There are so many different types of treatment/practitioners out there, it can be a tricky decision to decide ‘Who do I see and when do I see them’
So to start with ‘Who do I see?’. There are physiotherapists, sports therapists, osteopaths, massage therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists and the list goes on. Each profession generally has a slightly different approach to treating you but also these can vary massively from practitioner to practitioner. A good starting point will be to do your research, asking for good recommendations from friends and family can be a useful start but remember, we are all individuals and can often need different approaches and will respond differently to various treatment. Have a look at the practitioners website and social media, this can give you a good idea of the types of treatment they offer and what you might expect. Also get in touch with them, most practitioners will be happy to have a chat with you or reply to a message/email with more information.
Never ever feel pressurised to sign up to a course of treatment or a package on or before your first appointment. See what you think and make your decisions in your own time. Your therapist may recommend a treatment plan but it is completely your decision if you are happy to continue with them.
If we’re looking at pain or a problem that has been there for a while then there may be more complex issues that need to be looked at. You need to feel really comfortable with your practitioner as psychological, social and emotional aspects of pain may need to be discussed as from research and evidence we now understand that chronic pain is much more complex and detailed than just a physical issue.
So ‘when do I need to get treatment’
If your issue has come on very suddenly then the best bit of advice is to see what happens over the next couple of days. Especially if you’ve done some heavy work, training or a race then soreness and aching is to be expected and will often settle on its own. If it is persisting after a few recovery days then you may need to get further advice. If your problem has persisted on and off for months and you have tried to treat it yourself or just ignored it and it hasn’t got easier then it’s probably time to seek some help.
There is a wealth of information out there to self diagnose and treat every ailment but remember there is no magic cure all treatment or exercise for an injury. Your treatment plan should be individual and may need to be adapted/changed depending on how you react.