02/09/2022
Not sure what to expect on your first day of physical therapy?
Physical therapy evaluation: The first day of physical therapy is the evaluation.
What to wear: Wear something comfortable and easy to move around in. Wear clothing that allows for for easy access of the body part that you are coming in for. For example, if you have knee pain, wear shorts or sweatpants that are easy to roll up so the knee is visible.
What to expect: Your physical therapist will you ask specific questions about your condition, your medical history and surgical history. After your therapist asks your questions, they will perform some tests to help determine your impairments. After the testing if there is some extra time, your therapist may perform some treatment on you. Your therapist should go over a list of exercises and stretches that are specific to your needs based on their evaluation and assessment that are to be performed at home. This is commonly referred to as a home exercise program.
Some common tests will include strength, range of motion, balance, flexibility, posture assessment and walking
What to expect on Day 2 of physical therapy:
Day 2 officially begins your physical therapy treatments. Your physical therapist will have come up with a specialized treatment plan designed specifically for you to target the impairments that were found on the evaluation. A typical treatment session may include some manual therapy (hands on massage and stretching), strengthening exercises and/or stretches. Your therapist may also include the use of some modalities such as heat, ice, or ultrasound. The goal of the treatment sessions are to reduce pain and improve your function so that you can return to your prior level of function or as close to it as possible!
How many visits will you need?
Your therapist will determine how many total visits, how many visits per week they want you to be seen, and how many weeks are recommended for your recovery. On average you should expect to go to therapy 2-3x per week for 6-8 weeks for a non-surgical condition. If you have had a surgery such as a rotator cuff repair, ACL reconstruction, or total joint replacement, you should expect to be in therapy for a longer duration of time. The length of each visit will be determined by your therapist based on your need