 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
What happens during my first visit?
What do I need to bring
with me?
How should I dress?
How long will each treatment
last?
How many visits will I need?
Why is physical therapy
a good choice?
What do physical therapists do?
Why are people
referred to physical therapy?
Who pays for the treatment?
Who will see me?
Is physical therapy painful?
What types
of treatments will I receive?
Will I get a massage at physical
therapy?
Can I go to any physical therapy clinic?
Can I go
directly to my physical therapist?
Can my therapist
provide me with a diagnosis?
How does the billing process
work?
What will I have to do after physical therapy?
Is my
therapist licensed?
How do I choose a physical therapy clinic?
Why Pilates and P.T.?
• What happens during
my first visit?
During
your first visit you can expect the following:
•
Arrive
at your appointment with your paperwork completed (you
can easily download it from our website – see the forms link on
the physical therapy page. If you are not able to complete your
paperwork ahead of time please arrive 20 minutes prior to your
appointment in order to do so.
•
You
will provide us with your prescription for physical therapy
•
We
will copy your insurance card.
•
You
will be seen for the initial evaluation and treatment by the
therapist.
•
The
therapist will discuss the following: Rehabilitation Potential,
Goals, Expectations, and Treatment Plan.
The therapist will perform an objective evaluation which
may include some of the following: manual muscle testing, range of motion
assessment, functional activities analysis, postural assessment, mobility
testing and specific tests for special conditions.
<back to top>
• What do I need to bring with me?
Make sure you bring your physical therapy
prescription (provided to you by your doctor) and your payment information.
We recommend submitting your insurance information for benefits verification
prior to your first visit to provide you with accurate information about
your coverage before your session. If you will be billing your insurance
for physical therapy, bring your insurance card. If you are covered by
Workers' Compensation, please submit your claim number and your case manager's
contact information prior to your first visit. If you are being covered
by auto insurance or an attorney lien, make sure you submit this information
prior to your first visit.
• How should I dress?
You should wear loose fitting
clothing so you can expose the area that will be evaluated and treated.
Examples include: if you have a knee problem, it is best to wear shorts;
if you have a shoulder problem, a tank top is a good choice, and for low
back problems, wear a loose fitting shirt and pants, in order for us to
perform a thorough examination.
• How long will each treatment last?
Treatment
sessions typically last 45 to 60 minutes per visit.
• How many visits will
I need?
This is highly variable as it depends on your diagnosis, the severity
of your impairments, your past medical history, and your specific functional
needs for activities of daily living. You will be re-evaluated on a monthly
basis and when you see your doctor, we will provide you with a progress
report with our recommendations and treatment plan.
<back to top>
• Why is physical therapy
a good choice?
Physical Therapy (PT) is considered a conservative treatment
method addressing the treatment, healing, and prevention of injuries and
disabilities. Our team of physical therapists brings you extensive experience
and specialized training in the treatment of a wide range of conditions.
The APTA reports that more than half of all Americans are suffering from
pain. Whether it is a recent episode or chronic, an ABC News/Stanford study
revealed that chronic pain in America is a serious problem. It may sound
surprising but many are not aware of the fact that physical therapists
are well equipped to not only treat pain but also its source. Physical
therapists are experts at treating movement dysfunction and neuro-musculoskeletal
disorders. Pain often accompanies a movement disorder and physical therapists
can help correct the disorder and diminish or eliminate the pain associated
with it.
• What do physical therapists do?
Physical therapists focus primarily
on relieving pain, promoting healing, restoring function and movement,
and meeting the challenges associated with injury. Therapy also focuses
on the education of clients in the areas of body mechanics, fitness and
wellness. Many people are familiar with physical therapists' work helping
patients with orthopedic problems, such as low back pain or knee surgeries,
to reduce pain and regain function. Others may be aware of the treatment
that physical therapists provide to assist patients recovering from a stroke
(e.g., assisting them with recovering use of their limbs and walking again).
Because physical therapists are experts in movement and function, they
do not confine their talents to treating people who are ill. A large part
of a physical therapist's program is directed at preventing injury, loss
of movement, and even surgery. They also provide services to athletes at
all levels to screen for potential problems and institute preventive exercise
programs.
