Looking for a physical rehabilitation center?
Wondering how to choose the best one for your needs?
If it’s time to find a physical therapist in your area, you need to know what to look for to make the best choice. If you’ve never been to a physical rehabilitation center before, you may not know what to expect.
But don’t worry. Below we’ll tell you everything you need to know when trying to find the best physical rehabilitation center near you.
1. Learn About Their Specializations
The first thing you need to keep in mind when looking for physical therapy is what kind of physical therapy specializations the rehabilitation center offers.
Depending on your particular injury or condition you may need a physical therapist with very specific areas of expertise. All types of specializations can be found for all types of injuries and issues. For example, hand therapy (find out more) is one type of specialization you can expect to see.
When evaluating a potential center for your physical therapy needs, be sure that you find out what specializations they have. Know whether the physical therapists are familiar with your particular injury or condition.
2. Consider Education and Experience
Just because a center claims a particular focus or area of expertise, it doesn’t mean that they are the real deal. It’s important that you take the time to look into the specifics of a particular rehabilitation center you are considering.
Find out the names of the physical therapists who work at the center and research what level of education they have. Look for the specifics of their degrees and learn to understand the different types of physical therapists and what they can offer you.
Besides their basic physical therapy license, find out if they have any extra certifications as well.
3. Find Out About Payment and Insurance Needs
When considering a physical rehabilitation center, you should also find out what types of insurance will be accepted. Also, find out what payment options are available.
Your insurance provider may have suggestions of physical therapists who are in their network. But, in some cases, if your needs are very specific or advanced you may still want to go out of your insurance provider’s network instead.
Be sure to learn about payment and insurance information upfront. This should be one of the first things you ask about when first considering a rehabilitation center.
4. Consider the Time Frame
You also need to consider the time frame that you can expect with a particular physical therapist or at a center. Be sure to know how long appointments will be.
In some cases, you’ll receive as much as an hour of care with a physical therapist while in other cases you’ll only get 30 minutes.
Additionally, you need to find out how much of this time will be spent with the licensed physical therapist. Many times, physical therapists will spend part of your session with you while a non-licensed aide will spend the rest of the time with you.
If you discover that the physical rehabilitation center gives you the majority of time with the aide rather than the licensed physical therapist, you may want to find a better option.
5. Know Which Physical Therapy Techniques Will Be Used
It’s also important to find out what types of physical therapy techniques you can expect during your session.
Find out if the therapist you will be meeting with will focus the session more on manual therapy or if they will focus more on exercise-based therapy.
It can be a good idea to find a physical therapist who focuses on hands-on treatment. Hands-on treatment can be very beneficial and effective, and often speeds up recovery when compared with other methods.
Find out more about the other techniques they’ll be using as well. These may include dry needling, manipulations, mobilizations, soft tissue or fascia techniques.
6. Consider Whether Treatment Is Passive or Active
You should also find out how much passive types of treatment will be used during the session compared to how much of the treatment will be active.
Passive treatment types such as laser therapy, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation may be used. These methods shouldn’t comprise the majority of the treatment, though.
Make sure that any physical therapist that you choose to work with will use plenty of active treatment techniques. If any passive methods are used, they shouldn’t make up the majority of the treatment.
7. Take Your Comfort into Consideration
It’s important to take your own preferences into consideration. Ensure that you’ll be comfortable throughout the sessions. Meet with any potential physical therapists you may be working with. Take the time to consider whether you would be comfortable spending time with them, session after session.
Take first impressions into consideration. If you don’t feel like a particular physical therapist will be a good listener and attentive to your needs, you may want to go with another option.
Similarly, if you would be more comfortable with either a male or female physical therapist, that’s okay as well.
8. Find Out What to Expect From Your First Visit
Before choosing a physical therapist it can be a great idea to ask what you can expect from your first session.
Chances are that you will be expected to give some in-depth information on your injury or condition. Expect to discuss your needs and expectations at length as part of your first visit and initial consultation.
Additionally, you’ll probably need to wear comfortable clothes for your first visit as well. You’ll want to leave your best suit at home.
Find out the details of what is required before choosing the physical rehabilitation center that you will be working with. By finding out what you can expect from your first visit you’ll be sure to get things started out on the right foot.
Finding the Right Physical Rehabilitation Center
By following the tips above and making sure to do the right research, you’ll be able to find the perfect physical rehabilitation center near you. You’ll make sure that the entire physical rehabilitation process goes smoothly and you’re back to your usual self in no time at all.
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