New Patient Guide · Richmond, Melbourne
Everything you need to know before your first appointment at Evolutio — what happens, what to bring, how long it takes, and what it costs. No surprises.
Initial assessment — longer than anywhere else
Same physio every single visit
Patients treated since Est. 2013
Hands-on treatment starts your first visit
Your First Visit
A 45-minute initial appointment from start to finish — and you'll leave having already started treatment.
Book your first appointmentNo referral needed for standard physiotherapy.
See our detailed first visit guide.
Arrival
No calling names across a waiting room. Your physiotherapist personally comes down to the waiting area to greet you. You'll be offered a coffee, shown around briefly, and given a moment to settle in. The space is a converted three-level Richmond warehouse — it feels more like arriving at a friend's studio than a clinical facility. We designed it that way deliberately.
Your story
Your physio sits with you at our handcrafted reclaimed wood table and spends real time understanding your situation. Not just "where does it hurt" — but your sporting background, training history, what this injury is stopping you from doing, and what success looks like for you. How this problem is affecting your sleep, your work, your relationships. That context shapes everything that follows. Research from the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy consistently shows that patient-reported outcomes and goal setting improve treatment efficacy.
Approx. 10–15 minAssessment
A comprehensive physical assessment — posture analysis, movement screening, specific orthopaedic testing relevant to your condition. Where appropriate, we use VALD testing equipment for objective strength and movement data. At the end of this phase, we explain what we found in language you actually understand — no jargon unless you want the technical version. You should leave knowing exactly what's happening and why.
Approx. 15–20 minTreatment
Unlike clinics that assess-only in the first session, we begin treatment immediately. Depending on your condition this might include joint mobilisation, soft tissue work, dry needling, specific exercises, or movement retraining. We explain what we're doing and why as we go. You'll leave your first session having already made a start — not just booked to come back next week. See our full range of physiotherapy services.
Approx. 15–20 minPlan & next steps
Before you leave, we discuss your recovery plan together. How many sessions we anticipate, what the realistic timeline looks like, what you can and can't do in the meantime, and your home exercise program. We set goals that are specific to your life — not generic targets. Within 48 hours you'll receive a detailed email summary covering findings, diagnosis, your exercise program with video demonstrations, and recommended next steps. You'll never be left guessing.
What to Bring
Keep it simple. The most important thing you bring is context — we'll guide everything else.
The more context you give us, the better your assessment.
No hoops to jump through here.
Our ground floor is fully wheelchair accessible. Treatment rooms and gym are on upper and lower levels via stairs — we currently don't have a stair lift, though we hope to soon. If this affects you, please contact Alex directly so we can discuss options. We're incredibly sorry for this limitation and want to help wherever we can.
Transparent Pricing
Two tiers based on practitioner experience. All appointments include hands-on treatment — not just exercise instruction. 45-minute initials are longer than the 30-minute industry standard, and the difference shows in outcomes.
Full pricing pagePrivate health rebates processed on the spot via HICAPS. You pay only the gap. $85 deposit required at booking for initial consultations — balance on the day.
Senior Physiotherapists — Bayden & Phill
45 min — comprehensive first assessment with a Senior Physiotherapist (8–10 yrs experience). Full history, examination, diagnosis, hands-on treatment & tailored rehab plan. $85 deposit at booking.
30 min — hands-on treatment, strength progression, rehab adjustment. Same physio every time.
45 min — for multiple areas or extra treatment time. Must have completed an initial first.
75 min — independent assessment after unsuccessful physio or conflicting diagnoses. Bring all reports, imaging & treatment history. $85 deposit at booking.
Physiotherapists — Shirouz & Kelsi
45 min — thorough, evidence-based assessment and hands-on treatment. A great starting point for most new patients. $85 deposit at booking.
30 min — ongoing hands-on treatment, strength work, rehab progression. Same physio every time.
45 min — multiple areas or extra treatment time. Must have completed an initial first.
Remedial Massage — Mary Ann
Clinical assessment, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, cupping, deep tissue & dry needling. Stretches and corrective exercise included.
Extended clinical assessment and treatment for complex presentations or multiple areas.
Return treatment for existing massage clients. 45 min ($120), 60 min ($140), or 90 min ($185).
Payment accepted
Visa · Mastercard · AMEX · EFTPOS · Cash · HICAPS. Payment plans available for members. Invoices provided for all sessions.
Insurance & Billing
We work with all major Australian health funds and government schemes. Here's exactly what each one covers and what you need to bring.
