Surgery fixes the structure. Physiotherapy gets you back to work, back up the stairs, and back to carrying your own shopping. It’s the difference between an operation that technically succeeded and a recovery that actually worked.
Who we help
- Patients recovering from surgery, joints, abdominal, cardiac and chest procedures
- Stroke patients, regaining movement, strength and independence
- Back and neck pain, including the kind that comes from physical work
- Sports and workplace injuries, sprains, tears, fractures after the cast comes off
- Chest physiotherapy, for pneumonia, COPD and patients struggling to clear their chest
- Children with developmental and movement difficulties
- Older patients who’ve had a fall, or are becoming unsteady
What to expect
- Assessment. What hurts, what’s weak, what you need to be able to do again.
- Hands-on treatment, movement, strengthening, and pain management.
- Exercises you’ll actually do, designed for a real home, not a gym you don’t have.
- A clear number of sessions and a discharge point. Physiotherapy has an end.
Cost and medical aid
Physiotherapy is usually covered by medical aid, often from a day-to-day or hospital benefit depending on whether you’re admitted. We check first. Cash rates available on request.
Questions people actually ask
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
Not always, you can book directly. If your medical aid requires a referral for reimbursement, we’ll tell you before your first session.
Does physiotherapy hurt?
It can be uncomfortable, particularly early after surgery or injury, but it should never be unbearable. Tell your physiotherapist what you’re feeling, the treatment gets adjusted to you.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the injury, but you’ll be given an estimate at your first appointment rather than being strung along indefinitely.
Can I come if I wasn’t admitted to this hospital?
Yes. Outpatients are welcome, including patients who had surgery elsewhere.
Is it worth it if I’m just going to get old anyway?
Yes, and especially then. Strength and balance work is the single most effective thing for preventing the fall that breaks a hip.
I do heavy physical work and my back is finished. Can you help?
That’s a large part of what we do. Treatment for the pain, strengthening to protect the back, and practical advice on lifting and working that fits the job you actually have.
Related departments
Book physiotherapy, 012 798 7000