FAQ's

Who uses physical therapy?
Those who benefit most from physical therapy are individuals who have sustained a physical injury, have restricted motion, or have pain with activity. If you have had or are planning on having an orthopedic surgery, we will help you progress according to your post-operative protocol and reach your full rehabilitation potential. We also help patients recover from chronically painful conditions and improve posture and body mechanics.

What should I bring with me to my first appointment?

Please bring your physician’s referral or prescription for physical therapy, your insurance card, and a government issued photo ID, like a driver’s license. It is also advisable to bring any records from your previous doctor, a list of your medications, allergies and a list of prior doctors. We also recommend bringing in a list of any questions or concerns you may have. Please make sure that you arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment so that you can provide us the necessary paperwork and insurance information to put you in our system. To save time, you can also print the new patient forms located on our forms page, and bring them completed to your appointment.

What should I wear?

We highly recommend you bring comfortable, nonrestrictive clothing or athletic wear to your appointment because oftentimes we will be stretching or exercising you. Your clothes should also allow us to evaluate your area of injury, so please dress accordingly. For example, if you have a knee injury, please bring shorts, if you have a shoulder injury, please wear a tank-top or loose fitting T-shirt. As for footwear, we suggest comfortable, closed-toe shoes, preferably sneakers. If you have any questions, please contact us prior to your first appointment.

How long does each visit take?
The initial visit takes a little longer than subsequent visits due to the paperwork that you need to fill out, in addition to the completion of the assessment process. Expect this to take about 60-90 minutes. Follow-up appointments are usually an hour, plus or minus 15 minutes depending on your condition. If you have a specific time constraint, please let us know before your appointment and we will do our best to accommodate you.

How long will I need physical therapy?

Your physical therapist will estimate on your first visit the frequency and duration of visits that you will need. This is based partially on your goals, the level of function you want to achieve, the severity of your condition, precautions, post-operative protocols, and any other complicating factors. Your physical therapist will typically re-evaluate your progress after 30 days and will let you know how close you are to reaching your goals. Physical therapy is often monitored by your physician, in which case we will send them reports on your progress.

When should I start seeing improvements?

You can typically expect improvements in just a few visits. But the amount that you improve depends on the same factors associated with how long treatment will take. If you follow the treatment plan your physical therapist gives you, including precautions, a home exercise program, and your prescribed follow-up visits, you should notice improvements according to plan. If at any point you feel like you are not progressing at a satisfactory rate, we will collaborate with you and modify your treatment plan. We will always keep you informed as well about your progress.

Will you keep in contact with my doctor?

After your initial evaluation we will send a copy of the initial report to your doctor along with progress reports at regular intervals.

Will I see the same physical therapist every time?
Yes. We will make every attempt to schedule you with the physical therapist you desire to see. However, you may transfer to another physical therapist, if it accommodates your schedule better. All of our physical therapists are fully-licensed and enjoy delivering high-quality care.

Will my insurance pay for physical therapy?

Generally, most insurance companies pay for physical therapy. Some companies only offer limited coverage. We recommend that you call the benefit number listed on your insurance card to check on your insurance benefits before you start physical therapy. As a courtesy, we can verify your benefits if you give us all of your insurance information.

Do I need a physician's referral for physical therapy?
Most insurance companies will require that you get a physician's referral for physical therapy, which you need to bring on your first appointment.   Medicare additionally requires that your physician re-certify your physical therapy plan of care every 30 days or sooner to continue with treatment.  Please call us if you have questions, need assistance, or would like a referral to get a diagnosis.

What is the difference between Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy?

Physical Therapy (PT) aims at restoring a patient’s physical function. PT treatments help people recover from their injury or diagnosis by focusing on the root problem or impairments responsible for the physical dysfunction or ailment. Occupational Therapy (OT) aims at adapting the environment to fit the patient. OT treatments enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life, using careful analysis of physical, environmental, social, mental, and other factors to identify barriers to occupation.