WHAT WE DO

what we do

services offered

Our qualified physiotherapists provide the following services:

Hands on therapy

Multiple modalities

personalised program

Thorough Evaluation

Extensive Education

sports treatments

Treatments offered at this practice

Our qualified physiotherapists offer the following treatments:

Joint Mobilizations

Physiotherapy Joint mobilization is a manual therapy technique used to improve joint movement and reduce pain. It involves controlled, passive movements of a joint within its available range of motion to address restrictions and improve function. The technique is characterized by slow, gentle, and repetitive movements

Joint Manipulation

Joint manipulation, also known as high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) manually thrust manipulation, is a therapy technique where a practitioner applies a controlled, quick force to a joint at its end range to improve the movement and reduce pain of that joint. This is used to treat musculoskeletal problems and restore the normal joint function. Sometimes it can produce an audible “pop” or “crack

Fascial mobilization

Fascia mobilization, also known as myofascial release, is a manual therapy technique which aims to improve the flexibility and mobility of the intermuscular fascia, the connective tissue surrounding muscles and organs. By addressing restrictions and adhesions within the fascia, this technique helps alleviate pain, improve range of motion, and enhance overall physical function.

Dry needling

Dry needling is a therapeutic technique where thin sterile acupuncture needles are inserted into the body to treat muscle pain and movement issues. It works by deactivating trigger points, which are hyperirritable spots in muscles, causing them to relax and release tension. This can lead to pain relief and improved range of motion

Chest and sinus treatment

Physiotherapy plays a vital role in treating chest and sinus conditions by improving breathing, clearing secretions, and reducing pain and pressure. Techniques like postural drainage, percussion, and breathing exercises help loosen and expel mucus, while specialized treatments release and alleviate sinus pressure and pain.

Therapeutic Ultrasound

Therapeutic ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to stimulate tissue healing and reduce pain. It works by generating heat and mechanical vibrations within the targeted tissues, which can increase blood flow, reduce inflammation, and promote tissue repair

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is effective to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes in injured or painful areas, by using high-energy sound waves, or shockwaves.

These shockwaves, generated outside the body, are delivered to the targeted tissue, promoting tissue regeneration, pain relief, and improved function

Electro physical currents

There is a variety of currents presently used in physiotherapy EPA. It supports the process of healing

Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT)

Photobiomodulation is a technique in which exposure to laser light or light emitting diodes stimulates cellular function leading to beneficial clinical effects. Used for the treatment of sports injury healing, several chronic pain syndromes and non-healing wounds

Spinal and peripheral joint mobilisation

Spinal joint mobilizations are a manual physical therapy technique used to improve movement and reduce pain in the spine. Physical therapists use gentle, hands-on techniques to apply pressure to spinal joints, aiming to restore normal joint movement and alleviate discomfort. These techniques can help with a variety of issues, including pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion in the spine.

Spinal manipulations

Spinal joint manipulation, also known as spinal manipulation, spinal adjustment OR SPINAL TRUSTS, is a hands-on technique used by PHYSIOTHERAPISTS to restore normal SPINAL joint motion and alignment in the spine. It involves applying controlled TRUST force to a spinal joint ENT RANGE OF MOVEMENT, often resulting in an audible “pop” or “crack,” which is the release of gas bubbles within the joint. The goal is to alleviate pain, reduce muscle tension, and improve overall spinal function.

Peripheral joint manipulation

Soft tissue and myoFascial mobilisations

Fascia mobilisation, also known as myofascial release, is a manual therapy technique which aims to improve the flexibility and mobility of the intermuscular fascia, the connective tissue surrounding muscles and organs. By addressing restrictions and adhesions within the fascia, this technique helps alleviate pain, improve range of motion, and enhance overall physical function.

Post operative orthopaedic rehabilitation of spine

It focuses on restoring optimal function, mobility, and independence in patients recovering from surgery. The primary goals of post-operative physiotherapy are to manage pain, reduce swelling, restore early and safe movement patterns, and promote tissue healing.

Post operative orthopaedic rehabilitation of peripheral joints

General exercise physiotherapy involves using physical exercises and techniques to help patients recover from injuries, manage chronic conditions, and improve physical function. It encompasses a range of approaches, including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and electrotherapy, with the goal of restoring movement, reducing pain, and enhancing overall quality of life.

