Monday, December 6, 2010

Know Your Physical Therapist?

Being able to make good decisions about your health care begins with an understanding about different health professionals, how they can help and how to know if you have chosen the right one for your situation.

Physical therapists have changed a lot in the recent past. Nowadays, most people are free to see a PT directly without the need for a prescription or a visit to their primary doctor.

PTs are more highly skilled in differentiating between problems we can solve or issues that must be referred to a different medical specialist.

More often now we see people as an alternative to surgery or to pick up on clues that can prevent pain or injury altogether while still maintaining our high value post-surgery skills.

We are the Movement People. If your pain impacts your ability to work or enjoy your free time then we highly recommend you find a PT in your area who will find the problem and design a comprehensive plan to get you pain free again.

There are several criteria we urge people to examine.
Doctorate level education: Not all PTs are educated in the same way or with the same intensity. You want to work with the best available when it’s your body on the line.

Treatment time with a PT: Many clinics pass off a lot of treatment to less educated and less attentive aides or technicians. Be sure to know how much hands-on time you will be getting with your PT. This is equivalent to seeing a nurse when you wanted to see your physician. This piece couldn’t be stressed enough. The more time with your PT, the faster you will get better and back to pain free activity.

Sometimes clinics that provide the highest ratio of PT to client time may require you to bill your own health insurance. While this might sound inconvenient, practices that operate in this manner are typically among the highest in client satisfaction. Additionally, and this is an important tip, the total cost of treatment is relatively the same as when the clinic bills your insurance for you when one takes into account co-pays and the amount of time that treatment will take.

Expertise in a specialty: Some PTs work with children, others with athletes. Some specialize in certain injuries or certain sports. Become educated about the specialty of the PT or the practice that you are selecting so you are certain you will receive the best care.

Do your best to follow this advice and you will surely be in good hands with a physical therapist.

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