What is Physiotherapy- and What Should It Be?
If you’ve ever wondered what physiotherapy actually is—or more importantly, what it should be—this post is for you. Whether it’s your first time walking into our clinic or your tenth, I believe in being transparent about how we work and what you can expect from your care at Brockton Physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy Is More Than Just Treatment. It’s Investigation.
When someone walks into our clinic, especially for the first time, the session is never just about treatment—it's about understanding. We start with a conversation. I want to get to know you—your lifestyle, your daily demands, your goals, and how you're experiencing your symptoms. What brings on your pain? What eases it? These details give me critical clues about what might be going on.
This first part is investigative. We don’t just chase symptoms—we aim to understand the why behind them.
Then We Move. Objective Testing Tells a Story.
Next, we get into the physical side of things: baseline testing. I want to see how your body moves, where your mobility stands, how your strength holds up, and what your stability looks like. I use a few tried-and-true tools—starting easy with active and passive range of motion, muscle testing, and then, if pain allows, we get you up and moving.
This could mean squats, lunges, planks, or presses—whatever makes sense for your body and your goals. These tests help me see how you function in space with your own bodyweight, and sometimes with a little bit of load.
Special Tests—Zeroing In
By now, I usually have a working theory. From there, we may use special orthopedic tests to identify which structure might be the source of your issue—is it a joint, ligament, tendon, or muscle? Even then, we remember: no structure works in isolation. The body is a system, and the goal is to understand the bigger picture.
The Plan: Treating the Root and Building Resilience
Once we know what’s going on, the real work begins. First, we focus on blood flow and circulation to promote healing. This alone can be enough to reduce symptoms or even resolve them completely.
But where rehab often falls short is in the next phase: bridging the gap between early-stage recovery and real-life movement. This is where we do things differently at Brockton.
Yes, we might use clamshells. But clamshells alone won’t get you back to deadlifting 80% of your max, running a 10K, or picking up your toddler without flaring up your back or hip. So we build from there—progressing to weight-bearing, compound, and functional movements that make sense for your life.
We Train With Purpose
Whether you're a new parent, a CrossFitter, a weekend warrior, or just trying to get through your workday without pain, we tailor your program to support that. Your exercises should prepare you for your lifestyle—not just look good on paper.
The first 2–4 weeks of rehab are often the hardest. We're figuring out what stimulus your body responds to and how much intensity it can handle. But by the end of that window, you should feel progress. The next 2–4 weeks are about building on that—developing resiliency, reinforcing patterns, and preventing reinjury.
For most people, that’s enough to get back to doing what they love. For others—like high-level athletes or those with more chronic injuries—we continue with a longer plan that’s more exercise-based and less therapist-dependent. At that point, we’re just waiting on the body to adapt.
So… What Is Physiotherapy?
To me, physiotherapy isn’t just rehab. It’s not just a set of exercises or a list of do’s and don’ts.
It’s a partnership. It’s problem-solving. It’s movement with meaning.
And at Brockton Physiotherapy, it’s always about you—your story, your goals, your progress. Let’s move well, live well, and build something stronger together.
