If you have never gone to physical therapy, it makes sense to be hesitant about it. Before you go, you may want to research your physical therapist or find one you can trust. While seeing a PT can be extremely beneficial, here are a couple of questions to ask ahead of time.
What Is Your Physical Therapist’s Role?
When you go to physical therapy, you put a lot of trust into the PT. He or she is there to help you regain function, become more mobile, or reduce your pain. Your physical therapist has an obligation to examine you, evaluate your health history and create a plan of care that will help you. He or she may also have to change the care plan as you go through it.
When you go to physical therapy, you have to have faith that he or she will not harm you. After all, no one wants to attend therapy only to become worse after. The physical therapist has a major role to play in your life. He or she could be who helps you to live your life again.
How Can You Trust Your Physical Therapist?
When looking for a physical therapist, you have to find a person that you trust. To find a competent local physical therapist like one from Lemoine Physical Therapy, look through private practices, nursing facilities, local hospitals, rehabs and more. To ensure that your PT is licensed, you can look up the license in the state’s database.
When you search for his or her license, you will also see their disciplinary actions. Keep in mind that some disciplinary actions are for small things, such as forgetting to renew their license. Once you do your research, choose a physical therapist that you feel comfortable with.
Should You Go to Physical Therapy?
There are a variety of reasons that a person may need to undergo physical therapy. These reasons include:
- Pain reduction
- Mobility improvement
- Sports injury recovery
- Stroke recovery
- Diabetes treatment
- Surgery avoidance
If you suffer from joint pain, back pain or pain from old sports injuries, a physical therapist may help you avoid pain medication and surgical intervention. Additionally, physical therapy improves your quality of life.
If your doctor recommended physical therapy, you should set up a consultation with a physical therapist as soon as possible. When you go through therapy, the point is to improve your quality of life. If you procrastinate, you could worsen your injuries or reduce your chance of living pain-free.