<back to top>
• Why are people referred to physical
therapy?
You and others may
be referred to physical therapy because of a movement dysfunction associated
with pain. Your difficulty with moving part(s) of your body (like bending
at the low back or difficulty sleeping on your shoulder, etc.) very likely
results in limitations with your daily activities (e.g. difficulty getting
out of a chair, an inability to play sports, or trouble with walking, etc.).
Physical therapists treat these movement dysfunctions and their associated
pains and restore your body's ability to move in a normal manner.
• Who pays
for the treatment?
In most cases, health insurance will cover your treatment.
Please contact our office for a complete list of accepted insurances. We
accept most types of insurance. Don’t hesitate to talk to one of
our receptionists so we can help you clarify your insurance coverage and
physical therapy benefits.
• Who will see me?
You will be evaluated by one
of our licensed and highly trained physical therapists. At Core Conditioning,
we approach every patient with the same goal in mind: to provide rehabilitation
that not only resolves your specific injury but improves your overall wellness.
To achieve this we believe that working one on one with each patient during
each treatment session is critical to achieving an integrated whole-body
approach to rehabilitation. We believe that developing a relationship with
our rehabilitation team is crucial to maintaining continuity of care.
<back to top>
• Is
physical therapy painful?
For many patients, reduction or elimination of
pain is one of the primary objectives. This is frequently accomplished
with hands-on techniques, modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation,
and/or heat or cold therapy. Movement will often provide pain relief as
well. Your physical therapist will educate you with a program consisting
of appropriate exercises not only for pain relief but to restore range
of motion, awareness, strength, and endurance.
In some cases, physical
therapy techniques can be painful. For example, recovering knee range of
motion after total knee replacement or shoulder range of motion after shoulder
surgery may be painful. Your physical therapist will utilize a variety
of techniques to help maximize your treatment goals with as little pain
as possible. It is important that you communicate the intensity, frequency,
and duration of pain to your therapist. Without this information, it is
difficult for the therapist to adjust your treatment plan.
• What types of
treatments will I receive?
There are many different types of treatment
interventions which your therapist will determine the need
for following your initial evaluation. Here is a list of treatment interventions
we use at Core Conditioning:
Active Range of Motion (AROM) - the patient
lifts or moves a body part through range of motion against gravity. AROM
is used to improve joint and tissue mobility.
Active Assistive Range of
Motion (AAROM) - therapist-assisted active range of motion. This is usually
prescribed for gentle stretching or strengthening for a very weak body
part.
Stationary Bicycle - with or without resistance. This is usually
prescribed for improving the strength and/or range of motion of the back
or lower extremities as well as cardio-vascular endurance.
Elliptical Machine
- This is usually prescribed for improving the strength and/or range of
motion of the back or lower extremities as well as cardio-vascular endurance.
Treadmill - with or without incline. This is usually prescribed for improving
the strength and/or range of motion of the back or lower extremities as
well as cardio-vascular endurance.
Gait or Walking Training - the analysis
of walking problems by visually observing the functional relationships
between the low back/pelvis and the joints of the thighs, legs, and feet
during the various stages of walking, including initial contact, loading
response, mid stance, terminal stance, pre swing, mid swing, and terminal
swing. Many back, thigh, leg, ankle, and foot problems may be caused by
or lead to gait abnormalities.
Isometrics - muscle contraction without
joint movement. This is usually prescribed for strengthening without stressing
or damaging the joint (e.g., arthritis, exercises to be performed when
in a cast, or after surgery if recommended by the therapist/doctor).
Isotonics-
muscle(s) contracting through the ROM with resistance. This is usually
prescribed for strengthening.
Soft Tissue Mobilization - therapeutic massage
of body tissue, performed with the hands. Soft tissue mobilization may
be used to relax a muscle, to decrease swelling, to decrease scar tissue
adhesions, and for pain relief.
