FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What should I expect on my first visit?

The first visit will consist of a comprehensive evaluation

We will discuss your medical history, current condition, and how these are impacting your daily life. We will also perform an objective evaluation which may include some of the following:

Palpation – touching around the area of the pain/problem. This is done to check for the presence of tenderness, swelling, soft tissue integrity, tissue temperature, inflammation, etc.
Range of Motion (ROM) – we will move joints to check for the quality of movement and any restrictions.
Muscle Testing – we may check for strength and the quality of muscle activation. Pain and weakness may be noted.
Neurological Screening – we may evaluate your sensation, reflexes, strength, pain, vibration, or temperature.
Special Tests – We may implement special tests to rule in/rule out the presence of a condition
Posture Assessment – we may assess your posture revealing the relationships among various body parts determining whether these relationships cause or contribute to your pain or discomfort.

We will determine the source of your pain and/or dysfunction and will then formulate a list of problems you are having, and how to treat those problems.

Together you will develop a strategic treatment plan established to meet your goals. You will discuss how many times you should work together per week, how many weeks you will need therapy, and what is expected after discharge from therapy.

We will likely provide you with instructions to perform exercises at home independently to begin your recovery. On subsequent visits we will continually reassess your limitations and perform treatment as in our plan.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? HERE ARE MORE ANSWERS

Getting
Started

How do I make an appointment?

Call 951.733.6637 or use our contact form to email us. You will need a prescription for physical therapy from your doctor.

What should I have ready?

Please have your initial paperwork completed if possible (download forms here)
Your physical therapy referral (provided to you by your doctor) and your payment information.
If your insurance company is covering the cost please have your insurance card available.
Please also have any recent x-ray reports, MRIs, CT scan results, and blood work results available for her review.

How should I dress?

You should wear loose fitting clothing so you can expose the area that she will be evaluating and treating. Shorts are appropriate for leg injuries. Tank tops work well for neck and shoulder troubles.

How long do treatment sessions last?

A typical physical therapy treatment session will last 50-60 minutes.

How many visits will I need?

This is highly variable. It depends on many factors including your diagnosis, the severity of your impairments, your past medical history, etc. You may need one visit or you may need months of care. We will reevaluate your progress monthly and provide your physician with progress reports. Our focus is meeting your goals, refining your motion, and improving your function.

Is physical therapy a good choice?

Physical therapists are experts at treating movement and neuro-musculoskeletal disorders. Pain often goes hand and hand with movement disorders. We can help identify and correct movement disorders treating the root cause of your pain/discomfort to help relieve your pain.

Is physical therapy painful?

Physical therapy is meant to reduce pain, not to increase it. We will consistently ask for your feedback and observe your response to specific techniques to determine the best way to help you. Some mobilization techniques can momentarily be uncomfortable. However, on reassessment of your movement dysfunction, you should have better motion and reduction in pain.

In some cases, physical therapy techniques can be painful. For example, recovering from surgeries require regaining your range of motion. After total knee replacement or shoulder surgery regaining that motion may be painful. It is important that you communicate the intensity, frequency, and duration of pain to us. We will adjust your treatment as needed to provide comfortable and effective techniques.

What are ongoing therapy visits like?

We will discuss your progress and any changes in your symptoms since the last time you worked together. We will reassess key impairments, perform treatment, and then reassess again to provide observable benefit of treatment.

Treatments will likely include manual therapy techniques, neuromuscular reeducation, therapeutic exercise, and patient education. Based on your response to treatment, the treatment will be continued or modified.

Where do you perform physical therapy?

We provide the unique opportunity of outpatient physical therapy in the comfort of your own home. There are many benefits to this. We can see how you move about the environment in which you live much of your day. We can evaluate your computer station and how you sit in your computer chair, how you sit in your favorite chair or couch, how you walk around your home, and how you get in/out of your car. If you are unable to drive to physical therapy or it is difficult for you to attend an outpatient facility, then we will come to you!

Will you bill my insurance?

Yes, we can bill our PPO out-of-network or Medicare for you. There are other payment options also. Please see our payment page.

What is your privacy policy?

The privacy policy can be read here: Notice of Privacy Practices