The treatment you receive in physical therapy will depend upon what the therapist finds in the evaluation. Our treatment programs are mechanically oriented with a non-dependent therapeutic approach. Our facilities emphasisize mobilization, self-treatment, and therapeutic exercise to go right to the structure and resolve the problem. We do not stress "feel good" modalities, such as massage, ultrasound, heat, electrical stimulation, etc., which do little to address the underlying pathology and can cause patient dependence. We do utilize modalities as needed to assist us with anti-inflammatory effects, etc.

On your first visit, your physical/occupational/speech therapist will perform an evaluation to determine what deficits and/or problems you have that can be addressed in therapy. The evaluation involves a thorough history, objective testing and measuring, following which your therapist will form an opinion as to the specific problems you present with. A treatment program will be developed, aimed at resolving the problems identified, as well as to attain the goals set by the therapist in conjuction with the patient.

Treatment time will vary according to what the physical/occupational/speech therapist finds in the evaluation. There is no specific time limit for therapy. Whatever is found to be appropriate during the evaluation will become part of the patient's program and the program will be updated as appropriate as the patient improves. In general, therapy treatments last anywhere from 1/2 hour to 1 hour with somewhat longer time being necessary for this first visit because of the evaluation.

Because your physical/occupational/speech therapist will perform a meticulous evaluation, quantifying and qualifying all the deficits and problems you are presenting with, re-evaluation and re-measurement to determine progress are possible. You will be re-evaluated on a periodic basis, the frequency of which will depend upon your diagnosis as well as the chronicity of the problem.

In general, patients are re-evaluated anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. Additionally, the therapist always needs to be aware of follow-up visits with your physician as a re-evaluation will be performed so that the physician can be updated at that time.

The therapist will communicate with your physician most commonly by written report. The therapist will send a complete written report outlining the findings of the initial evaluation as well as the assessment of the problem and an outline of the general treatment and frequency with which you will be seen. The therapist will continue to update your physician with written reports each time you are re-evaluated and most specifically prior to your return to the physician. This is why it is so important that you let your therapist know if you have an appointment with your physician.

Additionally, the therapist will, as they feel appropriate, contact the physician by phone if they have a specific concern or question. At the end of your treatment, the therapist will send a follow-up report to your physician with final information as to your status at the time of discharge from therapy.

The goal at our facilities is to resolve your problem completely so you do not require continual follow-up or maintenance care. There are some patients who do require follow-up care or re-assessment on a periodic basis, but that will be discussed with you once you are in physical therapy or at discharge.

If you have a recurrent problem after your discharge from physical therapy, how/if you will return to physical therapy will depend on a number of factors. It would depend if it was a re-injury of the same specific problem, how long it has been since you were last in physical therapy, how long it's been since you saw the physician, and many other factors.

In general, if you are discharged from physical therapy and feel the need to return, you should contact the physical therapist who treated you. They will review your chart and call back to discuss with you what should be done, depending on the problem you are having.

In general, starting physical therapy should be done as early as possible. Initiating physical therapy early on will reduce the overall treatment time you will require by not allowing the problem to become chronic. If you are in pain and or you are in an acute state, your program will be modified according to your signs and symptoms. What is done for you in physical therapy depends on the clinical stage you are presenting in, not just the diagnosis. Therefore, your care will be modified according to the signs and symptoms during the acute, subacute, and chronic phases of your problem.

Absolutely. If you have a problem that you think can be helped with physical therapy, feel free to give us a call. After discussing with you the specific problem you present with, we can give you a better idea if it is something that is treatable with physical therapy. You can also give your doctor a call. If he/she is not sure, he/she is welcome to contact us as well. In today's healthcare, if you feel physical therapy can be helpful to you, you will need to stress your feelings to the doctor you are seeing.

Because of today's health care and the wide variety of plans available, although most insurance companies do cover physical therapy, what they specifically cover varies greatly. Please review our billing and insurance participation section on this web site and if you have additional questions regarding your specific insurance, give us a call.

If your physician gives you a referral to physical therapy, simply call our office for an appointment. Our clinic hours and locations are explained on the Locations page of this website. Our office staff will get all the necessary information from you and assist you with an appointment.

In general, wear comfortable clothing to physical therapy. If you are presenting with a problem of your cervical spine, upper back or shoulders, the therapist can provide you with a gown as needed to expose these areas for treatment. If you are coming for a lower extremity problem, shorts are important. You can bring whatever you like to wear with you if you need to change here.

For your first visit, you will need your insurance card, your physician's prescription, and any paperwork that was sent to you that needed to be filled out. If you have any operative reports, MRI or X-ray results, you may bring those as well, but they are not necessary. Additionally, if you are utilizing any type of brace, splint, or crutches, those should come with you.

If you have increased symptoms, please call your physical therapist. When you call the office, please be sure you explain to the office staff that you are having an increase in symptoms. The office staff will pull your chart and contact your therapist or a covering physical therapist. They will be able to review the information and will give you a call back that same day. After we discuss the case with you, we will be able to give you guidelines as to what would be appropriate to reduce your symptoms, whether you need to come into the office, or if you should contact or follow-up with your physician.

It is best to call us prior to calling your physician because if a change in symptoms has occurred, it is important that we fax the physician a report so that he can be up to date on your care when you see him/her for a follow-up visit.

Oftentimes, your physician will give you a recommendation or a listing of physical therapists in your area. Sometimes your insurance company will guide you with regard to who is "in network" for your insurance plan. Ultimately, however, the decision as to where you receive your care is up to you. If you have a specific request, you need to let your physician or insurance company know. If we are not in-network for your insurance company, most plans have out-of-network benefits which will allow you your choice in physical therapy. Please see our insurance section for more specific information on which insurance plans we are able to see.

In physical therapy, the goals should be to resolve your problem, not just temporarily relieve it. Although medication and other forms of treatment can be helpful in relieving symptoms, physical therapy produces a long term result. Depending on your diagnosis, the physician may opt to utilize medication in conjunction with physical therapy. Additionally, unlike some other forms of treatment, physical therapy is not designed to go on as a maintenance program. Because we look to resolution, maintenance is not generally necessary.

We ask that our patients:

Give 24 hours notice when possible for cancellations. All of our facilities utilize answering machines or services after hours of operation.

Call if you have a question or a concern or if you will be late. We will do our best to fit you in, but need to know in advance for consideration of other patients.

Be on time.

Notify your physical therapist at least one week prior to returning to your physician. The therapist must have this date in order to properly schedule a re-evaluation for you to update your physician on your progress.

Schedule appointments in advance and have the proper number of visits scheduled. If you don't schedule your appointments in advance, it will be more difficult to give you the times that you desire.

You are our partner in your recovery. Your physical therapist cannot do it without you! We ask that all patients cooperate by following through with their home exercise programs and instructions as this is extremely important in expediting your recovery.

Because of our expertise! Our facilities are widely regarded as leading experts in physical therapy. Physicians regularly send their own office staff and family members to our facilities. We are dedicated to resolving your problems in an environment that is welcoming and relaxed. Patients receive personalized care. Feel free to give us a call or stop in at any of our facilities' and speak to a therapist.