F.A.Q

You can book online or call our friendly reception team. Not sure which service or clinician is right for you? Just ask when you book and we’ll point you in the right direction.

The Physio Clinic has clinics in Prospect, Marryatville and Blackwood. Physiotherapy is available at all three, and some services are only offered at certain locations:

• Physiotherapy (injury, pain and movement problems): all clinics
• Exercise physiology (exercise-based treatment and programs): Prospect
• Women’s health physiotherapy (pregnancy, postnatal and pelvic floor care, including internal pelvic floor assessments): Blackwood
• Paediatric physiotherapy (for babies, children and teens): Prospect and Blackwood
• Vestibular physiotherapy (for dizziness and vertigo): Prospect and Blackwood
• Neurological physiotherapy (for conditions affecting the brain and nervous system): Prospect and Blackwood
• Home and community physiotherapy visits: available within a 30-minute drive of your closest clinic – see “Do you offer home or community visits?“

Not sure which clinic is right for you? Our friendly reception team can point you to the best location
when you book.

Yes. We offer physiotherapy visits in your home or community if you’re within about a 30-minute drive of your closest clinic. This can be a great option if getting to a clinic is difficult for you or someone you care for.
A few things to know:

• Home and community visits are available for physiotherapy only.
• A travel fee applies, depending on how far we need to travel.
• Home visits are available for private paying clients (with or without private health cover), Medicare clients and NDIS participants.

To check whether you’re in our area, or to book a visit, contact our friendly reception team with your address and they’ll confirm.

No, you can book directly with a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist without a referral. We do welcome and encourage referrals from other health professionals if you have one, but they’re not required to be seen.

A referral is only needed if you plan to claim through Medicare (with a Chronic Disease Management plan) or DVA. WorkCover claims need an approved claim, and NDIS participants will need their plan details. See the Costs, Billing & Rebates section below for more information.

To help us make the most of your first appointment, here’s what to bring:

• Your referral, claim or plan details if you’re claiming through Medicare (CDM plan), NDIS, DVA or
  WorkCover.
• Your private health insurance card, so we can process your rebate on the spot. We accept both physical and digital cards.
• Any scans or reports about your issue (X-rays, MRI, CT, ultrasound or specialist letters), if you have them. They can be helpful, but you don’t need them to see us. Your practitioner will do their own assessment and talk you through next steps, including whether any imaging would be useful.

Not sure whether you need something? Our friendly reception team is happy to help when you book.

Please wear comfortable clothing that you can move freely in. Shorts or leggings are preferable if your
appointment involves assessing your legs, hips or lower back, and a t-shirt or singlet if it’s your neck,
shoulder or upper back being assessed.

Your first appointment starts with a discussion about your injury, symptoms, and medical history,
followed by a physical assessment of movement, strength, and function. Your physiotherapist will then
explain their findings, discuss a treatment plan with you, and may begin hands-on treatment or give you
initial exercises, depending on time and your needs.

Your first appointment starts with a conversation about your health history, your current symptoms, and what you’d like to achieve. Your exercise physiologist will then assess your movement, strength and fitness, and work with you to set goals and build an exercise program tailored to you. You may also start on some of your exercises during the session.

Exercise physiology is exercise-based, so your appointments won’t include hands-on treatment. If you’re after hands-on treatment as well, your exercise physiologist can help you work out whether a physiotherapy appointment would suit you better.

Please note: Exercise physiology is currently available at our Prospect clinic.

Appointment lengths vary depending on the type of service you require. Initial appointments for musculoskeletal physiotherapy and exercise physiology are up to 40 minutes, with follow-up appointments varying from 20-40 minutes, depending on your treatment plan.

If you’re accessing one of our specialised services (Paediatrics, Vestibular, Neurological, and Women’s Health physiotherapy), the initial appointment is 60 minutes, with follow-up appointments running from 20-60 minutes, depending on your treatment plan.

This varies depending on your symptoms, and how you respond to treatment. Your practitioner will discuss your treatment plan with you during your initial assessment and review your progress regularly, adjusting your plan as needed.

Appointment costs vary depending on the type and length of your session. As a guide:

• General physiotherapy: $90 – $155
• Exercise physiology: $100 – $142
• Specialised physiotherapy services (Paediatrics, Vestibular, Neurological and Women’s Health): $133 – $226

If you have private health insurance, we can process your rebate on the spot through our HICAPS terminals, which will reduce your out-of-pocket expense on the day. If you have a valid GP referral (a Chronic Disease Management plan), we’ll process your Medicare claim for you, and your rebate is usually paid into your nominated account within 48 hours.

Our friendly reception team can confirm the exact cost of your appointment before you book, over the phone or by email.

Your rebate depends on your individual health fund policy. We’re not able to give you an accurate gap estimate without processing your card through our HICAPS terminal in-clinic. We can however confirm in advance the full cost of your specific appointment and the item number we’ll be claiming under, so you can check your exact out-of-pocket cost with your fund before your visit.

Our clinics have HICAPS machines which allow us to process your rebate on the spot with all private health funds, as long as your policy includes cover for the service you’re booked in for. Just bring your card (physical or digital) along to your appointment.

