Questions

Physical therapy is a medical, hands-on approach to relieving pain and restoring function. Physical therapists are medical experts in musculoskeletal and neurological conditions and work closely with physicians. Our physical therapists evaluate your movement patterns, identify the cause of your pain, and work to eliminate it.

While every patient’s condition and pain is unique, your physical therapist will use a variety of gentle hands on techniques, exercises and equipment to relieve pain quickly and restore your function to optimum levels. The overall goal is to restore pain-free mobility and function and to prevent the injury or pain from reoccurring.

One of the great benefits of physical therapy is that it makes use of non-invasive and drug free treatments to get to the root cause of your condition.

Working with you and your doctor, we can discuss your options and help determine if physical therapy will be the right choice for you. Contact us today to discuss your current condition and even set up a free consultation if you choose.

Please have your prescription and insurance card available when you call. This will allow us to verify your insurance benefits and provide you with an estimate of coverage.

To bring on your first visit:

• A referral (if needed) for physical therapy from your referring physician, CRNP, or PA.
• Insurance information (we will take a copy of your card).
• Fill out the patient forms  on our website then submit them before your appointment.
• In case of an automobile accident or worker’s compensation claim, also bring any case manager or insurance adjuster contact names, phone numbers and claim number.
• Please arrive 15 minutes early to complete any remaining paperwork, so you can maximize your time in your evaluation.
• Please wear comfortable clothing that allows easy access to your problem areas.

We accept cash, check, debit card, and credit card. We are happy to discuss payment plan options, as well.

Yes, in most cases it does. Our office will be happy to assist in contacting your insurance company and determining your coverage based on your individual policy. For more information, visit our insurance plan page and please do not hesitate to contact our office. We do offer different payment options for your convenience.

During your first visit you can expect the following:

• You will arrive at your appointment with your paperwork completed online – see the paperwork or forms link on our website.

Our front desk staff will go over all your paperwork as well as your insurance coverage. You will provide us with your referral for physical therapy if you have one. We will copy your insurance card and process any payment required by your insurance company.

• Our Physical Therapist will see you for your initial evaluation.
• The therapist will discuss the following:

• 1. • Your medical history.
     • Your current problems/complaints.
     • Pain intensity, what aggravates and eases the problem.
     • How this is impacting your daily activities or your functional limitations.
     • Your goals with physical therapy.
     • Medications, tests, and procedures related to your health.

• The therapist will then perform the objective evaluation which may include some of the following:

• 1. • Palpation – touching around the area of the pain/problem. This is done to check for the presence of tenderness, swelling, soft tissue integrity, tissue temperature, inflammation, etc.
     • Range of Motion (ROM) – the therapist will move the joint(s) to check for the quality of movement and any restrictions.
     • Muscle Testing – the therapist may check for strength and the quality of the muscle contraction. Pain and weakness may be noted. Often the muscle strength is graded. This is also part of a neurological screening.
     • Neurological Screening – the therapist may check to see how the nerves are communicating with the muscles, sensing touch, pain, vibration, or temperature. Reflexes may be assessed as well.
     • Special Tests – the therapist may perform special tests to confirm/rule out the presence of additional problems.
     • Posture Assessment – the positions of joints relative to ideal and each other may be assessed.

The therapist will then formulate a list of problems you are having, and how to treat those problems. A plan is subsequently developed with the patient’s input. This includes how many times you should see the therapist per week, how many weeks you will need therapy, home programs, patient education, short-term/long-term goals, and what is expected after discharge from therapy. This plan is created with input from you, your therapist, and your doctor.

Treatment sessions typically last 30 to 60 minutes per visit.

This is highly variable. You may need one visit or you may need months of care. It depends on your diagnosis, the severity of your impairments, your past medical history, etc. You will be re-evaluated on a monthly basis and when you see your doctor, we will provide you with a progress report with our recommendations.

Flare ups are not uncommon. If you have a flare up (exacerbation), give us a call. We may suggest you come back to see us for physical therapy or a massage, return to your doctor, or simply modify your daily activities or exercise routine.