Written by Daniel Arias Ruiz, Chartered Physiotherapist (MSc), HCPC registered
Last reviewed 20 October 2026 · 6 min read
Private home physiotherapy means a physiotherapist comes to you, assesses how you move around your own home and builds your treatment around the rooms and furniture you use every day and the daily tasks you are finding difficult. Here is who it is for, how it compares with going to a clinic, what a visit involves and how to get started.
Who is home physiotherapy for?
Our home physiotherapy service is for older adults who have noticed a decline in their balance, who are becoming unsteady, or who have had falls. It is also for people who have started to fear moving around in case they fall, and for older adults who find it hard to get to a clinic, or simply do not have the energy to travel there, do a physiotherapy session and travel back home.
It is also for people waiting for NHS physiotherapy who are worried they may deteriorate while they wait. You can still see the NHS physiotherapist when your turn comes, and we are happy to liaise with them. If it is needed, and with your consent, we can also write to your GP or NHS team.
It is for families too. You might be worried that your relative is finding it hard to get around the house or manage the stairs. You might have noticed they now hold onto the furniture to walk because their balance is not what it was. It is also for adult children who live away and would like someone to come in and check how their relative is managing on their feet around the home.
Physiotherapy at home or in a clinic?
If you are weighing up whether to have physiotherapy at home or in a clinic, there are a few benefits of home visits for falls prevention for you to consider before you decide.
1. No journey, no parking, no lift to arrange
If you or your relative are having falls, it can be linked to things like weaker muscles or finding it harder to walk around. That can also make getting to a clinic difficult. You might have trouble with transport, whether that is public transport, driving yourself or getting a lift. At home there is no journey at all, you start the session rested, and the energy you would have spent travelling goes into your physiotherapy instead.
2. We see how you actually get around
We can see how you move through your own home and which parts you find hardest, from the stairs to the route you take to the toilet at night. We then work out ways to make those tasks easier and build them into your sessions and the exercises you do as part of your treatment.
3. Exercises built around your own furniture
We base your balance and strength exercises around your own home, using the furniture you use every day, such as your bed, your chair or your kitchen worktop. The exercises fit the places you move around, and everything you need to practise is already there.
4. Hazards spotted where they are
Being in your home gives us the chance to look around and spot anything that could make a fall more likely, such as a loose rug, poor lighting on the stairs or a cluttered route, and to talk through simple changes with you on the spot.
5. Everyday tasks practised where you do them
Getting out of your own chair, managing your own stairs or reaching into your own cupboards are practised in the real place, not a clinic version of it, so what you practise is exactly what you do every day.
6. Family can join in
If you would like, a relative or carer can be there, see the exercises and learn how to help. That is much easier to arrange at home than around a clinic appointment.
7. The same physiotherapist every visit
You see Daniel each time, so you never have to explain your story again and your treatment carries on from where you left off.
What does a home physiotherapy visit involve?
It starts with a free 15 minute call (see how to get started below). If we both agree a home visit is the right next step, we will visit you at home at a time that suits you. All you need is comfortable clothes, the shoes you usually wear at home and, if possible, a list of your current medicines.
What happens during the falls risk assessment?
We talk through what has been happening. Then we assess how you move around your home, and check your strength, your balance and your walking. If you have stairs, we will see how you manage going up and down them and whether they feel safe for you.
It is really important that we see you in your own home, where you spend your daily life. We see your actual rooms, the steps and the routes you take around the house, including the route to the toilet at night, so the advice fits your home.
Your family can be there too, so they can see which exercises you are doing, encourage you and learn how to help.
You will have some exercises to start straight away. We explain what happens next below.
There is no charge for travelling to you, and you can see our current prices on our Home Visits page.
What happens after the assessment?
After your first physiotherapy assessment, we do three things.
First, we agree some goals with you. These come from what you tell us during the assessment, and we will let you know roughly how many sessions it is likely to take to reach them.
Second, we write a report of what we found. It includes any changes we recommend around your home, such as removing a rug or clearing things that could cause a fall. If it would help, and with your agreement, we will also refer you to other services or professionals who could support your care.
Third, we plan your treatment programme. Your physiotherapist comes to see you at home for an agreed number of sessions to do your exercises with you, and to practise the everyday activities you are finding hard while working out ways to make them easier.
How to get started
You can book a free 15 minute call to talk through whether our service is right for you. It is easy to do through our website: pick a time in our calendar that suits you, and we will call you then. A relative can book the call on someone's behalf and be there for the visits too. We visit homes anywhere in London.
We will not diagnose anything over the phone. That happens during the assessment. On the call, we listen to your concerns, find out what has been happening and why you think physiotherapy might help, and talk through your goals and what you are hoping for from physiotherapy.
Every recovery is different.
Wondering whether home physiotherapy is right for your relative?
A free 15 minute call with Daniel to talk through what is happening at home and whether a visit would help. No obligation, and a relative can book on someone's behalf.
Book your free 15 minute callPrefer email? hello@steadymotionclinical.co.uk. We reply within 2 working days.