Are you in need of physical therapy? Are you in the process of trying to find a suitable physical therapist? Here are some questions that you should consider asking potential therapists:
How many patients do you see at a time? Some therapists will see only one patient at a time, while others will do group physical therapy sessions. Physical therapy in a group session can be just as challenging and as rewarding as therapy conducted in a one-on-one setting. There may be just one therapist or there may be multiple therapists and aides to assist everyone. You may even find that you enjoy the more social atmosphere that can happen in a group setting. However, if you think that you'd feel self conscious doing therapy in a group setting, you may want to choose a different therapist.
Will it be the same therapist each time or different therapists? Some physical therapy offices will have therapists perform on a first come, first served basis. Whichever therapist is first on the list will take the next patient that arrives for therapy. This means that you could wind up with a different therapist for each visit. If the physical therapy that you need is relatively minor, this may be unimportant to you. But if you are seeking therapy for a major condition, you may prefer that your visits are with just one or two therapists. This may help them to get a better understanding of your progress and enable them to better update and customize your physical therapy regimen.
What are the typical recovery times for this condition? Although you have probably already discussed your expectations with your doctor, it's important to ask your therapist this question as well. If their answer differs greatly from what you've already been told, there may have been a miscommunication in regards to the exact nature of your therapy needs. This miscommunication could result in ineffective or unrealistic therapy goals. By correcting this potential mistake early on, you'll avoid wasted therapy sessions.
Before actually starting any physical therapy session, you should make an appointment to talk to your potential physical therapist. This will allow you to get answers to any questions that you have and to set up goals and milestones for your therapy. Doing this outside of an actual therapy session will allow you to make your inquiries while free of the potential distraction that can happen during your physical therapy sessions.
Contact a group like Park Avenue Trauma Associates for more information.
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