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About the Process:
People come to physical therapy for a variety of reasons. Some clients may have been in a recent accident while others have been dealing with gradual increases in pain that have made meeting the demands of daily life increasingly difficult. Others have had surgery and have been prescribed physical therapy to complete and optimize their treatment. No matter how you arrived at this point you are most likely a bit worried, tired of being in pain, and wondering what the future holds in store.
We have created this information page to help you better understand what you will be encountering during your course of physical therapy.
What Am I Getting In To?
Physical therapy is a process that has a beginning, middle, and an end. On your first day you will receive a thorough evaluation with the goal of identifying all the structures responsible for pain. This may include any combination of muscle, ligaments, tendon, joint, nerve, or vascular dysfunction. So don't be surprised if your therapist checks your feet when you have pain in your neck!
Based on the results of the evaluation your therapist will give you a physical therapy diagnosis and will recommend how many times a week (frequency) you will need to be seen and for how many weeks (duration). At this time you and your therapist will also determine what the appropriate goals are for treatment. Very severe cases may require up to three times per week for 6 -8 weeks. Most cases only require one to two times per week for 4 -6 weeks.
Although each person and their problems are unique physical therapists will follow a similar course of action for all patients. Our first priority is to minimize pain, followed by correcting the dysfunction(s), and finally strengthening and stabilizing the involved body part(s). On any given day you may expect to participate in several treatment modalities that may include any combination of body work, therapeutic exercise, and/or thermogenic or electrical modalities.
Periodically your therapist will perform a re-evaluation to determine what progress has been made toward meeting your goals. As long as progress is being made (based on your reports of improvement and your therapist's examination) your therapy will continue until your goals are met. If progress is no longer being made your physical therapist will terminate treatments and refer you back to your physician for further examination.
It is important to remember that physical therapy alone may not be the entire solution to your problem. This is why physical therapists maintain good communication with your physician. Your therapist may even recommend to you and your physician that other professionals be involved in the course of treatment including medical specialists, chiropractors, nutritionists, and psychologists to meet your therapeutic goals.
Throughout your course of treatment you should expect to have days where your pain is worse and others where pain has diminished. As therapy continues, however, you should begin to experience more and more "good" days and less "bad" days. As you improve your therapist most likely will decrease the frequency and/or the daily duration of treatment. Little by little you will begin to feel less pain and increasingly stronger. When you have reached your goals your therapist will perform one final evaluation and provide you with final instruction for maintaining your new level of wellness!
How Do I Pay For All This?
Physical therapy is a very economical and conservative form of medical treatment and diagnostics. Many physicians and chiropractors today will prescribe a short course of physical therapy even before an M.R.I. or surgery is considered. Still, a course of out-patient treatment can end up costing a minimum of one to two thousand dollars.
Thankfully most insurance companies provide benefits for physical therapy. However, not all costs are typically covered. It is of utmost importance that you are familiar with the personal financial responsibilities associated with your policy.
At INVIVO, before starting any physical therapy program, we will check on your insurance benefits and we will explain them to you at your first visit. Be aware that all insurance companies stipulate that "explanation of benefits is not a guarantee of payment". It is for this reason that we suggest that you also check with your insurance company prior to starting physical therapy. Remember: you are ultimately responsible for all medical charges you incur whether you have insurance or not!
If you do not have insurance please inquire about our cash program and payment plan options.
How Do I Make the Most of My Treatment?
For physical therapy to be effective it requires that you participate in a number of ways. The following are guidelines to remember that will help you and your therapist meet your goals.
1. Show up - this may seem obvious but at some times life gets complicated and people tend to place themselves very low on their list of priorities. However, physical therapy works by building on to each and every treatment. When treatment is interrupted the potential for good outcomes decreases. We encourage you to think carefully about the decision to begin physical therapy if you do not feel you can commit the time. People who have excessive cancellations and/or no-show's will be discharged from therapy and/or charged a fee.
2. Do your homework - often the problem that you are being treated for is made worse by little things you do every day. Rarely are patients seen every day in out-patient physical therapy. This is why your physical therapist will give you a "home program" of activities and instructions that you are expected to perform on the days you do not have therapy. The goal of the home program is to maximize the gains that are made during treatment and minimize the negative daily effects.
3. Participate - Your involvement during physical therapy sessions is equally important. Unlike a surgical procedure physical therapy requires that you participate fully and consciously during your treatment. Often this simply means paying attention to your therapist's instructions, communicate with your therapist about what you are experiencing, ask questions, exhibit a positive attitude, and most importantly, do your best.
4. Learn from your experience - Many physical dysfunctions are a result of what we call "poor body awareness". Indeed we as humans tend to be much more productive if we do not have to pay attention to every little aspect of our body’s functions. However, not having sufficient awareness can lead to continued dysfunctions and continued pain. By increasing your awareness of how your body "communicates" to you, for example through pain or increased efficiency of movement, you will be able to optimize your physical therapy goals. |
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