FAQs

You can book in three ways:

• Online via our booking page — choose your service, then select a specific clinician if you have one in mind.
• By phone on (03) 9882 2020 — our reception team can often offer times that aren’t visible online.
• By email at [email protected] if you’d prefer.

If you’re booking with Prof Christian Barton and can’t find a suitable time, you can also use the appointment request form on his profile page.

Most patients can be seen same-day or within a few days, depending on the clinician and time of day. We hold appointments across our extended hours, including early mornings, evenings, and Saturday mornings.

Some of our clinicians book further in advance:

• Prof Christian Barton and Dr Mark Scholes (our PhD-level physiotherapists) typically have longer lead times.
• Tim Trevail (Clinical Myotherapy) is also in high demand and best booked in advance.

If you can’t find a suitable time online, please call reception on (03) 9882 2020 — additional times may be available that aren’t listed.

We’re open extended hours to fit around work and family commitments:

• Monday: 8am – 8pm
• Tuesday: 8am – 9pm
• Wednesday: 8am – 9pm
• Thursday: 8am – 9pm
• Friday: 8am – 6pm
• Saturday: 8am – 1pm
• Sunday: Closed

Our location at 656 Bridge Road, Richmond is easy to access by tram, train or car. See parking and transport details.

For most patients, no referral is required. You can book directly with us as a self-funded patient or claim through your private health insurance.

A GP referral is required if you plan to claim through:

• Medicare (Chronic Disease Management Plan, formerly EPC) — see our Medicare page for what to bring.

We also accept patients covered under the following insurance schemes, but note there may be out of pocket costs associated:

• WorkCover — see our WorkCover page.
• TAC — see our TAC page.
• DVA — please bring your DVA card and any referral paperwork.

If you’re unsure which path applies to you, our reception team can help. Call (03) 9882 2020.

We’re at 656 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC 3121 — a modern ground-floor clinic with six treatment rooms, a dedicated rehab gym and Pilates space.

Parking

• Bridge Road — 1-hour parking outside the clinic after 9am
• Yarra Boulevard — 2-hour parking on both sides
• River Street — all-day parking, both sides
• Burwood Road — all-day parking after 9am

Public transport

• Trams 48 and 75 stop directly out the front
• Hawthorn Station is a 1km walk, or tram 75 toward the city stops at our door

For full details and a map, see our parking and transport page, or get directions via Google Maps.

Our fees vary by service and clinician. Current pricing:

Physiotherapy

• Physiotherapist (Molly Roper): Initial (45 min) $175 · Follow-up (30 min) $134
• Senior Physiotherapist, postgraduate training (Emma Draffin, Josie Pepper, David Thwaites, Indi Franke): Initial (45 min) $185 · Follow-up (30 min) $145
• Consultant Physiotherapist, PhD (Christian Barton, Mark Scholes): Initial (60 min) $310 · Follow-up (30 min) $175
• Shockwave Therapy: $75 per session

Myotherapy (Tim Trevail)

• Initial: $185 · Standard follow-up: $145 · Short follow-up: $115

Exercise Rehab and Pilates

• Initial assessment: $169 · Casual class (1:4): $64 · 10-class pack: $580

For full pricing, see our fees page.

Payment is required on the day. We accept EFTPOS, credit card, and cash. HICAPS is available for on-the-spot private health and Medicare claims, so you only pay the gap.

Our pricing reflects the experience and qualifications of each clinician. Importantly, most physiotherapists on our team hold post-graduate qualifications — typically Masters in Sports or Musculoskeletal physiotherapy. This is not the case at most other physiotherapy clinics.

On average, our clinicians have 12+ years of clinical experience, and our team has produced 250+ peer-reviewed research publications between us. We have consulted to 30+ professional sporting teams, including Chelsea FC, the Australian Diamonds, Athletics Australia, Richmond FC, Essendon FC, Melbourne FC and The Royal Ballet.

Two appointment tiers

Standard appointment (initial $169 / follow-up $129):
suits most patients with acute or recent musculoskeletal injuries, sports injuries, post-operative care, pregnancy or post-natal needs, and exercise-based rehab.

PhD-level appointment (initial $285 / follow-up $158):
longer 60-minute initial consult with Prof Christian Barton or Dr Mark Scholes. Best suited to:

• Complex, persistent or recurring injuries that haven’t responded to previous treatment
• Second opinions, including pre-surgical decision-making
• Post-surgical rehab where outcomes are not progressing as expected
• Conditions that benefit from advanced expertise — Christian for knee, tendinopathy, osteoarthritis and running injuries; Mark for hip and groin pain

If you’re not sure which tier suits your situation, contact reception and we can advise.

