Physio or chiro?

The most common topic that we get asked as a team is the relationship between physiotherapy and chiropractic.  "Which should I go see for my problem?" or "what's the difference between physio and chiro?".  The other comment we get is how surprised they are to see physiotherapists and chiropractors work side by side.

Regardless of how the question is worded we have always seen this in one way.  We want to provide the most effective treatment techniques available so why not take advantage of the different streams of knowledge in this country?  

When it comes to whether someone should see a physiotherapist or a chiropractor for their particular problem our opinion is that it doesn't matter so much that someone has completed a particular degree.  The majority of a practitioner's knowledge and treatment approach is really developed through their clinical experience so two physiotherapists can have far more differing treatment approaches to each other than sometimes a physiotherapist and chiropractor might.  Our answer is always that it's all about the therapist.  

Has your therapist got experience in treating that particular problem?  Do they take the time to assess and diagnose your problem?  Do they apply a treatment approach specific to your injury?  These are good signs that they will get a result for you.

If your therapist doesn't do an assessment or tends to treat every condition with the same pre-packaged approach then chances are they won't get you the best results.  

So if you are wondering about who you should see for your injury and pain then don't worry too much about whether a physio or a chiro is the way to go.  Rather see if your therapist takes the time to assess you, uses a specific treatment approach for your problem and most importantly make sure they gets real results that matter to you.