Your First Physiotherapy Appointment at City Physio

Most people arrive at City Physio & Pilates having already tried something else. A few sessions somewhere that didn’t quite get to the bottom of it. A referral that led nowhere. Or months of managing pain that keeps coming back.

If that sounds familiar, here’s what’s different about how we work.

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We Treat the Whole Person. Not Just the Bit That Hurts.

A knee doesn’t exist in isolation. Neither does a shoulder, a lower back, or a jaw. Modern pain science is clear: injury and persistent pain are shaped by far more than the tissue itself. Sleep, stress, training load, nutrition, work demands, past injuries, medications – all of it matters.

Ignoring those factors and just treating the knee is a great business model. It’s a rubbish healthcare model.

At your first appointment, we look at the full picture – because that’s where the answers usually are.

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What Happens at Your First Appointment

1. A Proper History (Not Just “Where Does It Hurt?”)

Your initial consultation goes well beyond the injury. We ask about:

The injury itself Onset, mechanism, what makes it better or worse, previous episodes, any imaging you’ve had (MRI, X-ray, ultrasound), and what treatment you’ve already tried.

Your general health Medical history, medications, hormonal factors, autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, cardiovascular health, and relevant family history. Yes, we ask about dental history if jaw pain is involved.

Your lifestyle and recovery Sleep quality and duration, stress levels, work demands (desk-based, manual, shift work), nutrition, hydration, and energy levels.

Your team Other practitioners you’re working with… GP, surgeon, psychologist, dietitian, coach, personal trainer. We work alongside them, not around them.

Your goals Where you want to get to, and what hasn’t worked in getting there before.

This level of questioning is how we find the barriers to recovery that a rushed, double booked appointment will miss every time.

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2. A Thorough Physical Assessment

Once we know your history, your physiotherapist conducts a detailed physical assessment. This includes:

• Movement analysis
• Strength testing
• Joint mobility assessment
• Load tolerance testing
• Postural assessment
• Breathing mechanics
• Running or sport-specific analysis where relevant
• TMJ and jaw assessment where indicated
• Specific vertigo or dizziness testing

We’re not just looking at how much movement you have. We’re looking at the quality of it-  the biomechanics, the compensations, the control, the endurance, the motor patterns. This is particularly important for recurrent back pain, shoulder instability, runner’s knee, tendinopathy, TMJ dysfunction, vertigo types and workplace-related neck and upper back pain.

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3. A Clear Diagnosis and Explanation You’ll Actually Understand

You will leave your first appointment knowing:

• Your working diagnosis
• The contributing factors – physical and lifestyle
• Why the problem developed in the first place
• What needs to change
• A realistic recovery timeline
• Your structured management plan

Understanding your condition is not a nice-to-have. Research consistently shows that education reduces fear, improves recovery outcomes, and keeps people out of the clinic long-term. That’s the goal.

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4. Treatment Starts on Day One

Most first appointments include early intervention. Depending on your presentation, this might involve:

• Manual therapy
• Soft tissue treatment
• Joint mobilisation
• Dry needling
• Targeted exercise prescription
• Load modification planning
• Breathing or nervous system regulation strategies

Where relevant, we’ll also discuss sleep, stress management, training adjustments, and any referrals that would support your recovery.

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How Long Is the First Appointment?

Physiotherapy initial consultations for a single area are 30 minutes. More than one area? Something more complex- you may opt for a 45 or 60 minute appointment or you can just prioritise!

Jaw, headache and dizziness appointments are 45 minutes- we need a little more time to be specific and intentional with our diagnosis and treatment. Specialised areas need specialised appointment types

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What to Bring

• Relevant imaging (MRI, X-ray, ultrasound) if you have it
• A list of current medications
• A referral if you have one (not required)
• Any splints or oral appliances if you wear them

No need to bring a change of clothes – each treatment room is stocked with clean sports shorts and singlet tops in multiple sizes.

Private health rebates are processed on the spot. Workers comp or other third party insurance paperwork is required before you book (the admin can be crazy!)

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Who We See

Our patients include corporate professionals working in and around Martin Place, local residents, marathon runners, strength athletes, executives managing persistent neck and back pain, and people navigating complex or recurring injuries that haven’t resolved with previous treatment.

We’re often the clinic people come to when they’ve already tried elsewhere.

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Ready to Book?

If you’re looking for a Sydney CBD physiotherapist who will actually work out what’s going on, and give you a plan to fix it, we’d like to help.

City Physio & Pilates | 25 Martin Place, Sydney CBD | Established 1979