Bring photo identification, your extended health plan details, a list of your current medications, copies of any imaging or test results, and any braces or orthotics you use to your physiotherapy appointment. Wear loose, comfortable clothing you can move in, and bring supportive closed-toe shoes. In Ontario you do not need a doctor’s referral to book, though some insurance plans ask for one before they will reimburse. Below we cover the full list, what your physiotherapist actually does with each item, what to wear and what to skip, how billing works here, and what you genuinely do not need to worry about.

What Should You Bring to a Physiotherapy Appointment?

Bring identification, insurance details, a medication list, imaging results, any assistive devices you use, and comfortable clothing you can move in. The full list looks like this:

• Photo identification. A driver’s licence or health card is enough to confirm who you are at check-in.
• Your extended health plan details. The policy or certificate number and the plan member’s name, which is what allows a clinic to submit a claim on your behalf.
• A referral letter, if you have one. Not needed to be seen in Ontario, but some insurers ask for one before reimbursing.
• A list of your current medications. Prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements, along with any allergies.
• Imaging and test results. X-rays, MRI or CT scans, ultrasounds, nerve conduction studies, or lab work related to your problem, as copies or digital access.
• Relevant medical history. Past surgeries, previous injuries to the same area, and any ongoing health conditions.
• Braces, splints, orthotics, or walking aids. Anything you currently use, including a cane, walker, or crutches.
• Comfortable clothing and supportive shoes. Either worn to the appointment or brought to change into.
• Your questions and goals, written down. The single most useful thing you can bring, and the one most people forget.
• A way to pay for any portion your plan does not cover. Only relevant where a claim leaves a balance.

That list covers a first appointment for physiotherapy anywhere. What follows explains why each item earns its place, because several of them change the assessment in ways that are not obvious.

Why Does Each Item Matter?

Each item either confirms who you are, allows the clinic to bill your plan, or changes what your physiotherapist can safely and accurately assess. The table below sets out what happens with each one, including what happens if you turn up without it.

What you bring	What your physiotherapist does with it	If you forget it
Photo identification	Confirms your identity for your clinical record and for any insurer claim	Usually fine for the appointment itself; you may be asked to bring it next time
Extended health plan details	Allows a claim to be submitted directly so you are not paying the full amount and waiting	You pay at the visit and submit the claim yourself, or bring the details to the next visit
Referral letter	Satisfies insurers that require one, and shares the referring clinician’s findings	You can still be assessed and treated; reimbursement may be delayed until you supply it
Medication list	Flags anything affecting pain perception, bleeding, bone density, balance, or healing, which changes technique selection	Treatment may be kept more conservative until the information is confirmed
Imaging and test results	Confirms or rules out structural findings and helps set realistic loading limits	The assessment proceeds on physical findings, which is usually sufficient
Past surgeries and injury history	Explains movement restrictions and rules out techniques that are unsafe for that area	Mention it verbally; nothing formal is required
Braces, orthotics, or walking aids	Shows how you currently move with support, and whether the device still fits your needs	Bring it to a later visit so it can be checked in use
Comfortable clothing and shoes	Allows the joint in question to be seen and tested, and lets you walk, squat, and reach	The assessment is limited to what your clothing permits, so some tests wait
Written questions and goals	Sets the target the whole treatment plan is built around and measured against	Nothing is lost permanently, but the first visit is less focused

Anyone who already wears custom orthotics should bring both the orthotics and the shoes they normally sit in, since the two work as a pair and assessing either alone gives an incomplete picture.

Should You Bring Your X-Rays or MRI Results?

Yes, bring your X-rays, MRI, or CT results if you have them, either as copies, a disc, or access details for the online report. The written radiology report matters more than the images themselves, because it contains the findings your physiotherapist will actually work from.

Working from those findings changes the plan in concrete ways. A confirmed disc herniation, a rotator cuff tear, or a healing fracture sets limits on how much load the tissue can take in the early weeks, and knowing those limits means treatment can be progressed confidently rather than cautiously. Imaging also rules things out, which is just as useful.

Not having imaging is entirely normal though, and it does not hold anything up. Most musculoskeletal problems are diagnosed from history and physical examination rather than scans, and a physical assessment tells your physiotherapist more about how your body is moving today than a scan taken three months ago does.

What Should You Tell Your Physiotherapist?

Tell your physiotherapist when the problem started, what makes it better or worse, what you have already tried, and the specific activity you want to get back to. Written notes beat memory here, because the first appointment covers a lot of ground and details get lost.

Ground worth covering, in the order it usually comes up:

1. When it started and how. A specific event, a gradual onset, or a flare-up of something older. Dates matter more than you would expect.
2. Where you feel it, and whether it travels. Pain that moves down a limb means something different from pain that stays put.
3. What makes it worse. Be specific. “Sitting for more than twenty minutes” is far more useful than “sometimes it hurts.”
4. What makes it better. Heat, movement, rest, a particular position. This often points straight at the mechanism.
5. How it behaves through the day. Worse in the morning, worse by evening, or worse the day after activity.
6. What you have already tried. Previous treatment, medication, exercises, or advice, and whether any of it helped.
7. Your goal, stated as an activity. “I want to lift my toddler without my back locking” or “I want to run 5K again by spring” produces a sharper plan than “I want less pain.”
8. Anything that worries you. Night pain, numbness, weakness, or symptoms that are changing, all of which affect how the assessment is conducted.

