New Physical Therapy Patients Have Tough But Rewarding Work Ahead of Them

Any patient diving into their first adventure to the world of physical therapy might not know what to expect. First, they are probably grateful and happy to have a name or diagnosis for their ailment, especially if that means they might avoid having to undergo surgery.

 However, of course, some patients do end up with a prescription for physical therapy New Haven, Connecticut after having had surgery. Either way, this effective course of treatment to get patients back into the swing of their lives as their injury heals.

What Is In Store for Patients Visiting a Physical Therapy Clinic?

Some patients have never visited a physical therapy Connecticut (PT) provider's facility — or perhaps they haven't visited many other medical offices — and might feel more confident about their upcoming treatment if they get a preview or a primer on what will happen during their first visit, as well as what they can expect from their treatment. 

Below are some basic bits of information about physical therapy and how it can help them:

• Patients Can Choose Their Physical Therapist. Primary care physicians recommend their first-choice physical therapy. Actually, the doctor can probably give the patient aseveral professionals' names, as long as those physical therapy professionals are in the patient's network of providers. Patients might choose their physical therapist based on proximity to work or based on word-of-mouth from a good friend, family member or colleague.

• The Patient's First Visit. Like any other healthcare visit, the first visit is largely focused on housekeeping, paperwork and discussions about the patient's expectations and hopes, as well as the physical therapist's goals. It is good to time for both to explore the points that diverge to see what sorts of compromises they can broker together. Physical therapists have the advantage of looking at — and deeply understanding the nature of the injury, as well — X-Rays and MRIs to see the full scope and extend of the damage to the area. PTs can see the spots that are weak and need restoration versus areas that are brittle and weak and need more gentle care.

• The Patient Will Receive a Lighter Therapy Session to Become Acquainted With the Physical Therapist. Even with all the bureaucratic matters during the first visit, physical therapist teams rarely want a patient to let a patient leave without providing some sort of treatment, so they might do some do some mild stretching, receive a massage or electrical stimulation.