What is Physical Therapy?
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy, is a profession within the field of allied health. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, prognosis, patient education, physical intervention, rehabilitation, disease prevention, and health promotion..
Physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education.
What do Physical Therapists do?
Plan, prepare, and carry out an individually designed program of Physical Therapy treatment to maintain, improve, or restore Physical functioning, alleviate pain, and prevent physical dysfunction in patients. Perform and document an initial exam, evaluating data to identify problems and determine a diagnosis before intervention.
Why is Physical Therapy a good choice?
Physical therapists work with patients across the lifespan who have chronic conditions, illnesses, and injuries, providing rehabilitation and treatment to prevent injury and optimise their quality of life. They also help patients improve flexibility and strength so they can maintain independent and active lifestyles .
At Medstar, our physical therapists’ priority is to ensure that our patients’ problems are primarily musculoskeletal. Their research on our patients helps to determine if there is likely to be an underlying condition. If it’s felt our patient needs further assessment, our PT should advise them on who is the best reference to undertake this necessary further assessment.
How often are re-evaluations performed?
MedStar follows current Medicare guidelines and performs re-evaluations every six weeks. During these sessions, your PT will determine how your treatment is progressing and whether additional therapy will be required. After these sessions, you may be shown how to perform a home exercise program, allowing you to continue your rehabilitation in an independent and cost-effective manner. If your MD feels that land-based exercises would be beneficial to your treatment, your PT will arrange for a gradual transition into such a program.
Can I expect to work with the same therapist every time?
At MedStar, we know how important trust between patients and PTs is to the healing process. For that reason, we assign you a single primary PT who will help you set goals and stay updated on your progress. However, since effective physical therapy often relies on a team of dedicated healthcare professionals, different therapists may assist you throughout your rehabilitation. With that said, we try hard to ensure that you will see the same PT for the majority of your visits. Each of our PTs meets regularly to examine each patient’s treatment plan and discuss ways to ensure the highest standard of care.
But do you need physical therapy?
Taking the plunge to get a physical therapy evaluation is a big decision. We’ve narrowed it down to 12 questions.
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Contact Us!
Please reach out if you have any questions about cost, scheduling or anything else at all. We can’t wait to help!