That last goal item is the one that shapes everything. The movement assessment is built around testing the activity you want back, so naming it precisely at the start means the plan is aimed at the right target from day one.

What to Wear to Your First Physio Appointment

Wear loose, comfortable athletic clothing you can move freely in, along with supportive closed-toe shoes. Your physiotherapist needs to see and feel the joint being assessed, and to watch you walk, bend, squat, and reach.

Which garment helps depends on the area. For a hip, knee, or ankle problem, shorts or loose trousers that roll above the knee work best. For a shoulder, neck, or upper back problem, a short-sleeved or sleeveless top gives the access needed. For a lower back problem, something that allows the waistband to sit low is useful. Breathable, stretchy fabric beats anything stiff.

Footwear is the item people most often overlook. Supportive closed-toe athletic or walking shoes with decent grip matter for any balance or walking assessment, and if your problem is related to running or to standing all day at work, bring the actual shoes you use for that. Worn-out shoes tell your physiotherapist something useful about how you load your feet, so there is no need to bring a new pair.

What Not to Wear to Physical Therapy

Avoid stiff jeans, very tight leggings, shapewear, structured tops, open-toed sandals, flip-flops, high heels, and dress shoes. Each of them either restricts the movement being tested or prevents access to the area.

Restriction is the common problem. Stiff denim stops a knee bending through full range, shapewear prevents any assessment of the lower back or abdomen, and a rigid top blocks shoulder testing entirely. Open footwear makes balance and walking assessment unsafe. If you are coming straight from work and cannot dress for it, bringing a change of clothes in a bag solves it completely.

Do You Take Your Clothes Off for Physio?

You do not take your clothes off for physiotherapy beyond what is needed to see and treat the area being assessed, and you are never required to undress more than you are comfortable with. For most appointments, appropriate clothing means nothing needs to come off at all.

Where access is genuinely needed, such as viewing the lower back or the shoulder blade directly, you will be asked first and given privacy and a gown or draping if you want one. Your consent is required before any hands-on treatment, you can ask what a technique involves before it happens, and you can decline or stop anything at any point without needing a reason. Saying no to one technique does not end the appointment; it simply means an alternative is used.

Should I Wear a Bra to the Physio?

Wear a sports bra or a comfortable bra you do not mind being seen in, particularly for shoulder, neck, or upper back appointments. A sports bra or a fitted athletic top gives your physiotherapist access to the upper back and shoulder blade without you needing to remove anything.

Removing anything is the situation a sports bra is designed to avoid, which is why it is the most practical choice for upper-body work. For lower-body appointments it makes no difference at all, so wear whatever is comfortable.

Do You Need a Referral for Physiotherapy in Ontario?

No, you do not need a referral to see a physiotherapist in Ontario, because physiotherapists are primary care practitioners and you can book directly. The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario confirms that while a doctor or nurse practitioner may refer you, you can also seek physiotherapy independently.

Independent booking has one wrinkle worth checking before your first visit. Some extended health policies require a physician’s referral before they will reimburse, even though the profession itself does not, so a quick look at your policy wording saves an unwelcome surprise at claim time. If your plan does need one and you do not have it yet, you can still be assessed and treated at our clinic in Markham while you sort it out; the referral affects reimbursement rather than access.

What Do You Need for Direct Billing?

For direct billing you need your policy or certificate number, the plan member’s name and date of birth, and the insurer’s name. Those details are on your benefits card or in your plan’s online portal, and a photo of the card on your phone is entirely sufficient.

Sufficient detail is all that direct billing requires, and what it gives you in return is not having to pay the full amount upfront and wait weeks for reimbursement. The claim is submitted at the visit and you handle only whatever portion your plan does not cover, if any. Where a plan has an annual maximum or a per-visit cap, knowing those numbers before you start a course of care helps you plan the whole thing rather than discovering the limit halfway through. Anyone unsure whether their insurer is covered can check with us through our contact page before booking.

What Should You Bring for a WSIB or Motor Vehicle Accident Claim?

For a WSIB claim bring your claim number, the date of injury, and your employer’s details; for a motor vehicle accident claim bring your claim number, adjuster’s name and contact details, and the accident date. Both types of claim are billed to the insurer rather than to you.

Billing the insurer directly depends on those reference numbers being correct, so it is worth confirming them before the appointment rather than trying to recall them at the desk. If the claim is still being processed and you do not have a number yet, come anyway and bring what you have, since the assessment can proceed while the paperwork catches up.

What to Expect on a First Visit to a Physiotherapist

Expect a detailed history, a full movement and strength assessment, an explanation of the findings, an agreed plan, hands-on treatment, and a home exercise programme, usually all within the first appointment. A first physiotherapy appointment typically runs 45 to 60 minutes.

