Published 14 Sept 2026
New GMHBA research reveals a disconnect between Australians’ trust in physiotherapists and their behaviour during recovery, with many stopping treatment once symptoms improve.
Ghosting isn't just happening on dating apps, with one in three survey respondentsi admitting they've “ghosted” their physiotherapist, stopping treatment without telling their physio they won't be returning.
The new research commissioned by GMHBA Health Insurance revealed a disconnect between who Australians trust for advice about injury recovery and how they behave during rehabilitation.
While 67% of those surveyed say physiotherapists are the source they trust most for advice about injury recovery and physical rehabilitation, almost one in five (19%) who were recommended a treatment plan involving multiple appointments stopped attending before completing it.
While the cost of appointments was the leading reason for stopping treatment early (24%), around one in five respondents (21%) said they stopped because they felt better or believed they no longer needed treatment. However, feeling better does not always mean recovery is complete.
Among those who stopped physiotherapy before completing their recommended treatment:
- 36% said their symptoms had improved but had not completely resolved
- 31% said they had made a full recovery
- 15% said their symptoms had stayed the same
Rather than returning to their physiotherapist, respondents took a variety of paths. More than a third (38%) returned to exercise or sport, while many also turned to online sources for information, including Google (29%), AI chatbots such as ChatGPT (24%), and YouTube videos (20%).
The findings suggest that while Australians continue to place strong trust in qualified physiotherapists, there is a growing gap between where people seek health information and how they manage their recovery.
GMHBA Physiotherapy Manager Will Green, who spent a decade working as a physiotherapist with the West Coast Eagles, including with the club's 2018 AFL Premiership team, said one of the biggest mistakes people can make is assuming that less pain means they're fully recovered.
“For many injuries and conditions, feeling less pain is only one stage of recovery,” Mr Green said.
“Rehabilitation is often about rebuilding strength, mobility, function and resilience so problems don't come back later.
“It's understandable that people get busy, lose motivation or think they're fully recovered once their symptoms improve. But stopping rehabilitation too early can mean missing the final stages of recovery.”
Mr Green said the same principle applies whether someone is recovering from an injury in elite sport or an everyday injury.
“In elite sport, there’s a big difference between an athlete saying they feel good and knowing they're physically ready to return,” he said.
“The same principle applies to everyday injuries. You might feel better, but there can still be strength, movement or conditioning to rebuild before you're ready to return to everything you were doing before.”
While AI tools and online resources can provide general health information, Mr Green said they couldn't replace an individual assessment by a qualified health professional.
“AI tools can be useful for general information, but they can't assess how you're moving, understand your medical history or adapt treatment based on how your recovery is progressing,” he said.
The research highlights the importance of patients talking to their healthcare professional before deciding their treatment is complete, particularly when a rehabilitation plan involves multiple appointments.
