Summary: excellent, knowledgeable physiotherapy is offset by inconsistent or unsatisfactory…read moreexperience at the desk. But the physiotherapist herself was so good that I am going to be back and hope the office and administrative part of the experience was just a fluke.
Be wary of "free" consultation.
TL;DR: excellent physio experience, terrible office experience.
What I Tried: Physiotherapy
What I Liked: Physiotherapist Priyanka conducted a variety of tests to isolate specific issues with specific muscles. She was comprehensive, friendly and knowledgeable. She prescribed exercises that were logical to my issue. Most importantly, she explained my challenges and answered all my questions with in a logical and friendly demeanor. A+
What I Didn't: Punctuality (15 min late). Administrative disorganization (had me fill in same forms twice before realizing). Also, the television mounted on the wall plays a repetitive ad that drove me crazy. Felt a bit ripped off.
What I'll Try Next: One more round of physio, maybe two. I'd consider more, but pricing! Also.. Maybe orthopedics. Possibly massage.
DETAILS:
I have been looking for a physio place in the area and decided to give Absolute a try.
They offer a free* consultation for your first visit and I figured I'd see if they could tell me more about my hip pain. I do a lot of reading and research on my own (internet physios what's up... AthleanX and 'Bob & Brad'l!) so I had a rough idea, but specific confirmation and clarification from an in-person meeting is better.
My 7 pm appointment started 15 minutes late. I had prefilled all my paperwork in advance, so, as I had told them, I only arrived 6 to 8 minutes early instead of the 15 they recommended...
I don't mine 5 to 10 minutes lateness, but 15 was a bit excessive since THEY charge $25 if you miss YOUR appointment time with them.
This lateness was exacerbated by the ad playing on the TV mounted on the wall. It's a slideshow video on repeat, and it inspired me to bring earphones next time.
My annoyance, however, was nearly instantly dispelled when I spoke with the actual physiotherapist, Priyanka. SHE KNOWS HER STUFF. She had me do a series of actions to isolate and determine the issue, clearly explained each exercise test and it's aims, and was oozing knowledge. She used the model skeleton to explain where necessary, and conjured up clever metaphors to help me understand. She also noted it would only take 2 or 3 sessions for me to recover, and told me what exercises to get started on, and did a demo, and gave me feedback on my form. Excellent!
Here's the tricky part.
She then asked if I wanted treatment today.
Appointments are generally 45 minutes long... I had been taken in 15 minutes late... the consultation had taken about 20 minutes or so.
So we are sitting at 7:35 or so, and I thought, 'sure'...?
I get some hands-on muscle loosening work for about 10 minutes, then the assistants strap me to some nodes connected to a machine and I was left on my own with the electrotherapy... which really didn't do much for me.
The centre closes at 8, so about 15 minutes later, I'm off the machine and get along my way.
At the exit, I was informed that last 20 odd minutes would be the full $100 since I had gotten the "electro treatment"...
Well, I don't agree BUT to be fair...
I 100% think Priyanka's free* consultation was worth the $100.
But I figure IF that was free, then the 20 or so minutes at the end was only half the treatment I'd normally get. Who charges $100 for 20 minutes!?! That should have been $50, max. And if that was for the full 45 minutes I was there... then the consultation WASN'T free as advertised. Womp womp.
This left a good feeling in my hip but a bad feeling in my mouth.
Plus, at the end, they also mistakenly got me to fill out the same insurance forms at the end that I had already filled them earlier (but they realized halfway).
Hoping for better experience on my next visit and will update review accordingly!
Most health places reply to unsatisfactory reviews by saying they look you up in the system but can't find you. In case this happens... check Wednesday July 31, 7 pm :)