General exercise planning after a sport injury

Management of musculoskeletal and orthopaedic conditions

MUSCULOSKELETAL ORTHOPEDIC MANAGEMENT involves using physical exercises and HANDS ON techniques to ASSIST patients recover from injuries, manage chronic conditions, and improve physical function. It encompasses a range of approaches, including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and electrotherapy, with the goal of restoring movement, reducing pain, and enhancing overall quality of life.

Sports taping

Athletes often make use of SPORTS taping TECHNIQUES as a protective mechanism in the presence of an existing injury. Some of the goals with taping are to restrict the movement of injured joints, soft tissue compression to reduce swelling, support anatomical structures, and as protection from re-injury

Sports specific rehabilitation

Sport-specific rehabilitation is a targeted approach to recovery that focuses on the unique demands and movements of an athlete’s sport. It goes beyond general rehabilitation by incorporating exercises and therapies that directly mimic the athlete’s sport-specific actions, ensuring a smooth and safe return to play. This approach aims to restore not just basic function, but also the athlete’s specific skills, strength, and agility needed for their sport.

Pelvic Health and Men’s Health Conditions

Pelvic health physiotherapy focuses on assessing, diagnosing, and treating conditions related to the pelvic floor and surrounding areas. It involves a combination of exercises, manual therapy, and other techniques to improve muscle function, reduce pain, and enhance overall pelvic health AND THE PELVIC FLOOR STABILITY. This specialized area of physiotherapy helps individuals, manage a range of conditions, pelvic pain, and SOME pregnancy-related pelvic issues.

Book an appointment

Conditions commonly treated

Back and neck pain

For a physiotherapist, back and neck pain often presents as discomfort, stiffness, or sharp pain in the spinal region, potentially radiating into the limbs. It can arise from a variety of sources, including prolonged poor posture, muscle imbalances, direct injury to spinal structures, or nerve irritation. Individuals may experience limitations in movement, difficulty with everyday activities, and reduced quality of life due to persistent or intermittent pain in these critical areas of the body.

Peripheral joint dysfunction

Peripheral joint dysfunction refers to an impaired state of movement or function in joints located outside of the spine, such as the shoulder, hip, knee, or ankle. From a physiotherapist’s perspective, this can manifest as pain, stiffness, clicking, grinding, or a feeling of instability within the joint. It often impacts an individual’s ability to perform daily tasks, participate in sports, or maintain their desired level of physical activity.

Muscle tissue injuries

Muscle tissue injuries encompass a range of damage to muscle fibers, from minor pulls and strains to significant tears. A physiotherapist observes these as localized pain, tenderness, swelling, bruising, and a diminished capacity of the affected muscle to generate force or stretch. These injuries typically result from sudden forces, overuse, or inadequate preparation during physical activity, leading to functional limitations.

Postural office ergonomics

In the context of postural office ergonomics, a physiotherapist identifies symptoms arising from prolonged or repetitive postures in a workstation environment. This often includes chronic neck and shoulder stiffness, low back pain, headaches, and discomfort in the wrists or forearms. These symptoms are typically linked to suboptimal setup of office equipment, which places undue stress on the musculoskeletal system.

Chronic tendinopathies

Chronic tendinopathies describe a persistent condition involving pain and reduced function within a tendon, often at sites like the elbow, shoulder, Achilles, or patella. Physiotherapists recognize this by localized tenderness, pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest, and a feeling of stiffness, particularly in the morning. This condition often develops due to repetitive loading or an incomplete recovery from an earlier tendon injury.

Headaches

From a physiotherapist’s viewpoint, headaches often present with symptoms that can be traced to musculoskeletal origins, particularly those stemming from the neck (cervicogenic headaches) or muscle tension. Patients may describe pain originating from the base of the skull, radiating to the temples or forehead, often accompanied by neck stiffness, limited neck movement, or tenderness in the neck and shoulder muscles.

Minor respiratory conditions

In the context of minor respiratory conditions, a physiotherapist addresses symptoms such as shortness of breath, persistent coughing, wheezing, or difficulty clearing secretions. These conditions, while medically managed, present challenges to an individual’s physical capacity and overall endurance, impacting their ability to participate in various activities due to compromised breathing mechanics.