Yes, if you have extras cover that includes physiotherapy, myotherapy or osteopathy, you can claim a rebate.

We have HICAPS available on the day, so you can claim immediately and only pay the gap. Please bring your private health card to your appointment.

The rebate amount depends on your fund and level of cover. If you’d like to know exactly what you’ll pay out of pocket, contact your insurer before your appointment with the relevant item code (your fund will know the standard codes for an initial physio consult and a follow-up).

Yes. All our physiotherapists are registered to treat patients funded by WorkCover, TAC, DVA and Medicare. Our team is often consulted for second opinions on compensable claims where recovery has stalled.

How payment works

For WorkCover and TAC, we don’t bill the insurer directly. Full payment is required at the time of the appointment, billed at our usual rates, and you claim reimbursement from WorkCover or TAC after treatment. There may be a gap payment because compensable schemes don’t always cover our full consultation fee. Please provide your claim number when booking — our reception team will help with paperwork and treatment updates.

For Medicare CDM (formerly EPC) referrals, payment is required at the appointment and we lodge your Medicare claim on the spot via HICAPS. Bulk billing is not available. Up to 5 subsidised sessions per calendar year — please bring your GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangement.

More detail on each: WorkCover · TAC · Medicare.

Your first appointment is longer than at most clinics — 45 to 60 minutes — to give us time to properly assess and plan. Here’s what to expect:

• Detailed history
  your symptoms, how the injury started, what you’ve tried, your goals, and the activities you want to get back to.
• Physical examination movement, strength, joint mobility, and where appropriate, in-clinic ultrasound imaging to better understand your injury.
• Clear diagnosis
  your clinician will explain what’s going on, why recovery may have stalled, and what needs to change.
• Treatment plan
  a structured, evidence-based plan tailored to you. This may include exercise prescription, manual therapy, education and load management.
• Treatment usually starts on day one
  you’ll leave with practical steps, not just a referral for more visits.

For more detail on the experience, see Your First Visit.

• Initial physio consult: 45 minutes (60 minutes with Christian Barton or Mark Scholes)
• Standard follow-up: 30 minutes
• Extended follow-up: available where clinically indicated
• Myotherapy: initial 60 minutes, follow-ups 30 to 60 minutes
• Osteopathy: initial 45 or 60 minutes, follow-ups 30 or 60 minutes

Our consultations are deliberately longer than at many clinics. The extra time means we can assess thoroughly, deliver hands-on treatment and progress your exercise program in the same session.

Wear or bring loose, comfortable clothing that allows access to the area being assessed. For lower-limb injuries, shorts work well. For shoulder or upper-body assessments, a singlet or t-shirt is ideal. We have a private change room if you’d prefer to change at the clinic.

Please also bring:

• Any referral letters from your GP or specialist
• Scan reports (X-ray, MRI, CT, ultrasound)
• Your private health insurance card so we can process your claim on the spot via HICAPS
• Your Medicare card, WorkCover claim number or TAC claim number if applicable

It depends on your condition, how long it’s been going on, and your individual goals. Some patients see meaningful improvement in just a few sessions; others with persistent or post-surgical conditions may need a longer rehab program.

At your first appointment, your clinician will give you a realistic estimate — including what improvement to expect, how often you should be seen, and what you should be doing between sessions to stay on track.

Our approach prioritises active rehab and self-management, so you’re never reliant on us indefinitely. The goal is to give you the tools to manage your own recovery and stay well long-term.

Both treat musculoskeletal pain and improve how you move, but the approaches differ. Osteopathy takes a whole-body approach with a strong focus on hands-on manipulation and soft tissue techniques. Physiotherapy generally targets specific areas with a broader rehab focus, including exercise prescription, education and movement retraining.

At Complete, our physiotherapists and osteopath (Dr Alison Sim, Advanced Practice Osteopath in Pain) often work together — combining their approaches to give you the most comprehensive care. Alison particularly helps patients with chronic and complex pain, neck pain and back pain.

Learn more about our osteopathy service.

