What is Physical Therapy?
Physical Therapy is the assessment of an impairment preventing an individual from living their fullest life, obtained through hands on, personalized one-on-one care, utilizing best evidence-based practice. Broadly, physical therapy’s role is to restore, maintain, and promote optimal physical functioning of one’s body through modalities best suited for each individual.
What to expect in the first session?
The first session is the evaluation session. To start, new client paperwork will be reviewed. A discussion regarding general subjective information will then be obtained. Next, a series of tests and measures will be performed based off clinical assessment (joint motion, muscle strength, movement patterns, adverse conditions, etc.). Another discussion will then occur describing the areas of potential attention based of results from assessments. Lastly, an individualized exercise and PT follow-up plan of care will be established, and any remaining questions will be fielded.
What to expect in subsequent sessions?
Any follow-up sessions will have a similar format to the initial session. Each session will begin with a discussion gathering subjective information based off the To-Do items from prior session. Next, any necessary assessment items will be completed. Once assessment is done, review, integration, or progression of exercises will be performed. At the end, a plan for next steps is determined. Lastly, a closing discussion will take place to ensure all questions and concerns are fielded.
How should I dress for physical therapy?
The most important piece to effective physical therapy is that you are comfortable. Wear to your session whatever items of clothing you are most comfortable in. It is important to note, in order for certain assessments to be properly obtained, a removal or movement of piece of clothing may need to occur. I as the physical therapist, will ask your permission before any such movement or removal of clothing is necessitated to ensure comfortability.
How long do I need to go to physical therapy?
The duration of physical therapy is not a set time, multiple factors play in. In general, if a minor tissue injury has occurred (example mild ankle sprain) it is expected 3 weeks* minimum. Tendon/ligament injuries whether surgical or non-surgical often 12-16 weeks*. Bone fractures 6-8 weeks*, with potential need for continuation due to other tissue involvement. Frequency on a week by week basis is formulated through assessment and discussion with each client, and therefore will be different for each person, even if people have the same injury.
*These are broad timelines based off the time needed for the various tissue types to complete their physiological healing, individual health will create variance on a case by case basis.
Does insurance cover physical therapy?
Most commercial insurance plans cover physical therapy to a certain degree. The frequency and cost to you per year are dependent upon your specific plan. To understand your specific plan coverages login or call your insurance provider to learn details.
What can I expect to pay for physical therapy?
Call or go to your insurance provider website to learn what your expected charges will be. Some insurance plans have out-of-network benefits and can be utilized for physical therapy provided by Coast 2 Coast Wellness. It is recommended to call your provider and ask what items are needed for a “physical therapy superbill” and what is your out-of-network deductible. Coast 2 Coast Wellness has flat rates for all services which can be found here. For discounts, follow Coast 2 Coast Wellness on Instagram and learn about discounts when they arise.
Do I need to see a doctor before I go to a physical therapist?
In the state of Colorado, no. Colorado is an unrestricted direct access state. This means there is no restrictions before seeking care from a physical therapist. Some insurance plans require a physical therapy plan of care to be signed by a physician within a certain timeframe, but in Colorado it doesn’t prevent you from getting immediate care from a physical therapist.
What diagnoses does a physical therapist treat?
Orthopedic, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, neurological, progressive, and integumentary diagnoses are all within scope of a physical therapist to treat depending upon their work setting and knowledge/training.
I personally have experience working with sports injuries (commonly musculoskeletal and orthopedic), integumentary, cardiopulmonary, and neurological injuries. This wide array of experience is due to my history of working in sports out-patient clinics and in-patient clinics (people recently out of the hospital). This experience allows you to trust in my knowledge to correctly treat you whether it be a singular ankle sprain, a sprain with a known autoimmune disorder, or a more complex sprain with wound involvement.
What injuries can a physical therapist rehabilitate?
You name it, a physical therapist can help you rehab from it. Torn muscles, ankle sprains, ligament tears, post-operative injuries, fractures, wounds, burns, scars, vertigo, dizziness, headache, golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, runner’s knee, IT band syndrome, tendinitis, carpal tunnel, frozen shoulder, shoulder impingement, rotator cuff tear, stroke, heart attack, etc.
When should I go to see a physical therapist?
In Colorado you can walk in off the street and see a physical therapist, this is called unrestricted direct access. If immediate concern of severe injury always call 911 and get emergency care. If not a severe injury, a general guideline (not medical advice) is to give yourself 48-72hrs to see if the issue goes away or begins to resolve. After the 72hrs, and if not seeming to improve, a physical therapist can assess and determine appropriate course of action for you. There is no harm in seeking a physical therapist before or after the 48-72hr timeline, hence the guideline.
Click here to learn about Coast 2 Coast Wellness’s Physical Therapy Services.
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