Many people delay physiotherapy until pain becomes severe, when starting earlier — even for mild, persistent discomfort — often leads to faster and more complete recovery. A first physiotherapy session typically includes a movement assessment, discussion of pain history, and identification of any underlying imbalances contributing to the issue, rather than jumping straight into treatment. Treatment plans usually combine hands-on therapy with a home exercise programme, and consistency with that home programme between sessions often matters more for recovery speed than the in-clinic sessions themselves. Ask a physiotherapist directly about expected timelines for improvement, since a realistic recovery estimate helps set expectations and flags early if progress is slower than it should be. For sports-related injuries specifically, ask about their experience with your particular activity, since return-to-play protocols differ meaningfully between, for example, a runner's injury and a weightlifter's. Post-surgical physiotherapy deserves particular attention to timing, since starting too early or too late relative to a surgeon's guidance can affect the entire recovery trajectory.