My 6-year experience of how effective video consultations in physio really are

My experience with physio video consultations

I’ve been practising video consultations in physiotherapy since 2020. At that time we had no choice, and it may well be the best thing that’s happened to me professionally. Here’s my view after 6 years of practice.

My preconceptions about physio video consultations in 2020

Holding an osteopathy qualification alongside my physiotherapy degree, hands-on practice is in my DNA. Contact, palpation, mobilisation — that’s what defines care for me. So it was with a lot of reluctance that I started doing video consultations during the Covid-19 lockdown.

At first, I agreed to do it mainly to reassure my patients, to maintain the connection and not leave them without follow-up. But being passionate about my profession and keen to give my best, I quickly looked for ways to make these sessions as useful as possible. And I was surprised by the result.

My surprise at the video consultation results after 6 months

By staying attentive, motivating patients, and adapting programmes to what they had at home, something clicked. They were rigorous. They followed instructions. And progress was good, often limited only by the equipment available at home, not by the consultation format.

It was a real wake-up call for me. My conviction that care necessarily had to go through hands-on work was challenged. Not erased, but nuanced, deeply enriched.

My current video consultation practice

Building on this discovery, I’ve kept up video consultations in different ways: from the very start of care for expat patients looking for a French-speaking practitioner, to maintain follow-up during a holiday or a work trip, or to finish rehab with a patient who’s geographically far away.

All these situations have helped me understand the strengths and limits of video consultations in physiotherapy and build a solid practice around this format.

How a video consultation can be just as effective as an in-person physio session

To put it simply: I believe the effectiveness of a video consultation depends above all on the physiotherapist’s experience.

How effective are physio video consultations

If the physio is used to treating a condition in clinic and is invested in the process, they can support a patient by video consultation for that injury with the same quality. On the other hand, without prior clinical experience of a given injury, the limits will show quickly. A video consultation doesn’t create expertise, it transposes it into a different format.

The problems with in-clinic physio sessions

In-clinic sessions have their own limits too, and they’re often underestimated. Many clinics run with several patients at once: the physio moves from one to another, the session comes down to a few minutes of attention and a lot of independent exercise. Under these conditions, doing the same thing from home, guided by an attentive physio over a screen, is no less effective. It’s often more effective.

Is there a difference between a physio video consultation and an in-clinic session?

Science answers this question. Professor Michel Tousignant and his team at the University of Sherbrooke in Canada concluded that video consultations were just as effective as in-clinic care. These studies were conducted on post-operative care for knee replacements and shoulder injuries, complex cases that require simultaneously working on pain, mobility, strength, proprioception, functional activity and return to sport.

Despite this complexity, the long-term results between 100% video consultation and 100% in-clinic were equivalent. This isn’t an opinion, it’s a scientific finding.

The benefits of physio video consultations

Access to a physio for everyone

Video consultations provide access to a physiotherapist anywhere in the world. This is a direct answer to the problem of medical deserts, which deprive millions of people of access to local care every year. A patient in a rural area, abroad, or on a work trip can now be treated by an expert physio without travelling.

Availability for both patient and physio

Another often underestimated benefit: flexibility. The patient doesn’t need to block out two hours of their day for travel, a waiting room and a session. They connect from their desk, their hotel room or their gym. This ease of access improves consistency, and consistency is what makes the difference between rehab that succeeds and rehab that drags on.

The result: effective care for the patient

The effectiveness of video consultations in physiotherapy no longer needs to be proven. The scientific evidence exists, and field feedback confirms it. It’s now up to patients to make the most of it to heal faster, better, and with more independence.

Struggling with an injury or pain?

HOPP lets you identify your injury in 3 minutes and immediately start a personalised care programme, designed by FIFA-certified sports physios with over 17 years of experience. No need to wait for an appointment, wherever you are.

 

FAQ — Physio video consultations

Does HOPP offer video consultations?

Yes. The Expert package from HOPP includes 2 video calls with an expert physio. You can book these sessions on demand from your dashboard, based on how your rehab is progressing. It’s ideal for checking in on your progress, adjusting your programme or getting precise answers about your injury, without travelling, from home.

Do you need equipment for a video consultation?

No. The vast majority of rehab programmes can be done with bodyweight alone. A few simple accessories — a resistance band, a chair, a wall — let you go further if needed. The physio always adapts the programme to what you have available. Lack of equipment isn’t an obstacle.

How much does a video consultation with your physios cost?

A video consultation session with one of our physios is available for €35. It’s included in the HOPP Expert package. You get an individual, personalised consultation with a FIFA-certified sports physio, from home, with no wait and no travel.