Those 60 minutes are mostly assessment rather than treatment, which surprises some people. Your physiotherapist will measure joint range of motion, grade muscle strength, test balance and coordination where relevant, and watch you perform the movement that provokes your symptoms, because that is what reveals the cause. At our Markham clinic, our physiotherapists explain what they found in plain language before any treatment begins, so you leave understanding the problem rather than just having been treated for it.

Arriving about five to ten minutes early gives you time for intake paperwork without eating into the assessment. Eating a light meal an hour or two beforehand and being reasonably hydrated both help, since you will be moving more than you might expect.

Should I Shower Before Physical Therapy?

You do not need to shower before physiotherapy, though arriving reasonably fresh is appreciated for appointments involving hands-on treatment. Nobody expects you to have showered immediately beforehand.

Immediately afterwards is a different matter, particularly if you have come straight from a workout or a physical shift, in which case a quick wash and a change of clothes makes the session more comfortable for everyone. Heavy perfume or scented products are worth skipping, since many clinics ask patients to keep scents minimal out of consideration for others.

Do You Need to Bring Anything to Follow-Up Appointments?

For follow-up appointments you mainly need appropriate clothing and shoes, plus anything new since your last visit. The paperwork is done after the first visit, so follow-ups are much simpler.

Simpler does not mean nothing, though. Bring any imaging or specialist reports you have received since, any change in medication, and your home exercise sheet if you have questions about a specific movement. Noting down how the week went, including which exercises were difficult and when symptoms flared, gives your physiotherapist far more to work with than trying to recall it on the spot. If your care also involves chiropractic care or massage therapy, mentioning what those appointments covered helps everyone stay coordinated, which is one of the advantages of having our services in one building.

Can Someone Come With You to a Physio Appointment?

Yes, you are welcome to bring someone with you to a physiotherapy appointment. A partner, family member, friend, or support worker can sit in on the assessment if you would like them to.

Having someone there helps in several situations: if you want a second set of ears for the explanation and home exercise instructions, if you need help with translation, if you are attending with a child or an older parent, or simply if a first appointment feels daunting. You can also ask them to step out for any part of the assessment you would rather do privately, and that request is completely normal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Days a Week Should Physiotherapy Be Done?

Physiotherapy appointments are usually scheduled one to two times a week at the start of a treatment plan, reducing in frequency as you improve. The home exercise programme is the part done daily or several times a week, and it is where most of the actual progress happens. Your physiotherapist sets the frequency based on the assessment rather than a fixed schedule.

What Should You Do After a Physiotherapy Session?

After a physiotherapy session, keep moving gently, drink water, and do your prescribed home exercises on the schedule you were given. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours is normal and settles on its own. Avoid testing the injury with a hard workout on the same day, and let your physiotherapist know at the next visit if anything felt sharp rather than simply tiring. Structured exercise rehabilitation between visits is what carries the recovery forward.

Do You Tip a Physiotherapist in Canada?

You do not tip a physiotherapist in Canada. Physiotherapy is a regulated health service rather than a personal service, and tipping is not expected or customary in any clinic. If you want to show appreciation, a review or a word to the clinic means far more, and many practitioners are not permitted to accept gifts of value under their professional standards.

What Should You Bring for a Child’s Physiotherapy Appointment?

For a child’s physiotherapy appointment, bring their health card, any specialist or paediatrician reports, a list of medications, and clothing they can move freely in. Bringing a familiar toy or comfort item helps younger children settle, and a snack and drink are worth having on hand. A parent or guardian needs to attend and provide consent for treatment.

Do You Need to Bring Anything for a Virtual Physiotherapy Appointment?

For a virtual physiotherapy appointment you need a device with a working camera, a stable internet connection, and enough clear floor space to move and be seen. Wear the same loose clothing you would wear in clinic, position the camera so your whole body is visible when standing, and have any imaging reports and your medication list to hand. A chair, a wall, and a pillow cover most of the props that get used.

What If You Forget Something at Home?

If you forget something, your appointment still goes ahead. Assessment and treatment are based on your history and physical examination, so a missing insurance card or imaging report delays paperwork rather than care. Bring whatever you forgot to the next visit, and let the clinic know so any claim can be submitted retroactively where the insurer allows it.

The Bottom Line

Bring photo identification, your extended health plan details, a medication list, any imaging reports, and any braces or orthotics you use. Wear loose clothing you can move in and supportive closed-toe shoes, or bring them to change into. In Ontario you can book directly without a referral, though it is worth checking whether your insurer wants one before your claim goes in. And write down when the problem started, what makes it worse, and the specific activity you want back, because that last one shapes the entire treatment plan.

If you end up forgetting half of it, come anyway. The assessment runs on what your body does in the room rather than on paperwork, and everything else can be sorted out at the next visit. We would be glad to see you at KC Rehab here in Markham, and you can book an appointment or call us at (905) 205-1668 with any questions before you come.