Frequently Asked Questions
My First Visit
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- Your Physical Therapy prescription
- Insurance cards
- Driver’s License or Photo ID
- Complete medical history and a list of your medications (New Patient Forms are available for download here [NEED DOWNLOAD])
- Minors must have a parent or guardian with them, unless documented verbal authorization has been previously received
- Wear comfortable clothing that you can move easily in
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Not necessarily. If you miss an appointment or forget to do your HEP, it is important that you make that up. Most of the time, when a patient reports no progress, it turns out they struggled to commit to the process throughout their treatment. On the flipside, when our patients are consistent, they achieve positive results quickly.
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Yes. Physical therapy works based on the science of how the body rebuilds and heals. The biggest killer of progress is inconsistency. We recommend adhering to your prescribed sessions agreed upon in your PT Eval to achieve desired results.
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It is common for patients to experience some muscle soreness in the first few weeks of physical therapy. The reason for this is because you are exercising and stretching a part of your body that isn’t used to the activity. When we recommend an exercise or stretch, we are specifically targeting the muscles, tendons/ligaments, and bone structures that are dysfunctional and causing you pain.
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During your initial evaluation, your therapist may ask you a number of questions to determine what the cause of your pain is. This can include questions about your sleep habits, activity level, and work environment. They will also ask for a medical history, and then typically ask direct questions about where and when you experience pain.
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We recommend budgeting 40-60 minutes for a typical therapy session. The only exception to this will be your first visit, which can take about 20 minutes longer due to the physical therapy evaluation your therapist will provide. We also recommend showing up about 10-15 minutes early to your first visit. This way, you can complete the paperwork before your visit time and streamline the process.
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Physical and occupation therapy treatment length is based upon the need and individual progress of the patient guided by the physicians’ recommendations.
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If we are asking you to do something that is hurting too much, let us know! Physical therapy should not be severely painful. It is not common to be so sore that patients are in pain or it affects their daily life. If this ever happens during or after an appointment, let us know and we will adapt your program.
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To begin our therapists, conduct a thorough review of your medical history and an evaluation of your condition. They will then have tests to measure your strength, balance, and functional ability relating to your diagnosis. They may provide various manual therapy techniques to address issues found during the evaluation and design a program to start you on the path to wellness. At the end of your first visit, you will be asked to schedule follow-up appointments based on your needs and availability. Most initial evaluations last about one hour, though your session length is dependent upon the nature of your treatment.