We hope that the answers to these common questions will help you understand more about what we do. Please call us at 720-870-8900 if you need further answers about physical therapy or our practice. Click on the links below to go directly to a question.
What is physical therapy?
Is physical therapy like massage therapy or chiropractic care?
Do I need a prescription to get physical therapy?
My doctor is suggesting surgery. Should I try physical therapy first?
Is an insurance referral any different from a physician's referral?
What should I expect during my first visit?
Should I bring a medications list?
Should I take pain medication before I come?
What kinds of tests will be performed?
What should I wear?
How long will my appointment be?
Will my therapist talk to my doctor?
Will my insurance pay for physical therapy?
After I have an evaluation, what will my treatment consist of?
How do I know physical therapy can help me?
What is physical therapy?
It consists of scientific physical procedures used in the treatment of patients with a disability, disease, or injury, to achieve and maintain functional rehabilitation and to prevent malfunction or deformity. Treatments are designed to minimize residual physical disability, and to contribute to the patients comfort and well-being. Physical therapy is prescribed for patients with varied orthopedic, neurological, vascular, and respiratory conditions, which may be the result of congenital malfunction, disability acquired through disease or trauma, or inherited dysfunction.
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Is physical therapy like massage therapy or chiropractic care?
We all address the many different tissues in the body that may be contributing to your pain or dysfunction, but we may apply different techniques to accomplish our goals. For example, a physical therapist may opt not to manipulate the spine, but instead might use small muscle contractions by the patient to achieve the same results. We also involve active exercises as part of virtually every program, encouraging your body to help take care of the problem as it was designed to do.
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Do I need a prescription to get physical therapy?
Some insurance plans require you to have a signed prescription from your doctor. We would be more than happy to check with your insurance carrier or company for you.
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My doctor is suggesting surgery. Should I try physical
therapy first?
A doctor may refer a patient for physical therapy before opting for surgery. A conservative approach with physical therapy in most cases is a good idea prior to surgery. The physical therapy referral is also made when the patient has had a high number of treatments by other types of providers and continues to have complaints.
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Is an insurance referral any different from a physician's referral?
Yes. An insurance referral is usually obtained through the referrals coordinator in your doctor's office, who gets an authorization for treatment from your insurance company. In a physician's referral, the authorization comes directly from your physician to us.
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What should I expect during my first visit?
Your first visit will be mostly information gathering with the physical therapist, as we review your answers to our questionnaire, as well as testing you for things like range of motion, strength, numbness and tenderness to touch. You will need to wear comfortable clothing so that you can move easily and so that the area we will be looking at is easy to get to. Your therapist will move slowly the first session, depending on your pain levels and tolerance to movement. If your tolerance is higher and the therapist believes it would be helpful, you may move along quickly the first session. Either way, treatment goals and the plan will be discussed and agreed upon between you and your therapist.
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Should I bring a medications list?
It is helpful to us to know what medication you are taking. This should include any natural or herbal supplements. If you are on a lot of medications, it is always a good idea to keep a current list with the dosages in your wallet anyway. Tuck it in behind your license for easy access for emergency personnel if you are in an accident.
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Should I take pain medication before I come?
If you are concerned about your pain, and it is time for your normal dosage before coming to physical therapy, then by all means use your medication. We will encourage you to use your medications especially the first day or so following the initial evaluation, just because we may be stirring up symptoms during the evaluation.
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What kinds of tests will be performed?
Your physical therapist will test for things like range of motion, strength, numbness and tenderness to touch. We may perform more specific testing for your diagnosis, such as ligament testing for the knee or ankle, or motion testing for the spine, for example.
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What should I wear?
Wear comfortable clothing. You may be asked to perform some exercises, and the therapist may need to move you around during testing and treatment. For example, bring shorts if you are coming in for work on your knee.
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How long will my appointment be?
Plan on your appointments lasting one hour. It would be helpful to have your appointment hour used for the exam and treatment only, so please arrive early to fill out your paperwork . Or you may print out our patient questionnaire, which is posted here on our web site, fill it out, and bring it to your first appointment or email it to the office, to save time.
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Will my therapist talk to my doctor?
The physical therapist sends notes to your doctor including initial evaluations and progress notes, usually every 4 weeks, or earlier if you are going to see your doctor sooner. On occasion the therapist will call and discuss your treatment with your doctor.
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Will my insurance pay for physical therapy?
Most insurance providers do cover physical therapy; you still may be responsible for co-pays, co-insurance, deductible and etc. We always call and verify physical therapy benefits with your insurance company prior to your first visit. Since you are ultimately responsible for you bill, we highly encourage you to call your insurance company as well.
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After I have an evaluation, what will my treatment consist of?
Every patient has different needs but some common treatments may include:
Manual therapy
Therapeutic exercises
Ultrasound or a type of electrical stimulation to decrease pain
and inflammation
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How do I know physical therapy can help me?
As with any type of treatment, physical therapy may or may not be helpful in treating your particular problem. It may take a few visits to experience significant improvement from treatment. If your therapist does not feel physical therapy will be helpful, she will discuss this when covering treatment goals during your initial evaluation. In general, most patients can benefit greatly from physical therapy.
More questions? Don't hesitate to call or e-mail us!
720-870-8900
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