What to Expect From Your First Physical Therapy Appointment
As Physical Therapists, we are musculoskeletal experts treating the muscles, tendons, bones, joints, ligaments and nerves of the body. We diagnose and treat people of all ages, from newborns to weekend warriors to elderly individuals. Many patients have injuries, disabilities, or other health conditions that require physical therapy intervention. But physical therapists also care for individuals who simply want to lead healthier lives to decrease their risk for future injury.
PT for Pain: Make the Most of Your Deductible
The end of the year often means the resetting of health insurance deductibles (the amount you pay for health care costs before your insurance plan starts to pay). If you’re like me and have met your deductible for the year, now might be the time to address issues that have been plaguing you over the past year and beyond.
Why Your Physical Therapist Should Be Your Doctor
The medical field is constantly changing and along with it, so is the role of physical therapists in the health system. Physical therapists are continuing to grow in their importance in being the first point of contact for patients seeking a medical provider. Below are six reasons why your physical therapist may be the person that you see first for your medical needs.
Why Should You See a Physical Therapist First for Pain?
In all likelihood, there will come a time in our lives where we find ourselves in pain. Traditionally, if you weren’t able to manage the pain yourself, you would schedule an appointment with your doctor or seek out an orthopedic surgeon to have them assess you. However, numerous studies show a strong benefit of seeking out physical therapy first when dealing with musculoskeletal pain1,3. Musculoskeletal pain refers to pain in the muscles, tendons, bones, joints, ligaments and nerves of the body.
Should I Schedule a Free Assessment or a Physical Therapy Appointment?
At Athletico, our experts are passionate about helping patients live pain-free lives, which is why providing access to exceptional care is among our top priorities.
Every patient is unique. Because of this, we offer a variety of ways to help patients get started with their journey into recovery, including free assessments, virtual free assessments and scheduled physical therapy appointments.
My Back Hurts, What Should I Do?
Back pain is the most common pain seen in outpatient physical therapy clinics across the country, with data showing that low back pain accounts for 50 percent of all patients seeking outpatient physical therapy care.1 What’s more, one quarter of adults in the U.S. have reported back pain at least one day in the past three months.1
Physical Therapy without a Prescription? Your Questions Answered.
What is Direct Access?
While some states have some restrictions around access to physical therapy services requiring patients to see a physician and get a prescription before seeing a physical therapist for treatment, this is not generally a requirement for many states that have direct access laws. These laws give patients direct access to skilled physical therapy without the need for a referral or prescription from their doctor before starting treatment, under most circumstances. This allows patients to start physical therapy treatment sooner to reduce pain, increase mobility and improve their overall function.
What IS Physical Therapy? Get the FAQs
As physical therapy becomes more popular, we thought it was a good time to address some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) from our patients.
