Green Flags for Finding the Right Physio

Finding a physio who truly has your back (knees and shoulders) can feel like striking gold. The goal isn’t just to fix a sore spot for a week or two but to get you moving, living, and feeling better for the long haul. Below are the green flags to look for when choosing the right physio partner for your journey.

“What’s wrong with me?” “How long is recovery going to take?” “How will you help?” If your physio can handle these inquiries without blinking, you’re off to a good start. No one wants to sit through a lecture only to walk away more confused than when they walked in. Clear, honest answers lay the foundation for your recovery.

Ultimately, if your physio can’t answer those three simple questions, What have I got? How long will it take to recover? What can you do to help me? Or if they’re consistently leaving you feeling more baffled than when you arrived, it might be time to call it quits. Yes, it can feel awkward ditching a therapist you’ve been seeing, but remember: this is about your health and your goals.

You deserve someone who respects your time and invests in your well-being. If you’re not seeing progress or can’t get straightforward answers, trust your gut. Life’s too short to waste on half-baked advice and revolving-door consultations.

There are plenty of physios out there, and when you find one who genuinely helps you, you’ll know. You’ll leave feeling confident, not clueless, and that’s worth holding out for. After all, your body deserves nothing less.

A solid physio doesn’t just look at where it hurts; they dig deeper to figure out why it hurts in the first place. 

Consider Hakunamatata (yes, that’s her real name). She’d had knee cap pain for three years, missed her beloved step classes, and tried two other therapists who helped temporarily, but the pain always boomeranged back.

Her previous physios had diagnosed her correctly and given her helpful exercises. They even described the muscle imbalance around her knee. BUT they hadn’t noticed that her ankle was stiffer than an old car door. She’d badly sprained it five years ago, causing havoc up the chain, and no one noticed.  Once we mobilised her ankle and worked on her knee, she was trucking along much better and was back to stepping up a storm.

If you’re tired of hearing “See you next week!” without any real roadmap, you’re not alone. I’ve lost count of how many patients tell me they’ve never been given a proper plan. A good physio will map out your recovery from the start by explaining:

• Exactly what’s going on with your body
• How long it’s likely to take
• Which techniques they’ll use to help you improve

Most importantly, they don’t plan to keep you on the treatment table forever. Think of it like following a straightforward roadmap toward your goals and not a never-ending loop. Each visit should feel like a step closer to getting you back to the things you love, not an endless carousel of “same time next week.”

Your physio’s top priority should be your outcome, not checking a box on their to-do list. Want to train for a half-marathon? Sleep pain-free? Show off moves on the dance floor without grimacing? A keeper physio is laser-focused on what matters to you, designing every treatment session around your personal finish line.

If you need a PhD to decipher your physio’s explanation, something’s off. A bright green flag is when they can condense their knowledge into digestible bites that even a six-year-old could understand. Less jargon, more clarity. Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS). And no, you don’t literally have to pucker up—it’s just a reminder that good communication trumps fancy words every time.

As in really listen, because no amount of expertise can replace genuine listening. You want someone who tunes in, asks follow-up questions, and really gets the nitty-gritty of your story. If you mention that your shoulder hurts most when you pick up your kid, they should take note and brainstorm ways to tackle that exact scenario.

Without diving too deep into physio philosophy (though hand me a bottle of red and I’m happy to chat for hours), there’s been a shift away from hands-on therapy to what some call ‘blue-tooth physio’—or hands-free treatment.

But manual therapy, when used wisely, can be a game-changer. Hands-on techniques can reduce pain, improve movement, and give a sense of real progress. Not every injury requires manual therapy, but a physio who knows when to use it has a robust toolkit.

A great physio combines knowledge, clear communication, and genuine empathy to get you back to living your best life. They dig beneath the surface, craft a solid plan, prioritize your goals, and keep you in the loop every step of the way. If you find someone like this—someone who helps you understand the “why” behind your pain and the “how” behind your recovery—you’ve struck physio gold. It might just be the beginning of a beautiful (and pain-free) partnership.