Hi. 

Because of my sporting participation, I am very familiar with Physios. 

Today I came across something new. 

I have a thumb injury and my physio dipped my thumb in hot wax a few times to get a few layers, and then massaged it, and removed it. The pain was certainly a little less (though it's since returned), but I am trying to work out if the same exact thing could have been done with a bowl of hot water for 2-3 minutes and if this is some inventive way of charging ACC for 'specialist' treatment, or if there is some science behind it that I am failing to grasp?

As best I can tell the pain that was relieved was due to stiffness which the heat reduces.