Rehabilitation and physiotherapy abroad

Physiotherapy uses exercise, massage and other techniques. It is used for a wide range of problems, including bone, joint and muscle problems, problems moving after a stroke, heart and circulation problems and difficulty breathing, and it is often used after surgery. In manual therapy, the therapist treats the affected part of the body with their hands, using massage and gentle movement of the joints.

On Medbook's list, physiotherapy and rehab programmes are one procedure; neurological and stroke rehabilitation is another, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation a third. Chiropractic and manual therapy, as well as acupuncture and pain-relief therapy, complete the area. You can choose rehabilitation on its own or together with a treatment from another area, such as joint replacement or spine surgery. If you are not sure which programme you need, choose "Not sure yet" under rehabilitation and physiotherapy when you describe your case. The clinic looks at the details of your case before it makes you an offer.

Turkey offers every procedure in this area, in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Adana, Bodrum, Bursa, Eskişehir and Kayseri. Two of them, neurological and stroke rehabilitation and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, are offered through Medbook only there. Every service on Medbook's list is arranged in Turkey, including an interpreter and visa support.

Lithuania offers physiotherapy and rehab programmes, in Kaunas. Transfers, accommodation, a personal coordinator, an online consultation before you travel and aftercare are arranged for you there. South Korea offers chiropractic and manual therapy as well as acupuncture and pain-relief therapy in Seoul, Busan and Incheon, where accommodation and an online consultation before you travel are arranged.

You do not have to choose a city first. Each offer shows where your treatment takes place, so you can compare places as well as dates. Wherever you go, once you confirm an offer, your roadmap lets you book flights and transfers yourself or ask Medbook to arrange them.

Gather the records that explain why you need rehabilitation: discharge letters and operation notes if you have had surgery, letters from your doctor or physiotherapist, recent scans with their written reports, and notes on the therapy and exercises you have had so far. Write down the medications you take and any allergies. The assistant asks about chronic conditions, allergies and medications when you describe your case.

Physiotherapy is given in sessions, and the physiotherapist advises on how many you may need, so the length of your stay matters. When the assistant asks how many days you can spend abroad, choose the option that really fits your plans. An online consultation before you travel is arranged in all three countries. Questions worth asking during the consultation:

• How many sessions does the programme include, and how many a day?
• How long should I plan to stay?
• Is the accommodation suitable if I move with difficulty, and should someone travel with me?
• Which exercises can I continue once I am home?

When you compare offers, look at the dates and the length of the stay.