Mobilization - hands-on therapeutic procedures
intended to increase soft tissue or joint mobility. Mobilization is usually
prescribed to increase mobility, decrease stiffness, and to relieve pain.
There are many types of mobilization techniques including Maitland, Isometric
Mobilizations, etc.
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) - a
system of manually resisted exercises performed in diagonal patterns. PNF
was initially used in developmentally and neurologically impaired patients
but now is used in almost every aspect of neuromuscular retraining from
athletes in sports facilities to the very weak in hospitals and nursing
homes.
Posture Training - instruction in the correct biomechanical alignment
of the body in order to reduce undue stress on muscles, joints, ligaments,
discs, and other soft tissues. Therapists teach patients about the importance
of improving posture with daily activities. Stretching and strengthening
exercises may be prescribed to facilitate improved postural balance and
to prevent further dysfunction or recurrences of problems.
Progressive
Resistive Exercises (PRE) - exercises that gradually increase in resistance
(weights) and in repetitions. PRE is usually prescribed for reeducation
of muscles and strengthening. Weights, Therabands, weighted balls and body
weight can be used as resistance.
Passive Range of Motion (PROM) - the
patient or therapist moves the body part through a range of motion without
the use of the muscles that "actively" move
the joint(s).
Stretching/Flexibility Exercise - exercise designed
to lengthen muscle(s) or soft tissue. Stretching exercises are usually
prescribed to improve the flexibility of muscles that have tightened as
a result of disuse or as a compensation to pain, spasm or immobilization.
Cryotherapy or Cold Therapy - used to cause vasoconstriction (the blood
vessels constrict or decrease their diameter) to reduce the amount of fluid
that leaks out of the capillaries into the tissue spaces (swelling) in
response to injury of tissue. Ice or cold is used most frequently in acute
injuries, but also an effective pain reliever for even the most chronic
pain.
Cold Laser Therapy – This
form of therapy uses light which is absorbed into the tissues
to power metabolic processes, synthesize RNA, DNA, proteins, enzymes, and
other biological materials needed to repair or regenerate cell and tissue
components. Light therapy works to reduce pain by modulating the levels
of prostoglandins and nitric oxide. The end result is that the absorbed
energy is used to repair the tissue, reduce pain and/or restore normalcy
to an otherwise impaired biological process.
Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
(NMES) - the application of electrical stimulation to aid in improving
strength (e.g., the quadriceps muscle after knee surgery or injury). NMES
is also used to decrease pain and swelling and to relieve muscle spasm.
Neck Traction - a gentle longitudinal/axial pull on the neck, either manual
or mechanical, intermittent or continuous for relief of neck pain, to decrease
muscle spasm, and facilitate unloading of the spine. Heat - heat is recommended
to decrease chronic pain, relax muscles, and for pain relief.
It should not be used with an acute or "new" injury.
Iontophoresis
- medications are propelled through the skin by an electrical charge. Iontophoresis
is usually prescribed for injuries such as shoulder or elbow bursitis.
Pelvic Traction - the longitudinal/axial pull on the lumbar spine, either
manual or mechanical, intermittent or continuous. Pelvic traction may be
helpful for the relief of low back pain and muscle spasm.
Transcutaneous
Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) - a relatively low voltage applied
over painful areas through small self-adhesive electrodes. The electrical
stimulation overrides the sensation of pain. It is a small, portable unit,
used in intervals, to control pain and reduce dependence on drugs. It is
usually prescribed for relief of pain.
Ultrasound - ultrasound uses a high
frequency sound wave emitted from the sound head when electricity is passed
through a quartz crystal. The sound waves cause the vibration of water
molecules deep within tissue causing a heating effect. When the sound waves
are pulsed, they cause a vibration of the tissue rather than heating. The
stream of sound waves helps with nutrition exchange at the cellular level
and promotes healing. Studies have shown that ultrasound is helpful for
many tissue impairments including: ligament damage, for carpal tunnel syndrome,
and muscle spasm.
<back to top>
• Will I get a massage at physical
therapy?
