Physical Therapy FAQs

A physicians referral is not required to see a physical therapist. Some insurances, however, do require a referral to cover physical therapy services.

We are constantly trying to work with insurance providers to expand who we are able to see, and are on most major insurances. We encourage you to be familiar with your insurance benefits, but with insurance becoming more complex we can help clarify most plans.

YES!! Insurance plans are required to provide coverage for physical therapy services, although that coverage varies widely.

OCS stands for Orthopedic Certified Specialist. This indicates a therapist has been Board Certified as a specialist in orthopedics.
Orthopedics is treatment involving the muscles, joints, bones, and nerves. Therapists who have specialized in orthopedics are skilled at treating everything from post-surgical rehab to chronic low back pain.

The goal of Physical Therapy is not to increase pain, but rather it is to decrease pain and return to full activity. Depending on the condition, sometimes the treatment techniques used may not be the most comfortable, but this is working toward the end goal of living life with less pain and dysfunction. Most of the time, however, Physical Therapy can be done minimizing pain and discomfort.

Ideally, wearing clothes that are comfortable and can give access to the areas being treated. For example: If you are being seen for knee pain, try to wear shorts or loose-fitting pants so the therapist can visualize the knee.

On your first visit, you can expect to fill out some forms, unless you have already downloaded and completed those prior to coming in. The therapist will then do an evaluation involving asking you questions and doing some tests. The therapist will then discuss the findings and diagnosis with you, and discuss treatment options.
You can expect to receive treatment on your first visit and will be given some things to do at home. Depending on the treatment plan you and the therapist determine is best, you will then schedule your follow-up visits. Insurance questions will also be answered at this visit.

Your first visit is usually longer and will take between 60 and 90 minutes. Follow-up visits are usually between 45 and 60 minutes in length.

Your treatment plan is determined by you and your therapist. After an evaluation and discussion on your diagnosis, an optimal treatment plan will be designed.
The average number of treatments in therapy is usually between 8 and 12 visits to resolve most issues. Obviously, that number varies with the extent of the injury and individual differences.