Temporo-mandibular joint disorders

Temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) disorders present to a physiotherapist as pain, clicking, popping, or grinding noises in the jaw joint, often accompanied by difficulty opening or closing the mouth fully. Patients may also experience headaches, ear pain, or facial pain. These symptoms can impact speaking, chewing, and general comfort in the jaw and face region.

Running related injuries

Running-related injuries manifest as pain, stiffness, or instability in areas frequently stressed by running, such as the knees (runner’s knee), lower legs (shin splints), feet (plantar fasciitis), or hips. Physiotherapists observe these symptoms as they interfere with running performance, cause discomfort during or after runs, and sometimes limit daily activities, often stemming from biomechanical inefficiencies or training errors.

Cycle injuries

Cycle injuries typically involve discomfort, pain, or numbness in areas affected by prolonged cycling postures and repetitive movements, such as the knees, lower back, neck, wrists, or perineum. From a physiotherapist’s perspective, these symptoms often arise from an improper bike fit, inefficient pedaling mechanics, or excessive training volume, leading to reduced cycling enjoyment and performance.

Sinusitis

While primarily a medical condition, a physiotherapist may encounter individuals with sinusitis who experience associated symptoms such as facial pain or pressure, headaches, and nasal congestion. These symptoms, particularly when chronic, can indirectly influence an individual’s posture and comfort, especially in the head and neck region due to referred pain or compensatory positioning.

Golf injuries

Golf injuries present as pain, stiffness, or limited range of motion in areas subjected to the repetitive and rotational demands of the golf swing, most commonly the lower back, shoulders, elbows (golfer’s elbow), and wrists. Physiotherapists observe how these symptoms hinder a golfer’s swing mechanics, reduce power, and cause discomfort during or after playing, often related to overuse or suboptimal swing technique.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread, chronic musculoskeletal pain, often accompanied by fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties. A physiotherapist recognizes this condition by the generalized nature of the pain, tenderness at specific points on the body, and the significant impact it has on an individual’s ability to engage in physical activity and daily life functions, despite a lack of clear tissue damage.

Book an appointment

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Ask the experts.

What is physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy (also known as physical therapy or PT) is both a science and an art, focused on helping people move better and feel stronger. At its core, it’s about restoring and improving movement and physical function when it’s been affected by aging, injury, illness, or environmental factors.

Physiotherapists are primary care health professionals who work with people of all ages and backgrounds. Their goal is to help individuals regain and maintain their ability to move freely and live actively. Whether someone is recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition, or simply trying to stay mobile as they age, physiotherapy can play a vital role.

Movement is central to good health, and physiotherapists work across many areas – including prevention, education, treatment, rehabilitation, and wellness. They consider not just the physical side of health, but also the emotional, social, and psychological aspects of well-being.

The process is very collaborative. Physiotherapists partner with patients, families, caregivers, other health professionals, and the broader community. Together, they assess movement abilities, set goals, and create personalised plans using specialised knowledge and hands-on skills.

A physiotherapist begins with a detailed history and physical assessment. They might also use imaging or lab tests to guide their diagnosis and treatment plan. Interventions often include tailored exercises, hands-on manual therapy of the spine or joints, education, and other supportive techniques.

Physiotherapy is a diverse field, with specialists in areas like:

Orthopaedics (muscles and joints)
Neurology (brain and nerve conditions)
Cardiopulmonary (heart and lungs)
Geriatrics (aging)
Paediatrics (children’s health)
Pain education

What is the difference between physiotherapy, biokinetics, chiropractic and osteopathy?

There is a natural overlapping of patient management and treatment flow between these careers. Physiotherapist and biokineticist are registered with the HPCSA, where the others are not.

A PHYSIOTHERAPIST is concerned with assessing, treating and the preventing human movement disorders, restoring normal function and minimising dysfunction and pain. They are also concerned with rehabilitation of patients, but it involves far more “hands-on” work. Once a patient has achieved the initial phase of retaliation, they naturally move to the biokineticist.

A BIOKINETICIST is a specialised exercise therapist who works alongside allied health and medical practitioners. They are concerned with the rehabilitation of injury or diseases and uses exercise to balance muscle strengths, weaknesses, lengths and tightness around joints.

