Once you’ve decided you need a physical therapist, you may not know what the first step is other than doing an internet search for the nearest physical therapist. Each provider has their own certifications, licenses, and an alphabet soup following their name. How can you tell which is the best physical therapist, then? You have to do your research – but don’t worry, we’ll spell out for you about how to find the best physical therapist.
Follow these basic steps to determining which physical therapist would be best for your needs:
- Evaluate education and experience: You should receive physical therapy only from a certified physical therapist. In fact, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) lists this as the single most important deciding factor when choosing a physical therapist. This is because physical therapists must complete significant post-graduate education and pass a national licensure examination.
- Evaluate how they interact with you: It’s important to choose a physical therapist with whom you have a good rapport. As a patient, you have a hand in your own healing process, too, and your chance of a full recovery is higher if you trust your physical therapist and you feel comfortable with them. Open, open communication is essential. After a serious injury, your physical therapist will obtain a medical history, perform an exam to identify your current physical issues, and evaluate your functional limitations.
- Evaluate their physical therapy treatment program for you: You should receive a comprehensive exam, including questions about your goals for physical therapy. Your treatment program will involve active techniques like exercise, and then passive techniques that your physical therapist administers on you. These passive techniques may include stretching your muscles and joints, or modalities such as heat and ultrasound. Often, it’s the active techniques that produce lasting results. Your physical therapist should give you an individualized program unique to your body, goals, lifestyle, and abilities, and it should lean heavily on active therapies.
Our goal at ProFysio is to help get you back to 100%, meaning you’ll be free of pain and functional limitations. The process may seem daunting at first, but a caring physical therapist will push you safely to your limits and inspire you to get in better physical condition.
If you are unsure whether a physical therapist is right for you, ask questions, and do your research to get all the information you need before making your final decision.
Our physical therapists at ProFysio are educated, experienced, and dedicated to formulating the best treatment plan for you. To book your appointment, contact us at (732) 812-5200 to schedule your consultation.