Yes. We’re a preferred provider with Health Partners for physiotherapy. This means Health Partners members can pay a lower out-of-pocket cost and have a higher limit on their physiotherapy, depending on their level of cover. This doesn’t apply to neurological and vestibular services, and exercise physiology appointments.

No – we’re a mixed billing clinic. This means you pay for your appointment in full at the time of your visit. If you have a valid GP referral (a Chronic Disease Management plan), we’ll process your Medicare claim on your behalf, and your rebate is usually paid directly into your nominated account within 48 hours. This is different from bulk billing, where there’s no cost to you at the time of the appointment.

No. A Medicare rebate for physiotherapy and exercise physiology requires a valid referral from your GP, such as a Chronic Disease Management (formerly EPC) plan. Without a referral, physiotherapy and exercise physiology are not Medicare-rebatable. Private health insurance is separate and doesn’t require a referral.

A Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan, previously known as an EPC plan, is arranged by your GP for eligible patients managing a chronic or complex condition (your GP may now call it a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan). It entitles you to a maximum of 5 Medicare-rebated allied health visits per calendar year in total. These are shared across all allied health services, such as physiotherapy or exercise physiology, not 5 per service. To get one, book an appointment with your GP and ask whether you’re eligible – they’ll create the plan and refer you directly to us.

Yes, we’re a registered NDIS provider and see self-managed, plan-managed and agency-managed participants. Funding towards our services will depend on your specific plan goals and available funding.

Our team will work with you to understand what services you can access through your NDIS plan.

Yes. If your injury is work-related, we can treat you under a WorkCover claim. You’ll need to make sure you have an approved claim and your claim details – we can help you organise this if you’re unsure.

Yes. Both Gold and White Card holders need a valid referral from their GP or specialist to access physiotherapy and exercise physiology under DVA. Gold Card holders can be treated for any condition; White Card holders’ referrals must specify the particular condition being treated, and we’re only able to treat within that scope.

We ask for at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule, so we can offer the time to another patient. Late cancellations or missed appointments may incur a fee. If you’re unsure, please chat to our friendly reception team and they can explain if a fee would be applicable.

A physiotherapist can thoroughly assess and screen for relevant musculoskeletal/vestibular/neurological dysfunctions to provide clear guidance on the most appropriate course of management.

A GP can assist with referral for imaging to rule out concerning pathology (i.e. fracture), for medication support & guidance, or on to a particular specialist if necessary.

Physiotherapists assess, diagnose and treat pain, injury and movement dysfunction, using a mix of hands-on treatment, manual therapy, targeted exercise, and advice and education.

Exercise physiologists specialise in exercise-based treatment for chronic conditions and longer-term rehabilitation, prescribing structured programs to build strength, function and overall health.

Yes. Physiotherapy can offer effective treatment for lower back pain. Your physiotherapist will assess your movement, posture and pain patterns to identify the cause, then build a treatment plan tailored to your situation and needs.

Yes. Physiotherapy supports recovery from a sprained ankle by restoring range of motion, rebuilding strength and balance, and reducing the risk of re-injury; an important step even for mild sprains, as untreated ankle injuries.

Yes, physiotherapy can help with headaches related to neck tension, posture or muscular causes (cervicogenic headaches). Your physiotherapist will assess whether your headaches are linked to your neck or upper back and build a treatment plan accordingly.

There’s no minimum age. Our paediatric physiotherapists at Prospect and Blackwood can support babies, children and teens with a wide range of needs, from developmental delays and movement difficulties to sports injuries and post-injury rehabilitation. Our paediatric physiotherapists tailor their approach to your child’s age and stage of development.

Yes. Our women’s health physiotherapists at Blackwood and Prospect treat pregnancy-related pain (such as pelvic girdle pain and lower back pain) as well as postnatal recovery. That includes pelvic floor rehabilitation, return-to-exercise guidance after birth, and support safe exercise throughout pregnancy.

Yes. Our Blackwood clinic has women’s health physiotherapists that are trained to perform internal pelvic floor assessments, which can help diagnose and treat conditions such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic pain. This is always explained in full beforehand, is only done with your consent, and you’re welcome to stop or ask questions at any point. If you’re not comfortable with an internal assessment, your physiotherapist can discuss alternative external assessment methods.

We’re sorry it hasn’t come through yet, and we’re happy to help you sort it out. Once we’ve processed your claim, your rebate is usually paid straight into your nominated bank account within 48 hours. If it hasn’t arrived:

• Check the bank account you have nominated with Medicare. Your rebate goes to that account, which may not be the same one you paid with on the day.
• Make sure your bank details with Medicare are up to date. You can check through your Medicare online account via myGov or the Medicare app.
• Give our reception team a call on 8342 1233 and we’ll check that your claim went through and let you know what to do next.

No worries, this happens sometimes and it’s usually a quick fix. Here’s what to try first:

• Check your inbox (and your spam or junk folder) for the email from MoveHealth with your login details.
• Make sure it’s the same email address or mobile number you gave us at your appointment. Still stuck? Call our friendly reception team on 8342 1233 and we’ll look into the issue and organise for your exercises to be re-sent.