Frequently Asked Questions About Our Physical Therapy
Is physical therapy right for my problem?
This is the most common question we hear! Luckily, it’s the easiest one to answer: if you’re in pain due to any of the following problems, then YES, physical therapy is right for you and we know exactly how to help:
- Back pain and stiffness
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Shoulder muscle tension and tightness
- Pain and pins and needles in your leg
- Sports Injury
- Ankle or Knee injury
- Pain in hamstring, calf, groin muscles or the achilles tendon
- Pain underneath your foot
- Pain in your lower back when you sit or stand for even short periods of time
- Pain and stiffness in your back when you put on your socks and shoes
Does physical therapy hurt?
Great question! It’s true that PT is a very physical experience, and as such treatments can often be a little uncomfortable sometimes, but we will always aim to be as gentle as possible and cause minimal discomfort. Before we use any techniques, we will tell you exactly what is about to happen, whether or not it is likely to hurt, and for how long.
Pain is an unavoidable part of physical therapy—BUT, most patients agree that it’s a good kind of pain, like the stretch or muscle burn that one would feel during an intense workout. The discomfort usually reduces as treatment progresses, and we can always recommend things like ice and heat to help reduce the soreness that might be caused by the treatment!
What injuries do you treat?
Here is a list of the common injuries that we see:
Back
- Disc prolapse/herniated disc/slipped disc/bulging disc
- Sacroiliac joint pain and stiffness
- Sciatica
- Spinal Stenosis
- Weak core stability
Neck / Shoulder
- Disc prolapse/herniated disc/slipped disc/bulging disc
- Impingement Syndrome
- Muscle spasm and tension
- Neck Spondylosis (degeneration)
- Rotator Cuff tear
Ankle and Knee
- Achilles tendon
- Ankle Sprain
- Knee Cartilage
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Post-surgery knee rehab
Sports Injury / Muscles
- Achilles tendonitis
- Calf strain
- Groin strain
- Hamstring strain
- Shoulder muscle tear
Whiplash Injuries
Any Injury Requiring Massage
If your injury isn’t on the list, that doesn’t mean we don’t treat it—it just means you’re a rare case! We’d love to meet with you and talk about your situation.
How will physical therapy help my injury?
Physical therapy is as much about the physical as it is about giving you peace of mind. Your physical therapist will aim to reduce your pain and get you active again, but we will ALSO speak to you in a simple way that will give you a clear understanding of your injury—what it is, how it happened, how to fix it, and how to prevent it from happening again!
If you can find your injury or problem on the list above, we’re extremely confident that physical therapy will help—so confident that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee! If you are not 100% satisfied with your treatment, we will personally refund everything you spent with us.
Do I need a referral?
Florida currently allows direct access to outpatient physical therapy services for up to 30 days without a physician referral. That means you can schedule an appointment and begin seeing and feeling physical improvements immediately, without a formal referral! Should your treatment take longer than 30 consecutive calendar days, you can get a referral for "Physical Therapy" from a medical professional (MD, DO, Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, Dentist, Podiatrist, or Chiropractor).
What should I wear?
To make your experience as comfortable as possible, please bear in mind the location of your injured body part. For example if you have a knee injury, shorts would be ideal. Or if you're suffering a shoulder injury, consider a looser shirt.
Your physical therapist will always aim to remove as little clothing as possible, and we will always respect your privacy if removing an article of clothing makes you uncomfortable. Occasionally patients will ask us if it would be easier or more convenient for us to provide treatment if an item be removed completely. You are free to make this decision.
Can I bring someone with me?
No problem! You do not need to inform us of this decision in advance. If you are accompanied by a friend or family member, we will ask if you would like them to join you in the treatment room during your session. Alternatively, they can wait in reception if you prefer—there’s coffee, chocolate, and a television to keep them occupied.
How often will I need treatment?
That answer is always dependent upon the nature of your injury. Our aim is to return you to full fitness as quickly and as safely as possible. Your physical therapist will be in a better position to answer this after your initial evaluation. An acute/early phase injury may require one or two visits in a short period of time. On the other hand, a more chronic injury such as an arthritic knee problem may require more visits in order to progress an exercise programme to help you self-manage your injury. Either way, we’ll have a clearer answer for you after a Discovery visit and initial evaluation!