So, you’ve determined that physical therapy might be the best course of action in your journey toward healing from pain or injury. Or maybe you have a surgeon or other doctor who has referred you to a physical therapist.
Whatever it is that has motivated you to seek out physical therapy, we’re glad you’re here! And we realize that you may be full of questions: What will my first appointment be like? Is physical therapy painful? Will it be worth the time and effort?
We’re here to walk you through everything you need to know to feel comfortable, from initial evaluation to your first physical therapy session, and at every step forward in your treatment plan.
What Will Happen at My First Physical Therapy Appointment?
Your very first visit to Spooner is the start of what we hope will be a productive, fulfilling, and healing therapist-patient relationship. All of our therapists seek to make intentional connections with our patients for one reason: We care about helping our patients (that’s you!) achieve their goals.
Your physical or hand therapist will have a few primary goals during the initial appointment:
- Your PT will seek to get to know you. They will ask you questions to learn about your pain, your lifestyle, your work, your goals—anything and everything that can help him or her understand you and what your treatment plan ought to be. Your therapist will count on you to be honest about your pain levels and what you can and can’t do. Don’t hold back! We need your honesty so we can help you move and feel better as quickly as possible.
- Your therapist will want to understand your injury or condition. They will ask questions to find out if it’s a new (in other words, acute) condition, or if it’s something that has been nagging at you for a long time (what we call a chronic condition).
- Your PT will want to see how you move. They will ask you to perform a variety of motions, and will be assessing how your body moves, asking you if certain motions hurt or cause discomfort, and looking for any imbalances or lack of joint or muscle function. Exactly what motions and to what extent will depend on your specific pain or injury.
- Your PT will want to answer your questions. Don’t be shy! Answering your questions is a big part of our purpose.
How Many Appointments Will I Need?
Every patient is different. Based on the information that you share and that your therapist observes during the initial movement screening, he or she will have the information needed to create the best course of care for you, including an estimate of how many sessions you may need and how frequently you should come in.
Once I Have My Treatment Plan, What Will A Typical Physical Therapy Appointment Look Like?
During each appointment, you’ll meet with your therapist to report how you’ve been doing since your last appointment. Were you able to do your assigned home exercises? How are your pain levels?
Your physical or hand therapist will likely perform hands-on and tool-assisted therapies to help improve joint and tissue motion to facilitate healing. You will also perform specific exercises during your appointment that are designed to teach your body how to move and function in healthy ways. You’ll always be accompanied by a member of your awesome PT team.
Learn more about our Whole-Body Approach at Spooner.
What Should I Wear?
Wear clothing and shoes that you feel comfortable in, and that will allow you to move freely.
Is Physical Therapy Painful?
You’re coming to PT because you have pain, and your therapist wants to provide the tools and therapies that will ultimately relieve your pain, not create it. He or she will help you address your perception of pain and discuss what is normal, and help you recognize that pain is a natural part of the healing process.
When you have an injury, your brain will send pain messages—kind of like an alarm signal. As you and your therapist work together to restore mobility and strength to the body, the brain will reduce those signals over time, and your PT will work to control your pain as you go through this process.
What Does Physical Therapy or Hand Therapy Cost and Do You Accept My Insurance?
At Spooner, we contract with most insurance plans. We also have cash-pay options. Our team will check your benefits and explain them to you, including your out-of-pocket cost. You can also check your benefits in advance by calling your insurance company.
It’s also good to know that when you try physical therapy first, you’ll get the most value per dollar spent, and usually can avoid other potentially unnecessary costs that come with medical care, including films, prescriptions, injections, and even surgery.
Will All The Time and Effort Be Worth It?
Yes! The value of improved quality of life that comes with feeling better and moving better is always worth what you put into it.
Once you meet your PT or hand therapy team, you’ll realize that they can be your trusted resource and healthcare partners during your healing and beyond. That’s because physical therapists and hand therapists are experts in movement and function, with more musculoskeletal training and education than nearly all other healthcare providers. Many of our therapists are doctors of physical therapy or occupational therapy, with years of hands-on experience with patients.
Yes, physical therapy takes work, but that’s because it takes movement to develop healthy movement. Whatever PT specialty you need—women’s health, total joint rehabilitation, pediatrics, hand therapy, prosthetic rehab, or something else—we have a therapist for you who has the right training.
We know all about your muscles, joints, nerves, tendons, and ligaments, and we want to make sure yours feel and move exactly the way they should.
Ready to schedule an appointment? Click here to schedule an appointment or complimentary movement screen with a Spooner physical therapist at one of our locations throughout the valley.