Full details on our pricing page · Questions? Call 03 9100 3798 or WhatsApp +61 430 436 531
The Clinic
We opened at 11/3 Bromham Place in 2013 because we wanted to build the clinic we'd actually want to go to ourselves. The research backs it up — environmental factors genuinely affect patient comfort and treatment outcomes. So we didn't design a waiting room. We designed a space.
Three levels. Spacious treatment rooms with natural light, industrial windows, and the kind of carefully chosen playlists you'd expect from a Richmond warehouse, not a healthcare facility. A handcrafted reclaimed wood reception table. Fresh coffee. A fully fitted 80sqm rehabilitation gym downstairs.
"People have flown in from Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, France, Mexico. Not because we're the most convenient option — but because feeling genuinely looked after is worth travelling for."Alex Drew — Founder, Evolutio Sports Physio Richmond, Est. 2013
After Your Appointment
Recovery doesn't stop when you leave the clinic. Here's what we do to support you in between appointments.
Within 48 hours of each session you receive a detailed email covering what we worked on, clinical findings, your updated diagnosis, home exercise program with video demonstrations, activity modifications, and realistic progress expectations.
No generic exercise sheets. Specific programs based on your injury, your sport, your lifestyle, and your goals — with video demonstrations you can follow at home or in the gym. Programs are updated each session as you progress.
Questions come up between appointments. Members have direct WhatsApp access to their physiotherapist during business hours. For all patients, email is monitored regularly and we respond promptly.
Each session includes reassessment of your progress against the goals we set together. We adjust the plan based on how you're responding — not based on a fixed number of sessions decided at the start. If you're progressing faster, we tell you. If something isn't working, we change it.
Recovery is the start, not the finish. We provide strategies to prevent the same injury recurring, advice on training load management, and sport-specific movement recommendations so you leave us stronger and more resilient than you arrived.
Not just "pain-free" — objectively ready. We use functional testing, strength assessments, and sport-specific loading tests before clearing any patient for return to full activity. See our clinical outcomes data for recovery rates by condition.
FAQ
Everything you want to know before your first appointment. Click to expand.
Full FAQ page45 minutes. This is longer than the Melbourne industry standard of 30 minutes, and intentionally so. Rushing through an initial assessment means missed information and generic treatment plans. We take the time to understand your situation properly — which is why our outcomes are better. We recommend arriving 10 minutes early for any remaining paperwork.
Yes. We don't run assessment-only first sessions. You'll receive hands-on treatment during your initial appointment — after the assessment and explanation phases, we use the remaining time to begin your recovery. You'll also leave with a home exercise program. This approach aligns with Australian Physiotherapy Association best practice for early intervention.
Yes — every time. We don't hand patients between practitioners. The physiotherapist you see at your first appointment is the same person you'll see throughout your recovery. They know your history, your goals, how you've responded to previous sessions. Continuity of care produces better outcomes, and it's how every good patient relationship should work.
No referral needed for standard physiotherapy — book directly online or call us. A GP referral is required if you're claiming through Medicare EPC plans, WorkCover, or TAC. If you're not sure which applies to you, call us on 03 9100 3798 and we'll sort it out.
Completely normal. A lot of people haven't seen a physio before, or have had bad experiences elsewhere. The whole design of our space and our approach is built around making people feel comfortable — not like they're in a medical facility. If you have specific concerns or anxieties, mention them when you book online and your physio will know to address them at the start of the session.
We'll give you an honest estimate at your first session based on your condition. Acute problems often resolve in 2–4 sessions. Chronic or complex conditions typically require 6–12 sessions over several weeks to months. Post-surgical cases vary significantly by procedure. What we won't do is keep you coming back beyond what's clinically necessary — our goal is to fix the problem and give you the tools to maintain your own health.
Almost always yes, with smart modifications. Complete rest is rarely the right approach for most musculoskeletal conditions. We design modified training programs that maintain your fitness while protecting the injured structure. For runners, cyclists, and CrossFit athletes especially, we work with your existing schedule rather than asking you to stop everything.
We tell you straight away. If your assessment reveals something that requires imaging, specialist referral, or surgical consultation, we say so clearly and refer you appropriately. We work with Melbourne's leading sports medicine physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, and imaging providers. Our clinical network means you get the right person quickly — not a runaround. See our healthcare partnerships page.
Ready When You Are
Book online in under a minute. No referral needed. Same-week appointments available at our Richmond clinic.