New Patient Clinical Assessment
Clarity from your first appointment
Whether it’s with a physio, osteopath or chiropractor, your initial assessment will turn uncertainty into a clear way forward. Our practitioners take the time to understand your symptoms, history and priorities, complete a thorough assessment and explain their recommendations. Together, you’ll agree on a treatment plan that fits your needs, preferences and lifestyle, so you leave feeling confident in the plan.
What to expect
Whether you are seeing a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or osteopath, your first appointment is about getting clarity on what is causing the problem and what happens next.
During a 45-minute musculoskeletal assessment, your practitioner will take time to understand your symptoms, history, and priorities; assess how you move; and explain their findings clearly. Your practitioner may assess movement, mobility, strength and function, using relevant clinical tests.
Together, you’ll agree a treatment plan that fits your needs and day-to-day life. This may include hands-on treatment, exercise rehabilitation and, where useful, input from another member of our multidisciplinary team.
You’ll leave knowing what the next steps are and with a plan you can feel confident in.
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Before your appointment, we will send you a waiver and consent form. This ensures all admin is complete before you arrive and gives your practitioner useful background and reason for attending.
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If you have relevant reports or results from an MRI, CT scan, X-ray or previous investigation, bring them with you or send them to the clinic beforehand. They are not essential for most appointments, but they can be useful.
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If it is your first time visiting the clinic, aim to arrive around 10 minutes before your appointment. This gives you time to check in without cutting into your assessment.
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During your 45-min assessment your practitioner will discuss your symptoms, medical history, lifestyle, and goals before assessing your movement, mobility, strength, joint stability, nerve function, and balance, using specific clinical tests where relevant.
If you have booked a sports massage, your session will be primarily hands-on, with a discussion beforehand so your therapist understands where you want to focus.
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At Nordic Balance we combine hands-on treatment and exercise rehabilitation within one evolving plan. If another area of expertise would help, your practitioner can refer you within the team.
Accepted health insurance providers
Still have questions?
Wear comfortable clothing that lets you move freely and makes it reasonably easy for your practitioner to assess the area in question. Shorts are useful where the legs, hips or lower back need to be assessed. A vest or sports bra can also help when assessing the neck, shoulders, back, or upper body.
If your appointment is likely to include rehabilitation exercises, choose stretchy, non-restrictive clothing you are comfortable moving in.
Your practitioner will always explain what they need to assess and respect your comfort and privacy. If you are unsure what to wear, contact the clinic before your appointment.
Most initial clinical assessments at Nordic Balance are approximately 45 minutes. This gives your practitioner time to discuss your symptoms and history, complete an appropriate assessment, explain their findings, and begin treatment where relevant.
If you think your situation may require additional time, contact the clinic before booking and our team can advise you.
Our current appointment fees include:
- Initial Clinical Assessment — 45 minutes: £95
- Women’s or Pelvic Health Initial Assessment — 45 minutes: £110
- MSK Podiatry Initial Assessment — 45 minutes: £95
- Shockwave Therapy — 30 minutes: £110
- Massage appointments start from £55
Fees can vary depending on the treatment, practitioner, and appointment length, so check the booking page for the price of the appointment you select.
When appropriate, your practitioner may begin treatment during your initial appointment after completing the necessary assessment. How much treatment you can receive depends on your symptoms, the complexity of the assessment, and what your practitioner believes will be most useful.
The priority is to understand the problem properly rather than rush through the assessment simply to fit treatment in.
Not necessarily. You can normally book directly with a Nordic Balance physiotherapist, chiropractor, osteopath or sports therapist without seeing your GP first.
If you use medical insurance, your insurer may require a GP referral, authorisation number, or other information before treatment begins. Check your policy or speak to our team before booking.
This depends on your insurer, your policy and the practitioner you are seeing. You will need an authorisation code or claim reference number for billing. Read our guide to using health insurance for more information.
Nordic Balance can accept Bupa, WPA and Healix for eligible appointments. If you are insured with Vitality or Aviva, you will need to pay Nordic Balance directly and then claim the cost back from your insurer, subject to your policy.
Please contact our team before booking an insured appointment so we can confirm what information is required and whether your insurer recognises your chosen practitioner.
Begin your journey to recovery, today
Book your first appointment today and take the first step towards feeling better.