Massage may
be part of your treatment. Rehabilitation specialists are trained in a
variety of different massage techniques that may help with your recovery,
however massage is not always indicated. Deep tissue techniques may be
part of the rehabilitative process. Massage is typically utilized for three
reasons - to facilitate increase venous return from a swollen area, to
relax a tight muscle, or to relieve pain.
• Can I go to any physical therapy
clinic?
In most cases, you have the right to choose any physical therapy
clinic. Our clinic takes many different insurance plans; we can discuss
your options through a quick phone call with our office manager. Our clinic
may not be a provider for your insurance plan, however we will work with
you to determine an estimate of what your expenses will be. You may still
come to our clinic, but it is likely that you will have to pay a portion
out-of-pocket for the treatments. The best thing to do is give us a call
and we will attempt to answer all of your questions.
• Can I go directly
to my physical therapist?
Forty-three states have some form of what is called direct access.
Some state physical therapy practice acts require a diagnosis before a
patient can see a therapist (this is the case in California, Michigan,
and Colorado to name a few). Other states allow patients to go directly
to physical therapists. In most cases, if you are not making significant
improvement within 30 days, the therapist will refer you to/back to your
physician.
Direct Access Reference
<back to top>
• Can my therapist provide me with
a diagnosis?
In most states, physical therapists cannot make a medical diagnosis. This
is something that your medical doctor will provide for you.
Physical therapists are important members of your medical team. Physicians
are typically the health care providers that will provide you with a medical
diagnosis, physical therapists will provide you with information about
your rehabilitation potential, goals and plan of care.
• How does the
billing process work?
Billing for physical
therapy services is similar to what happens at your doctor's
office. When you are seen for treatment the following occurs:
1. The physical therapist bills your insurance company, Worker's
Comp, or charges you based on CPT (Common Procedure
Terminology)
codes.
2. Those codes are transferred to a billing form that
is
electronically communicated to the payer.
3. The payer processes this information and makes payments
according to an agreed upon fee schedule.
4. An EOB (Explanation
of Benefits) is generated and sent to the
patient and the physical
therapy clinic with a check for payment
and a balance due by
the patient.
5. The patient is expected to make the payment
on the balance if
any.
It is important to understand that there
are many small
steps (beyond the outline provided above) within
the process. Exceptions are common to the above example as
well. At any time along the way, information may be missing,
mis-communicated, or misunderstood. This can delay the payment
process. While it is common for the payment process to be completed
in 60 days or less, it is not uncommon for the physical therapy
clinic to receive payment as long as 6 months after the treatment
date. You will be financially responsible for any unpaid balance
by your insurance.
<back to top>
• What will I have
to do after physical therapy?
Some patients will need to continue with home exercises. Other
patients will have completed their rehabilitation and can return
to normal daily activities. Others may wish to continue with
a gym exercise program. It is important that you communicate
with your therapist so he/she can assist you in creating long-term
goals for you.
• Is my therapist licensed?
Physical therapists
(PT's) and physical therapist assistants (PTA's) are licensed
by their respective states.
<back to top>
• How do I choose
a physical therapy clinic?
• Do they have a service that can address your
problem?
• Do they take your
insurance or are they willing to work with you
if they are not a preferred provider?
• They
should be conveniently located. Since sitting and driving
often
aggravate orthopedic problems, there should be a very
good
reason for you to drive a long distance for rehabilitation.
• What
are the hours of operation?
• Can they provide satisfaction
survey results?
• The therapist should provide the
treatment.
• Can you briefly interview the therapist
before the first visit?
• Ask your family and friends
who they would recommend.
• Why Pilates and P.T.?
The advantage
to this approach of conditioning is that people with painful
conditions, who might be at risk with certain forms of strength
and stabilization training, are able to get back in shape without
risking further injury. Clients become acutely aware of how
their body feels, where it is in space, and how to control
their movement in correct alignment and using good body mechanics.
Our approach is to look for integrity and emphasize the quality
of movements as opposed to the number of repetitions. What
is also appealing about Pilates as a form of exercise, prevention
or rehabilitative training is the personalized nature of the
work. Programs are developed with particular attention to the
specific needs of the individual.
<back to top>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
