Physiotherapy in Alicante

It depends. If you want to be seen through Social Security, yes: a doctor (your GP or a specialist) needs to issue a referral. In a private consultation, however, you can come directly, without a prescription. Of the three disciplines, physiotherapy is the only one that is an official university healthcare profession in Spain, so a registered physiotherapist can assess and treat you on their own in the private setting.

The all-time classic. A massage relieves pain in the short term and relaxes the muscles, but it doesn’t get to the root of the problem. If the cause is a weakness or poor posture, only active movement corrects it. Physiotherapy is help towards self-help: your participation is part of the treatment.

Ideally, bring three things:

• Your referral (if you’re coming through Social Security) and your health card or insurance card.
• Relevant medical reports (surgical or MRI reports, if you have them).
• A large towel for the treatment couch.

Comfortable, sporty clothing (tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt, for example) that lets you move freely. Since the physiotherapist needs to see and palpate the affected area (the knee, the back…), be prepared for the possibility of staying in your underwear.

It depends on the treatment. A physiotherapy or manual therapy session usually lasts between 20 and 30 minutes. Other techniques, such as manual lymphatic drainage, can run up to 45 or 60 minutes.

Because a couple of sessions a week aren’t enough to correct deeply ingrained movement patterns or years of poor posture. The body learns through repetition. The ‘homework’ we give you consolidates the result and noticeably speeds up your recovery.

A ‘yes and no’. A certain stretching sensation or a ‘good kind of pain’ when releasing tension is normal, as is some muscle soreness the next day. A stabbing, tearing or unbearable pain, on the other hand, is a warning sign. Always tell your physiotherapist how each stimulus feels.

Under Social Security, physiotherapy is free at the point of care (there’s no per-session co-payment as there is in other countries). In a private consultation, a session usually costs roughly between €30 and €50, depending on the area and the technique. If you have private insurance, many policies cover physiotherapy through their network or by reimbursement, sometimes with prior authorisation or a session limit.

It can happen, of course. The important thing is to let us know in advance: as we work by appointment, we ask you to cancel at least 24 hours beforehand. Otherwise, that reserved slot can’t be reassigned in time and may be charged.

It’s hard to generalise. For acute blockages or mild muscle strains, many people notice clear relief after 2 or 3 sessions. After major surgery (a new cruciate ligament, a hip replacement), on the other hand, physiotherapy support can extend over several months.