Definition: What exactly is physiotherapy exercise?
Physiotherapy exercise is a proven form of treatment that uses targeted exercises and special techniques to improve your mobility and relieve pain. Today, the term is often used synonymously with physiotherapy, although strictly speaking, physiotherapy exercise is a subarea of the broader field of physiotherapy.
In physiotherapy exercise, your therapist can draw on a wide range of well-established treatment techniques:
Active exercises – you perform exercises yourself that make your body more resilient
Passive techniques – the therapist mobilises your joints and treats your muscles and surrounding tissues
Functional training – targeted exercises for your everyday movement patterns
Pain relief – through various techniques and movement therapy
Education – individual information and explanation about your complaints
What’s special: modern physiotherapy exercise is based on scientific evidence (evidence-based medicine). Your therapist develops an individual treatment plan that is tailored precisely to your complaints and goals.
Indication: Which complaints can physiotherapy exercise help with?
The fields of application for physiotherapy exercise are more varied than you might think. It helps with acute problems as well as with chronic complaints.
Common areas of application:
Back pain and disc problems
Joint complaints in the knee, hip, shoulder, ankle, elbow or wrist
After surgery, to restore function
Sports injuries such as strains or ligament tears
Osteoarthritis (age- and load-related joint changes) and arthritis (inflammatory changes in the joint)
Postural weaknesses and muscular imbalances
Neurological conditions such as the consequences of stroke or Parkinson’s disease
Respiratory diseases and breathing therapy
Pelvic floor weakness and incontinence
Prevention is worth its weight in gold: physiotherapy exercise can not only heal, but also prevent problems. Regular exercises strengthen your body and can prevent expensive surgery or chronic complaints.
The study data is clear: for back pain, active movement therapy is superior to simply waiting it out. Your cooperation is crucial for the success of the therapy.
Process: What does a physiotherapy exercise session look like?
The first appointment always begins with a thorough assessment. Your therapist asks about your complaints, examines your mobility and specifically tests muscle strength and joint function.
Special feature at Somana: for your first appointment we always take 30 minutes, even though the health insurance only pays for 15–20 minutes. That is our gift to you for optimal treatment quality – because we are convinced that 15 minutes is simply too short for a thorough initial examination!
The typical course of treatment:
History and examination (at Somana: 30 minutes at the first appointment)
Active exercise phase – you train under supervision
Passive treatment – the therapist works passively where needed
Homework – exercises for at home are explained – but you can also use our spacious training area between appointments!
Debrief – feedback and planning of the next steps
Practical tips for your appointment:
Wear comfortable sports clothing or bring some with you
Bring a large towel for the treatment couch
Arrive on time for your appointments
Write down your questions and complaints beforehand
Be honest about your pain – only then can the treatment be optimally tailored
Prescription: Do I need a doctor’s referral for physiotherapy exercise?
For treatment covered by statutory health insurance, you need a prescription from a doctor. You receive the prescription for therapeutic treatment (Heilmittelverordnung) from your GP or a specialist (for example an orthopaedic specialist). The prescription usually says “Krankengymnastik” or “KG” with the number of sessions – the standard is 6 units.
Important deadlines:
Treatment must be started within 28 days of the prescription being issued
Treatment should take place 1–3 times per week, depending on indication and prescription
If required, the doctor can issue a follow-up prescription
No time for long waiting periods at the doctor’s office? At Somana we have therapists with additional qualification as sectoral non-medical practitioners (Heilpraktiker) for physiotherapy. This means: you can also come to us directly without a prescription and start treatment immediately! This self-pay service is ideal if you need quick help and don’t want to wait weeks for a doctor’s appointment.
Duration: How long does a course of physiotherapy exercise last overall?
A single treatment session usually lasts 15–20 minutes – except for your first appointment at Somana, for which we take 30 minutes. Many patients feel that the standard time is too short – but you can often book longer sessions for an additional charge or ask your doctor for a double session.
Tip for sustainability: after completing acute physiotherapy exercise, you can continue training or keep using our training area to maintain your fitness in the long term.
Home exercises: What else can I do to support my therapy success?
The success of physiotherapy exercise depends largely on your own training. What you achieve in therapy is reinforced by regular practice.
