In the United States, there are 233,350 physical therapists registered to practice. There are so many potential physical therapists for patients to choose from. This makes it difficult to choose the best physical therapist.
Do you want to know what to look for when you are choosing a physical therapist? Keep reading this guide to see why you may need a physical therapist and what factors to consider when choosing a physical therapist.
Has a Good Location
One of the first things to look for in a physical therapist is that they have a local office. When you are dealing with an injury or other mobility issues, it can be difficult to travel far distances for appointments.
Finding a local office will save you time driving to your appointments. You will also have easier access to the help you need.
Offers Specialization & Other Services
Next, you need to learn more about the services offered by your physical therapist.
Some physical therapists get board-certified for their specialization. These include things like sports physical therapy, geriatrics, wound management, and more. If you have a specific issue that you are dealing with, you may want to find a therapist that has experience working with your exact issue.
You may also want to learn more about their other services. For example, some physical therapists offer home care or even telehealth services. This is great for those who are not able to travel for appointments.
Make sure you tell your therapist if you need any additional treatment or care outside of their typical services.
Provides Personalized One-On-One Care
Something else to look for in your physical therapist is that they offer personalized care during your appointment. If your physical therapist meets with several people during the same appointment time, you may not get as much help as you need.
You also want to make sure your treatment plan is customized for you and your specific injuries. A treatment plan that works for one client will not work for all of them, so make sure your physical therapist has personal goals and exercises for you.
Accepts Your Insurance
Another important factor to consider before selecting a physical therapist is whether or not they accept your insurance or health care plan. Physical therapy services can be expensive when you are paying them out of pocket. Because of this, it is best to get treatment from an in-network physical therapist.
Even if your physical therapist doesn’t accept your insurance, they may offer cash payments outside of insurance for a lower price. By learning more about the cost of your treatment, you can get the care you need without having an extreme financial burden.
Has the Right Credentials
Becoming a physical therapist is a long process that requires you to be certified and licensed. The average physical therapist pay differs by state, but they typically make about $89,000.
Because the physical therapist salary is quite high, they also require a lot of physical therapist education. Typically, your physical therapist will either have a Master’s of Physical Therapy or a Doctorate of Physical therapy.
To learn more about your physical therapist’s education, you can often find this information listed on the website of your physical therapy. You should also be sure that they are licensed to practice in your state and have any other necessary certifications.
Makes You Feel Comfortable With Them
Next, you need to make sure you get along with your physical therapist. Because your relationship with your physical therapist requires a lot of trust, it is important that you feel comfortable around them.
This is vital for your healing process, as a lot of your work will take place outside of your physical therapy appointments. If you have a good relationship with your physical therapist, you will be more likely to work on improving outside of your appointments.
If you feel uncomfortable with your physical therapist, it may also be difficult to do some of the stretches and exercises that require you to be in close quarters with your physical therapist.
Gives You Homework
If you think that homework ended in college, this may not be true. A high-quality physical therapist will always provide additional moves, stretching, or other types of mobility work to do on your own.
This is because you simply cannot improve completely in a single appointment. Make sure you find a physical therapist that cares enough about you to give you additional work to do. This shows that they care about your reaching your goals and are focused on your long-term results.
Check Out Online Reviews
Finally, you need to do research about the reputation of your physical therapist. This can be done by checking their online reviews to look for past complaints or problems that previous clients have had.
Make sure that your physical therapist has mainly positive reviews on their Google listing and that they haven’t had any major problems with clients in the past.
Schedule an Appointment With Your Physical Therapist Today
What do physical therapists do? They help injured or ill patients improve their movement, lower pain, and more. However, there are thousands of physical therapists across the country, so you must take these factors into consideration when choosing a physical therapist to work with.
Are you looking for physical therapy services in the greater Atlanta area? nMotion Physical Therapy can help. Our team of expert physical therapists offers everything from physical therapy to other special services.
Contact our office today to learn about our physical therapy services and to schedule an appointment!