Your first visit — what to expect

Before you arrive — your intake form

When you book, you will receive a link to a short intake form to complete before your appointment. This covers your personal details, a brief description of your current symptoms, your medical history, current medications, and any allergies.

You will also be asked to confirm your consent for examination and treatment, your understanding of our cancellation policy, and your GDPR agreement for how we store and use your health information. All records are held securely in Cliniko, a healthcare-compliant system used specifically for clinical records.

Arriving at the clinic

We are based at 276 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, FY3 9JW — within the chiropodist practice. The entrance is straightforward. If you are unsure, call us on 07946 356 373 and we will talk you in.

Please arrive a few minutes before your appointment time. If you have not been able to complete your intake form in advance, allow a little extra time on arrival.

The consultation — listening first

Your first appointment lasts up to 60 minutes. We start with a thorough consultation — listening carefully to your history, your current symptoms, what makes things better or worse, and what you are hoping to achieve from treatment.

This is not a box-ticking exercise. Understanding the full picture — including your lifestyle, stress levels, sleep, and how your body has been loaded over time — is essential to forming a proper view of what is happening and why.

We will ask questions that might not seem immediately related to your pain. That is intentional. The body does not work in isolated parts, and neither does our assessment.

The assessment — reading the body

Following the consultation, your osteopath will carry out a physical assessment. This typically involves observing your posture, assessing your movement, and using hands-on palpation to examine joints, muscles, and soft tissue.

What to wear — we do like to be able to see skin where possible, as it gives us valuable clinical information about how the body is working. We are not just looking at the area that hurts. If you would prefer not to undress, wearing loose-fitting clothing that can be moved or rolled up is a practical alternative.

If you are wearing sports kit, shorts and a vest or a proper bra tend to work better than a sports bra, which can restrict access to the thoracic spine and ribcage. Bring a spare layer if you are likely to feel cold.

Diagnosis and treatment plan

Once the assessment is complete, your osteopath will explain what they have found in plain English — what is happening, why it has likely developed, and what the treatment approach will be. You will be given a realistic prognosis and an honest view of how many sessions may be needed.

If during the assessment we find anything that suggests your symptoms may not be of musculoskeletal origin — something that warrants further investigation — we will tell you directly and, with your consent, write to your GP with our findings.

We do not sign you up to treatment blocks. You book one appointment at a time, and we will always tell you honestly how many sessions we think are warranted and why.

Hands-on treatment

The remaining time in your first appointment is given to treatment. The techniques used depend entirely on your presentation and what is found during the assessment — there is no standard protocol. Treatment may include joint mobilisation, soft tissue work, articulation, high velocity thrust techniques, acupuncture, dry needling, or craniosacral work, depending on what is clinically appropriate.

Everything will be explained before it is done. You will always be asked for consent before any technique is used, and you are free to decline anything at any point.

After your appointment

Before you leave, your osteopath will discuss what was found and treated, and what to expect in the coming days. Exercise recommendations or postural advice will be given where relevant — tailored to your specific presentation rather than a generic handout.

Some patients feel immediate improvement. Others notice a temporary increase in soreness or fatigue in the 24–48 hours following treatment, particularly where long-standing tension has been released. This is a normal part of the process and typically settles quickly.

A follow-up appointment will be booked where it is clinically indicated. We will not pressure you to book a next appointment if we do not feel one is necessary at that stage.