Are All Physical Therapists Created Equally?

Are all physical therapists the same? Do they do the same things?

When you experience a pain, injury, loss of range of motion or strength, you may need to see a skilled physical therapist, or PT. Your physician may prescribe physical therapy, however many states allow direct access to a physical therapist without a referral.

Not all physical therapists are the same. The right PT will motivate you and ensure that you do the correct things in order to get you back to your optimal level of mobility. It’s crucial that Michigan Sports & Spine Center or another specialist assist you in finding the proper physical therapist for you.

Finding a Specialist

Typically physical therapists specialize in treating specific areas of the body, like the knee, back, shoulder, neck, or they may concentrate on sports injuries, stroke rehabilitation, or one of the many other areas of physical therapy. PA’s may also be certified by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in eight specialty areas of physical therapy: sports, pediatrics, orthopedics, neurology, women’s health, cardiopulmonary, geriatrics and clinical electrophysiology.

Before Your Visit

It’s important to be prepared, prior to your first physical therapy visit make sure to go through a preparation list:

• create a list of questions you have for your PA
• write down all of your symptoms, is the pain more prevalent at certain times of the day or after performing certain activities?
• write down key information about your medical history, any medications your taking

What To Expect

Your physical therapist will ask you several questions about your health, injury or about your specific condition to which you are seeing him/her for. This will help determine your treatment plan and what treatments are most effective to help you in your recovery.

Your PA will perform a detailed examination. Contingent on your condition and symptoms, the PA may evaluate the following, your:

• strength
• balance
• flexibility
• posture
• coordination
• heart and respiration rates
• mobility of your joints, muscles and other tissues
• how your walking
• how you get up from different positions (laying down, bending, lifting, etc.)
• Your physical therapist will work with you to determine your goals for physical therapy and will begin to develop a plan for your treatment. Commonly, the PA will make a diagnosis and begin treatment immediately.Your main goal of treatment is to improve or maintain your ability to do your daily activities and tasks.

  An important part to your physical therapy will be your own education. Your PA will teach you special exercises or movements to do outside of therapy. You may learn new or different ways to perform your activities at home and/or work. These new techniques will help to minimize pain, lessen strain, avoid reinjury and speed your recovery!