When most people are faced with the question of how do you know if you need physical therapy, they quickly reach for the yellow pages or an ad in the newspaper. However, should you ever decide to use these methods to find a physical therapist, you will quickly discover that these recommendations are often based on a good bit of guesswork.
In the beginning, there was little in the way of criteria to help a person know if they needed physical therapy. An examination by a physician was typically required. After this, you would then usually be scheduled for treatment and an appointment would be set up to follow up.
If you were fortunate enough to have had such a medical history, then you may have been able to skip the part of having an appointment. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the population has to endure at least some form of injury or illness in order to even be considered for a physical therapy appointment.
Some of the more common injuries associated with the search for physical therapy include those sustained during sports related activities, accidents at work, or accidents on the job. In most cases, these things can also have a significant effect on a person’s life as well as their ability to work, so if you were to fall into any of these categories, it would probably be wise to get some sort of evaluation from a physician.
You can’t underestimate the importance of receiving professional evaluations before you actually start looking for physical therapy. Doing so will give you a better idea of what kind of services you need, as well as which physical therapist you should seek out.
While there is still no easy way to answer the question of how do you know if you need physical therapy, you do have a number of factors that can help you determine whether you do not need such care. Most physical therapists that deal with injuries require some sort of background check before you will be allowed to see them.
You can usually get this from the facility where you will be receiving your physical therapy. However, you may have to take a trip to the facility yourself in order to meet with the physical therapist in person.
When it comes to asking how do you know if you need physical therapy, it is always a good idea to have some sort of background on the person you are looking at. This can help you learn about the physical therapist, how they treat injuries, and how you should expect to receive your treatment.
Your doctor can also provide you with some information regarding how you should go about finding physical therapy if you do not already know anyone who has experience in that field. They can also offer you some helpful tips about how to go about choosing a physical therapist that you feel comfortable with.
Your options include seeking out a physical therapist that you have come across on a list of physicians, on the recommendation of a friend, or by using the resources provided by a website that has a detailed listing of physicians in your area. You can also request a list of physical therapists by visiting a website such as Physiotherapy.org.
You can also ask your friends or relatives who may have received treatment for any experiences that might be similar to your needs, or you can ask your doctor for some information regarding the kinds of physical therapy he or she has handled in the past. Of course, all of these resources are going to be based on your own individual needs and circumstances.
You may want to make a trip to your local physical therapy clinic to speak with a counselor who can give you further advice. If you do decide to go ahead and schedule an appointment, it is always a good idea to ask the physical therapist if you can receive online consultation, or if you can call them to discuss your issues during the appointment.