What does PT actually look like for me?
Physical Therapy contains a broad-range of treatment techniques in different settings. This can lead to confusion of what Physical Therapy actually is, and in turn, can overwhelm patients - because what we don’t know, we typically avoid. The goal of this article will be to explain what Physical Therapy at Pacific Standard Physical Therapy and Wellness looks like from the time you walk-in to leaving the facility.
This little outline should help the flow of things:
A subjective interview - think of this as a collaborative chat about your particular issue in order for the PT to get to know your condition.
A physical examination - tests and measures that will be specific to diagnosing your issue, obtaining baseline measurements, and seeing how you move.
Manual therapy - After we have done enough testing, we know what and how to treat it. Typically, some hands-on therapy will be the first step.
Therapeutic exercise/Activity Modification/Fine-tuning Movement - this is the bread and butter of PT that will give you long-term positive outcomes.
Home Exercise Program - exercises to do going forward (a little bit of homework).
Summary of the session - we chat about your care going forward and what to expect (i.e. time frames, healing process, plan of care, etc).
Freedom!!!
First off, you will always be seen for your full time. You get what you pay for - quality and time. You will always be 1-on-1 with a Physical Therapist, never with an aide (and yes, this matters). You will always have all your questions answered. You will always be treated as a person, not a condition or injury! Now to your first session expectations….
As with all Physical Therapy (PT), there is an evaluation or initial assessment. This is where the PT will ask you lots of questions to obtain a narrative about what is going on physically with the patient, and also what beliefs and notions the patient has about their individual issue. Many clinics gloss over this important aspect because of time constraints - not at Pacific Standard. This information is too important to overlook and will help drive the treatment going forward for your best outcome.
The second piece of the assessment is our physical examination where we look at your specific movement patterns, particular tests that give us more info about your condition, and baseline measures we can keep track of going forward. This is an important aspect of our process to give the most individualized care you can get!
After the exam, we get to the good stuff! The treatment. Almost all treatments begin with some type of hands-on manual therapy to allow your body to move better, reduce pain, and heal faster! We use a multitude of different modalities that have been shown to help with the PT process to reduce pain and promote better, more efficient movement.
Next, we get into what will help with the long term outcomes - EXERCISE. This usually consists of 3-4 activities that are appropriate for your specific condition. This is meant to be a base for you to build upon as PT progresses. These often have to do with postural education, basic principles in movement that will help you with everyday activities, and things you can do on your own to help reduce pain.
Then, we go over your specific Home Exercise Program (HEP). Your HEP will always be specific to you, shown to you by your PT, then emailed to you with the exact instructions, sets and reps, and how often to perform them. Unfortunately with most things in life, it takes a little work on our own to really grow! But we always keep it realistic and give tips on how to incorporate these things into your life!
Lastly, we review everything we went over, answer all of your questions, and make sure you understand realistic expectations of your condition. These include time frame for healing/getting back to your activities, what treatments will help the most, how often you should see a PT, and any other tips/tricks that may help you along your road to wellness!
This is what PT looks like during your first appointment at Pacific Standard Physical Therapy and Wellness. We hope this clarifies the process and gives you some general expectations to ease the unknown. If there is one truth in this industry, it is that not all PT is created equal. I’ll say it again - NOT ALL PT IS CREATED EQUAL. Many clinics will give you short evaluations where they don’t listen to you fully, give cookie-cutter treatments, and double-book you leaving you with limited time with your PT. This is not what we believe in at Pacific Standard Physical therapy. You’ll always be 1-on-1 with a PT, not an aide. You’ll always have access to get your questions answered. And you’ll always be in the best hands! It is our mission to help people get out of pain, return to the things that bring them joy, and make you happy! Please email me or check out our website listed below for more information! We look forward to working with you!
All the best!!
Justin LaLonde, DPT
Follow us on instagram @pacificstandardphysicaltherapy