Quickly get a message on the bike. Maneuver smoothly through traffic. Paint a ribbon in the house. Cycling, walking, bending down, you don’t really think about that. Until the moment you suffer from a nagging knee, pain in your back or other physical complaints … recognizable? Only then do you wonder how to get rid of it as quickly as possible. The physiotherapist will help you get back on your feet. In this brochure you can read what this specialist can do for you.

The specialist in motion

Nearly three million people find their way to the physiotherapist every year. This specialist ensures that you can move as optimally as possible again. Whether it concerns complaints gained during work, the physical consequences of an accident or illness, a sports injury, a wrong movement or simply because the body is getting older. The physiotherapist will work in a result-oriented way, with the intention of helping you get back on your feet as quickly and as well as possible. When drawing up a treatment plan, he looks together with you at your wishes and physical situation and possibilities. With his advice and exercises, he ensures that you can move better again. In such a way that you get pleasure again to jump on the bike or take a nice walk.

Without referral to the physiotherapist

You can go directly to the physiotherapist. So you do not have to ask the doctor for a referral note. The advantages: you go directly to the specialist and can therefore immediately start working on your recovery. Physiotherapy has different specializations. So there is a specialist for everyone, whether you are young or old, suffer from complaints gained during sports or have work or specific physical complaints to, for example, the pelvis, your jaw joint, your spine or a swollen arm after breast surgery. On the website www.defysiotherapeut.com of the Royal Dutch Society for Physiotherapy you will find 20,000 registered physiotherapists with their specialism. Through a search function you will end up with a suitable specialist in your area.

In good hands

Depending on how mobile you are, the physiotherapist will come to your home, to the care institution (hospital, rehabilitation centre, retirement home or nursing home) or you will go to the physiotherapy practice. The first appointment consists of an extensive interview in which it is determined whether you have come to the right place with this physiotherapist. If that is the case, he will then draw up a treatment plan in consultation with you. Tailor-made, completely tailored to your complaints and your body.

A treatment tailored to your needs

The physiotherapist detects the cause and the associated problems of the complaint and tries to eliminate them by means of exercise therapy, among other things. Once the cause of a complaint has disappeared, the symptoms will also no longer occur and your body can recover in a natural way. Usually the physiotherapist uses exercise therapy: in this way he improves the movement possibilities of joints together with you and increases muscle strength.
The goal of physical therapy may also be a different posture or better balance. In case of hyperventilation complaints, the physiotherapist will teach you a different breathing technique so that you can relax properly.
You can also contact the physiotherapist for preventive advice and information. For example, if you want to start exercising again in a responsible way, the physiotherapist will draw up an exercise plan for you. Always tailored to your physical capabilities and taking into account your wishes.

Are you well insured?
Physiotherapists are free to set their own rates. The height is related to matters such as service or entry in the quality register (see next page ‘Certainty about quality’). The price lists can be found in every physiotherapy practice. The basic insurance reimburses physiotherapy only for chronic patients from the tenth treatment (consult with your physiotherapist whether you fall into this category) or for young people up to 18 years (the first 9 treatments). It is therefore advisable to take out a good additional insurance. Your health insurer can tell you exactly what the reimbursement is.

Certainty about quality

The title of physiotherapist is protected by law. Those who have completed the official study, meet all the basic requirements and are registered with the government, may independently treat patients as a physiotherapist. In order to further stimulate the quality of physiotherapy, the Physiotherapy Quality Register has been created by the professional organisation the Royal Dutch Society for Physiotherapy (KNGF). Anyone who meets all quality requirements for treatment, practical experience, (additional) training and professional consultation and works according to the KNGF guidelines may register in the Physiotherapy Quality Register. Check www.defysiotherapeut.com for all physiotherapists in the register.