So you’re coming in for your first visit with a physical therapist—or maybe you’ve been to a PT clinic before but never with us. What should you expect?
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Every patient has a unique health history, diagnosis and personal goals. When you come for your first appointment, we will create a personalized treatment plan for you.
We work with most major insurance providers and do our best to help keep the paperwork pain-free. If you’d like to confirm your insurance coverage, please let us know and we can verify when you schedule. If your insurance provider requires a co-pay, we will ask for this payment at each visit. We accept payments by cash, check or credit card.
On average, a patient’s first visit lasts about an hour. We typically ask patients to arrive 15 minutes early to sign-in, complete paperwork and/or change clothes.
On your first visit, you’ll need to bring your physician referral or prescription (if needed), your insurance card, your primary registration forms, your ID or driver’s license and your co-payment (as applicable). If desired, you may bring a change of clothing.
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During your first visit you can expect the following:
1. Arrive at your appointment with your paperwork completed (you can download it from our website at Patient Forms)
2. You will provide us with your referral for physical therapy if you have one. If you don't have a referral, let us know when you schedule your first visit with us as we will bring you in via Direct Access
3. We will copy your insurance card.
4. You will be seen for the initial evaluation by the therapist.
5. The therapist will discuss the following:
a. Your medical history.
b. Your current problems/complaints.
c. Pain intensity, what aggravates and eases the problem.
d. How this is impacting your daily activities or your functional limitations.
e. Your goals with physical therapy.
f. Medications, tests, and procedures related to your health.
The therapist will then perform the objective evaluation which may include some of the following:
1. Palpation - touching around the area of the pain/problem. This is done to check for the presence of tenderness, swelling, soft tissue integrity, tissue temperature, inflammation, etc.
2. Range of Motion (ROM) - the therapist will move the joint(s) to check for the quality of movement and any restrictions.
3. Muscle Testing - the therapist may check for strength and the quality of the muscle contraction. Pain and weakness may be noted. Often the muscle strength is graded. This is also part of a neurological screening.
4. Neurological Screening - the therapist may check to see how the nerves are communicating with the muscles, sensing touch, pain, vibration, or temperature. Reflexes may be assessed as well.
5. Special Tests - the therapist may perform special tests to confirm/rule out the presence of additional problems.
6. Posture Assessment - the positions of joints relative to ideal and each other may be assessed.
The therapist will then formulate a list of problems you are having, and how to treat those problems. A plan is subsequently developed with the patient's input. This includes how many times you should see the therapist per week, how many weeks you will need therapy, home programs, patient education, short-term/long-term goals, and what is expected after discharge from therapy. This plan is created with input from you, your therapist, and your doctor.
You should wear loose-fitting clothing to expose the area that we will be evaluating and treating. For example, if you have a knee problem, it is best to wear shorts. For a shoulder problem, a tank top is a good choice. For low back problems, wear a loose-fitting shirt and pants, again so we can perform a thorough examination.
This is highly variable. You may need one visit or you may need months of care. It depends on your diagnosis, the severity of your impairments, your past medical history, etc. 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.
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