Your first physiotherapy appointment is mainly an assessment, and it usually takes 45 to 60 minutes. We talk through your history, examine how you move, explain what we think is going on in plain language, and agree a plan. Most people also get some treatment the same day. Knowing the shape of the visit makes it easier to walk in prepared.
How long does a first physiotherapy appointment take?
Plan for 45 to 60 minutes. The first visit is longer than later ones because the assessment is the foundation for everything that follows. Follow-up appointments are typically shorter, since the groundwork is already done and the time goes mostly into treatment and progressing your plan. Arriving a few minutes early to fill in any forms keeps the full session for your assessment.
The conversation: your history
The appointment starts with questions, because your story tells your physiotherapist most of what they need to know. Expect to talk about when the problem started, what makes it better or worse, how it affects your day, and what you are hoping to get back to. This is not small talk. The pattern of your symptoms is often the single biggest clue to the cause.
Your physiotherapist will also ask about your general health, past injuries, medications, and any scans or tests you have had. Be candid here, including about goals that feel ambitious. A clear target, whether that is lifting your child without pain or getting back on the trails, shapes the plan.
The hands-on examination
Next comes the physical examination, where your physiotherapist looks at how you actually move. They may watch you walk, bend, or reach, test the strength and flexibility of specific muscles, and use their hands to feel how a joint moves and where it is tender. The aim is to reproduce or pinpoint your problem so the diagnosis is based on what they find, not guesswork.
The explanation and the plan
Once the assessment is done, your physiotherapist explains what they have found in plain language and tells you the likely cause. You should leave understanding what is going on, why it is happening, and roughly how long recovery is likely to take. If anything is unclear, ask. A good explanation is part of the treatment, because understanding your problem makes it easier to manage.
Together you agree a plan: what treatment will involve, how often you might come in, and what you will do between visits. The plan is built around your goals and your life, not a fixed template. You can read more about how we structure care in our first-visit guide.
Same-day treatment
Most people start treatment on the first visit. Depending on what the assessment shows, that might include hands-on techniques to ease pain and restore movement, and almost always a few exercises to begin at home. These early exercises are deliberately simple. They are there to get you moving in the right direction, not to overload you on day one.
You will not be sent away with nothing to do. Even when the main work is building strength over several weeks, you leave the first appointment with a clear next step and something practical to start straight away.
What to wear and bring
A little preparation helps the assessment go smoothly. The most important thing is clothing you can move in and that lets the physiotherapist see the relevant area.
- Comfortable, loose clothing you can move in. For a knee or hip, shorts help; for a shoulder, a tank top or loose shirt.
- Any relevant scans, X-ray or MRI reports, or a list of medications.
- Your ICBC or WorkSafeBC claim number, if your visit relates to a car-accident or workplace injury.
- Your extended health details if you want the clinic to bill your insurer directly.
- Any aids you currently use, such as a brace, orthotics, or running shoes for a lower-limb problem.
Will it hurt?
The assessment is designed to be informative, not painful. Some tests gently provoke your symptoms because that is how we locate the problem, but your physiotherapist works within your comfort and will stop or adjust if something is too much. Tell them what you are feeling as you go. The session is a conversation, and your feedback guides it.
When you are ready, you can book a first physiotherapy assessment at either West Vancouver location, in English or Farsi, usually within the same week.