OSTEAPATHY is a complementary therapy. It is used alongside conventional treatment to improve health. Osteopathy is a drug-free, non-invasive manual therapy that aims to improve health across all body systems by manipulating and strengthening the musculoskeletal framework.

CHIROPRACTIC is a form of alternative medicine mostly concerned with treatment of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine. The main chiropractic treatment technique involves especially spinal manipulation therapy (SMT), manipulations of other joints and soft tissues

Which conditions do we commonly treat?

WOMAN’S AND MEN’S HEALTH

SPORT INJURIES (Crossfit + Gym related, Golf, Running, School Sport, Cycling and Triathlon, Weight Training, Growth Plate and Overuse injuries in young patients, Pilates and Yoga related biochemical sprains)

MINOR RESPIRATORY AND SINUS CONDITIONS

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES (Chronic Tendinopathy, Muscle Tears, Fibromialgia, Ligament injuries and long-term management)

BACK AND NECK DISORDERS (Headaches, Neck and Back pain, Special Interest in Scoliosis)

TEMPORO-MANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDER

POST-SURGICAL REHABILITATION (Lumbar Fusions, Lumbar related surgeries, Cervical related surgeries, Joint replacements, Joint arthroscopies)

WORK RELATED ERGONOMICS (Postural Dysfunction and Mechanical Headaches)

GERIATRIC CONDITIONS

BALANCE DISORDERS AND VESTIBULAR RETRAINING

Will I feel better after my first session?

You will find that Physiotherapy typically offers an immediate level of pain relief, although this is influenced by your injury and how long you have had it.

Sometimes you might expect some level of discomfort directly after your physiotherapy session, but your physiotherapist will inform you if soreness after your session will be expected

Will physiotherapy hurt?

Possibly – your body might need to be moved in uncomfortable positions in order to evaluate your injury accurately. This will never be intentionally, and your therapist will limit this discomfort at best

Can you fix my problem?

Our primary aim is to assist you in reaching a place of restoration and balance.

Ultimately, a physiotherapy treatment session can offer a level of immediate relief and recovery. However, fixing your problem involves you changing some behaviours and activities in your personal life to eliminate the source of the issue, re-align your body and to feel better and stronger in the end. As therapists, we will provide you with the tools, information and bio-feedback to do this.

Sometimes there’s a quick fix, but (as with most things in life) you also have to put in some work to obtain maximal results from your physiotherapy sessions.

Will I need more than one treatment session?

Not always, but usually yes.

Your progress will often depend on completing exercises and stretches with increasing complexity and difficulty over time. We assess whether you are completing these adequately and “push” for a speedy recovery within safe parameters.

We may also have to update your other medical providers/contacts periodically with technical data related to your injury progress.

Therefore, if your therapist prescribes exercises/stretches remember to do this will ensure quick recovery (and probably fewer appointments with your therapist!)

Book an appointment

IMPORTANT information

Please note our important information

Billing

Our billing is from a paperless company; your invoices will be emailed to you with your treatment details on them.

Double-check your email address on your first visit.

Let us know if you would like your medical aid details added to your bill. VAP is registered with BHF and HPCSA, but we do not submit your bill. This is for your own responsibility. If you would like to claim physio treatment from your medical aid, we’d like to make it as easy as possible for you to do so.

The pricing structure of each medical aid is different, and it changes with each plan you subscribe to. Please be aware that you may not be imbursed in full.

We accept Yoco card payment, EFT payments, Zapper, and SnapScan.

Environmental commitment

Both for massage and physiotherapy we use clean towels. If you would like to help us reduce the environmental impact, please bring your own.

Cancellation Policy

We have a 12-hour cancellation policy and will charge up to the full price for late cancellation.

An appointment reminder will be sent to you from our billing system a day prior to your appointment.

Time

In general all our sessions last 45 minutes as we do not want to rush and focus on you as a whole.

Parking

There is dedicated paid and allocated parking in front of the building in Paarl,

Val de vie has a dedicated and paid parking area for your convenience, marked as physio parking in front of the office building.

Our Franschhoek office has allocated visitors parking in front of the side access gate, please ask for the access code to the gate.

What to wear

Less is more – as the physiotherapists will want to see as much as possible of your body for assessments and treatment. We provide shorts or a robe if needed.

Price

All sessions are 45 Minutes and the longer session is available on request.