 45 minutes as your therapist may need to spend time writing referrals and preparing home exercises etc. These essential behind the scenes tasks are part of your care package and may not be performed face to face. 30 minutes is sufficient time for a skilled and experienced therapist to assess, diagnose, treatment plan and treat your problem.
If you have multiple unrelated areas to discuss (a shoulder and a knee for example) it is advisable to book an hour and get a history and examination for both, or stick to 45 minutes and just manage the most pressing concern from initial case history to initial treatment. Your therapist will communicate clearly with you from the start and if you wish to use the first session for discussion and examination only for 2-3 separate areas and book a follow up to commence treatment, this is also an option.
In an initial appointment you will be asked to explain your injury, how it happened, how long you have had it and how it affects your life. You will be asked to set some goals about what you want to achieve from your time spent with at Chester Osteo and Physio. Your therapist will also run through your past medical history finding out about any medical diagnoses or medicine that you take. Following this, your therapist will carry out a physical examination looking at the affected area and do a movement screening to assess posture and movement patterns. Once they have carried out this assessment they will explain your diagnosis in a simple, easy to understand way and put together a treatment plan for you. In the remaining time of your initial assessment and on subsequent treatment sessions they will carry out this treatment plan and also give you home exercises to do to either resolve your problem or to give you a management strategy to prevent the issue from reoccurring.
Yes, this is normally the case unless advised by the therapist if not a good idea. Sometimes acute injuries are best left alone for the first 2 weeks and it is the advice given that forms the treatment. For example we donā€™t want to be massaging a fracture or muscle injury!
It is very rare to feel pain after a session with us and any manual therapy performed will be tailored to your needs to calm the area down. There is always a risk of a flare up and if we think the risk is too high we will tell you before commencing. We certainly don’t want to make you feel worse.
Yes, at Chester Osteo and Physio we treat people from most insurance groups. Alternatively, you can cover the costs of the treatment yourself, and we can provide receipts for you to claim back the cost of your treatment from your insurance company or if you use a cash plan.
Yes, to practice as a Physiotherapist you must be HCPC registered. An Osteopath must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC). Both of our osteopaths are registered and fully insured, as is our physiotherapist.
Yes, we will design you an exercise programme and e-mail it to you using Rehab My Patient software which is very user friendly and has pictures, videos and descriptions of what to do. You can access you exercise programme on a smart phone, tablet or PC / Mac.
We also offer 1:1 clinical Pilates in our Chester Osteo and Physio clinic for those needing guidance for exercise rehab. We also offer small group classes of 3, please speak to your therapist to see if you are ready for a class setting.
Do you treat children's injuries?
Yes, at Chester Osteo and Physio we have treated children as young as 8 years old for minor sports related injury. We require a parent or guardian to be present for any patient under 16 years of age.
Straight away. Early management of an injury leads to better outcomes. If you have sustained a sports injury or pulled your back and you decide it is not serious enough to go to A&E you can make an appointment at Chester Osteo and Physio to get the problem diagnosed and treated on the same day. As osteopaths, we are highly trained to manage and diagnose injuries as a first contact. Our NHS experience as places us well to refer you to the right place at the right time if you require scans or surgical opinions.
Yes, you can book, change and cancel appointments online. However, please note we have a 24-hour cancellation policy. In order to avoid being invoiced for your treatment please give us more than 24-hours notice if you need to change or cancel an appointment.
No, we don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. We might need you to roll your trousers up to see your knee or lift your t-shirt up so we can see you back for example. However, it does make our job easier if you are prepared to undress a little or wear a vest or
Please bring shorts and for ladies wear a sports bra or vest top.
You can pay for treatment by debit/credit card after your appointment. We also accept bank transfer.
We only take payment after each session. Our goal isnā€™t to take your money up front for lots of sessions, it is to provide excellent care and adapt to your progress.
Our philosophy is to get you better in as few sessions as possible, help you self-manage your problem and get your back to what you love doing. Most problems can be dealt with in 4 or 5 sessions. If we are not helping at this point you will be referred to one of our colleagues for a second opinion. If you are having post-operative or post-fracture care or treatment for chronic pain, it can take longer to resolve with check-ins suggested over the course of a year. Your treatment plan will always be explained and discussed with you before hand and we will never ask for money upfront.
This is hard to answer as it depends on the type of injury and goal of the patient. Some people get better in just 2 or 3 sessions over the course of a week or two, others need around 6-8 treatments over the course of 3-6 months. Generally, the more complex or long term the pain or injury, the longer it will take. For example, if you are recovering from surgery or a fracture it might take longer than 6 months before you are better. If you have just woke up with a stiff neck it might take 2 weeks. After your assessment your osteopath will explain how long they think it will take to get your injury better.
Yes. Our osteopaths and physiotherapists assess and treat a wide range of running-related injuries including ITB syndrome, patella tendon pain, plantar fasciitis, achilles tendon pain, shin splints, and stress fractures. Assessment includes a clinical examination and where appropriate manual treatment and exercise rehab as needed.
Yes. We treat acute and chronic sports injuries across all levels from amateur to competitive athletes. Common presentations include muscle tears or strains, ligament sprains, tendinopathy, joint injuries and post-surgical rehabilitation.
Yes. Back and neck pain is one of the most common reasons patients visit Chester Osteo and Physio. We provide comprehensive assessments to diagnose the underlying causes of spinal pain, whether it stems from ergonomic issues, muscle strains, disc problems, or joint stiffness. Our clinicians use a combination of osteopathy, physiotherapy, manual therapy (such as joint mobilisations and soft tissue techniques) alongside tailored exercise rehab to reduce your pain, improve your mobility, and prevent future recurrences.
The NHS recognises osteopaths as allied health professionals and recommends them for managing musculoskeletal conditions like lower back pain. However, availability through the NHS is limited and depends on local health board funding, meaning most people see osteopaths privately.
Choosing between a physio and an osteopath depends on your specific injury and preferred treatment style. Both are excellent, but physiotherapy is generally better for post-surgery rehabilitation and sports injuries. Osteopathy is often preferred for chronic back or neck pain and holistic body balancing. Our osteopaths at Chester Osteo and Physio have extensive NHS experience meaning they can work as a traditional physiotherapist would with musculoskeletal injuries and post surgery rehabilitation.
Yes, an osteopath can help manage osteoporosis by focusing on pain relief, mobility, and fall prevention. While osteopathic treatment cannot reverse or cure the condition, our team at Chester Osteo and Physio have great experience helping people with specific and safe exercises to reduce the risk of falls and strengthen bones at the right intensity.
Yes, we are trained to diagnose and treat nerve pain which is commonly labelled as ā€œtrappedā€ or ā€œpinchedā€ nerves by the general public and some healthcare professionals. It isnā€™t really trapped, but an irritation of the nerve at a specific location along its course. Often what is labelled as trapped nerves normally isnā€™t nerve related and can be treated with individualised advice and guidance.
No, osteopathic techniques (hands on treatment) are just one tool in the toolbox. Sometimes the best treatment is rest, sometimes exercise, sometimes hands on treatment and often a personalised combination of all. At Chester Osteo and Physio our osteopaths are trained to diagnose your injury in place of a GP and if required can refer you to the correct person if treatment isnā€™t suitable.
Yes, at Chester Osteo and Physio we have a specialist osteopath with NHS spinal specialist experience who can get you back to your best if struggling with bulging discs.