Your advantage at Somana: we have a professional training area that you can use not only during your therapy, but also between sessions! Under optimal conditions you can perform the exercises shown by your therapist here – with or without therapeutic supervision. This way you stay consistently on track and maximise your treatment success.
Basic principles for your training:
Only perform exercises that your therapist has shown you
Quality before quantity – better fewer repetitions done correctly
Regularity is more important than intensity
If pain increases: stop the exercise and discuss it at the next appointment
Your therapist will show you individual exercises and create a training plan tailored to you. The opportunity to use our training area independently gives you the freedom to train at your own pace and still have professional support when you need it.
Effectiveness: How quickly does physiotherapy exercise work and what can I expect?
The effect of physiotherapy exercise depends on various factors: the type and duration of your complaints, your active participation and the regularity of treatment.
Realistic expectations:
Acute complaints (after recent injuries): often improvement after 3–6 treatments
Chronic problems (long-standing pain): often 10–12 treatments or more are needed
After surgery: usually regular therapy sessions over several weeks to months are required
Important: the course of treatment is always individual. How quickly complaints improve depends, among other things, on the initial situation, the healing process and your active cooperation in therapy.
Science confirms: active and educational physiotherapy exercise is particularly effective for:
Back pain (better results than pain medication alone)
Knee osteoarthritis (pain reduction and improved function)
Shoulder problems (frozen shoulder, impingement)
Fall prevention in older people
Remember: your body needs time to heal. Muscles build up over weeks, movement patterns do not change overnight. Patience and consistency are your best allies.
Costs: How much does physiotherapy exercise cost and what does the health insurance cover?
The good news: if you are statutorily insured, your health insurance covers the majority of the costs. You only pay a statutory co-payment of 10% of the prescription value plus €10 prescription fee.
Example calculation:
Prescription value for 6 treatments: €120
Your co-payment: €12 (10%) + €10 = €22 in total
Cost overview:
Statutory insurance
Health insurance pays the main costs
Co-payment: 10% + €10 per prescription
Private insurance
Reimbursement according to tariff
Depending on your contract
Self-paying at Somana
Transparent prices
€25–40 per session
Under 18 years
Full coverage
No co-payment
Possibility of exemption:
In cases of chronic illness or if your annual co-payments exceed 2% of your gross income (1% for chronic patients), you can be exempted from co-payments.
Pain: Does physiotherapy exercise hurt?
Many patients worry about this – the reassuring answer: physiotherapy exercise is generally low in pain and is adapted to your load limits.
What you can expect:
Adaptation pain – a pulling sensation during exercises is normal and shows that changes are taking place in your movement patterns
Adaptation pain: a slight increase in your pain over a period of 24–48 hours can occur; this shows that your tissue load capacity is adapting and should not be interpreted as a worsening of the underlying condition
Muscle soreness – completely normal after strengthening exercises and even desired
Mobilisation pain – brief discomfort during modulation of your nervous system
Behavioural change: through educational physiotherapy exercise you gain a new perspective on your complaints and concrete strategies for dealing with them.
What is not normal:
Pain lasting longer than 48 hours
Pain stronger than 4–5 on a scale from 0–10
New complaints in other parts of the body
Your therapist will always ask how you are feeling. The golden rule is: “Effort – yes, torment – no.” Some therapy-related pain can occur, but it should always be bearable. Communicate openly – only then can the intensity be optimally adjusted.
Next steps: Start your treatment at Somana now!
You’ve had enough of your complaints and finally want to live pain-free again? Then now is the perfect time to take action!
Your advantages at Somana:
30-minute first appointment instead of the usual 15–20 minutes
Professional training area for your free use between appointments
Treatment also possible without a prescription thanks to our sectoral non-medical practitioners for physiotherapy
Short-notice appointments – no long waiting times
Evidence-based therapy with the most modern methods
An empathetic team that takes time for you
It’s that simple:
Make an appointment – click here to book an appointment
Come to the initial consultation – with or without a prescription
Start your individual therapy – together towards your goal
Feel better – a bit more mobile with every session
Don’t keep waiting for your pain to disappear on its own. Especially if you are still waiting for a doctor’s appointment to get a prescription – you can start with us right away! Our team of experienced therapists looks forward to supporting you on your way to a better quality of life.
Book your appointment at Somana now and feel better soon! 📞 Call us or book directly online – we are here for you.