Yes, and it’s one of our most requested services. Our team is regularly consulted for second opinions by patients and other healthcare professionals when:

• Recovery isn’t progressing as expected
• You’ve been given conflicting advice
• You want clarity before proceeding with surgery
• You’d benefit from a multi-disciplinary review

With 250+ peer-reviewed publications between our team, 12+ years of clinical experience on average, and consulting experience with elite sport and Melbourne specialists, we bring a fresh, evidence-based perspective to complex cases.

Learn more on our second opinion page, or read why physiotherapy can help prevent surgery.

We treat the full range of musculoskeletal and sports injuries, with particular expertise in difficult or persistent conditions. Common conditions include:

• Knee pain, patellofemoral pain, ACL injuries
• Hip and groin pain
• Hamstring strains, tendinopathy
• Low back pain, shoulder pain
• Foot and ankle injuries, bone stress injuries
• Running injuries, cycling injuries, rowing injuries
• Pregnancy and post-natal pain

If your condition isn’t listed, we likely still treat it — get in touch and we’ll let you know. See our full conditions list.

Yes. James Ross is our embedded strength and conditioning coach – a Certified Trainer and ASCA Level 2 S&C Coach with double Masters in Exercise Science.

James works alongside our physiotherapy team to bridge the gap between rehab and performance. This is especially valuable if you’re recovering from injury and want to return to sport stronger than before, or if you’re looking for sport-specific training that’s informed by clinical context.

You can book directly with James – simply choose Strength & Conditioning when booking online, or call reception on (03) 9882 2020.

Yes, and we’ve been delivering telehealth physiotherapy since 2014, long before the pandemic made it common. Our team is world-leading in telehealth physiotherapy research, with Prof Christian Barton leading a telehealth research program at La Trobe University.

Telehealth works well for follow-up consultations, second opinions, exercise progression and group rehab classes. It’s particularly useful if you’re interstate, overseas, or struggling to make it to the clinic in person.

Learn more about our telehealth service, or read why telehealth is a viable option even after the pandemic.

Yes – we run classes every day Monday to Saturday, from early morning sessions to evening classes finishing at 8pm. Class types include:

• Clinical Pilates — physiotherapy-led classes using reformer, trapeze table, Wunder chair and barrel equipment
• Exercise Rehabilitation — supervised programs using our gym and equipment
• GLA:D® program — for hip and knee osteoarthritis, led by our team including national program co-lead Prof Christian Barton

All classes are kept small (maximum of three participants per physiotherapist) so you get genuine one-on-one attention while exercising alongside others.

Before joining a class, you’ll need an initial assessment with one of our physiotherapists. This ensures the program is tailored to you and matches your goals.

View the full timetable, fees and class types on our Clinical Pilates page or Exercise Rehabilitation page, and learn more about the GLA:D Program.

Both are physiotherapy-led group programs, but they have different focuses:

Exercise Rehabilitation is focused on treating injuries and restoring function through evidence-based exercise prescription by your physiotherapist. Programs typically use our gym equipment and address strength, mobility and movement patterns specific to your injury or goal.

Clinical Pilates emphasises core strength, posture, balance and flexibility, using specialised equipment including reformers, trapeze tables, Wunder chairs and barrels. We may use Clinical Pilates as a component of your rehabilitation, or as a progression once you’ve built foundational strength.

Your physiotherapist will recommend the best class type for you at your initial assessment.

Yes to all. Our team includes clinicians with specific expertise in:

• Children’s physiotherapy — sports injuries in adolescent athletes, growth-related conditions, and rehab for active kids
• Pregnancy-related pain — including pelvic girdle pain, low back pain and movement adjustments through pregnancy
• Post-natal physiotherapy — return-to-exercise guidance, abdominal recovery, pelvic floor rehab

Indi Franke holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Pelvic Floor Health, and several of our physiotherapists have specific expertise across these areas.

We ask for at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule. Cancellations within 24 hours of your appointment, or non-attendance, will incur the full consultation fee.

This policy is in place because our clinicians’ time is fully booked, and a late cancellation usually means another patient who needed that time couldn’t be seen. Giving us 24 hours’ notice means we can offer your slot to someone on our waiting list.

If you need to cancel or reschedule, please call reception on (03) 9882 2020. Full details on our cancellation policy.

Yes. Our clinic is ground-floor and wheelchair accessible, with a small ramp at the Bridge Road entrance. Treatment rooms and our gym are all on a single level — no stairs or lifts to navigate.

Prams are welcome. If you’re attending with mobility needs and want to discuss anything specific before your appointment, please call reception on (03) 9882 2020 — we’re happy to help.