If you have never stepped into a Physiotherapy clinic or you are starting physical therapy sessions with a new physiotherapist then there are few essential questions that you need to ask them.
Physiotherapy clinics are seemingly located on every corner of the road and even finding one for your personal therapy sessions at home is also pretty easy. However, making yourself comfortable by understanding a few essentials for the treatment of chronic pain conditions is necessary.
Below are the 5 essential questions that you need to probe a Physical therapist
Who will provide me the care?
Generally, Physiotherapy clinics employ different health care professionals such as massage therapists, Occupational therapists, Physical therapists, etc. You may have been referred to the physiotherapy sessions but your actual sessions can not be handled by physiotherapists alone but different therapists depending upon your nature of ailment or injury. So, asking your physical therapist this question can help you understand better about your ailment and treatment.
Will I see the same physical therapist each time?
Patients always assume that the same physical therapist will attend their sessions from start to end. Unlike other treatments, physical rehabilitation services do not demand only a single doctor to attend a patient. However, most of the time there will be only the same physical therapist attending the patient because it helps them to build confidence and trust in them. There might be times when one or a few sessions where other physiotherapists might treat the patient and this happens to be because of emergency leaves taken by them. Ask your physiotherapist this question so that you will not have disappointments when a different physiotherapist is attending one are two sessions for you.
What qualifications do your providers have?
There are advanced degrees available for physiotherapy and typically, a physical therapist will keep on updating his/her knowledge with current practices by continuing education courses, attending seminars and more. In addition, there are specific fields in which they can obtain in-depth knowledge and specialize. For example, Sports Certified Specialist (SCS), Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS), Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults (CEEAA), Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), etc. Also, they specialize in rendering treatment for patients suffering from sports injuries, knee pain, spondylosis, back pain, neck pain, muscle strain, frozen shoulder, pain-relieving, post-operative stiffness, antenatal and postnatal care for pregnant women and pediatric physiotherapy care.
How many physical therapy sessions will I need to completely recover?
The answer to this question depends on your ailment, diagnosis, and compliance with your treatment plan. Though there are many packages available, your physical therapist will discuss a treatment plan with you in detail after diagnosing your symptoms. Most of our patients in Zelus Phsyiotherpay have seen a notable difference and a considerable amount of pain relief in just two to 3 sessions. In addition to the physical therapist treatment plan, we suggest post-care exercises for all our patients to continue even after the treatment so that it helps them to keep them in better shape and avoids the recurrence of the pain.
What will a typical physical therapy session include?
It all starts with a comprehensive evaluation of your muscle ailment issues and pain symptoms. Yes, your physical therapist will patiently listen to your issue and go through your medical records to understand the nature of your pain or injury. It helps them to clearly understand your current problems and level of pain you are undergoing, what triggers, aggravates and eases your pain, how your pain is affecting your day to day activities and your lack of mobility, and what you can expect from these physical therapy session. Next, they perform a physical evaluation by testing your muscles, range of motion, neurological screening, palpation, and other tests to create a treatment plan that is customized according to your needs. They will also explain the treatment procedure as well as what you can expect from each visit