Physical therapy can help you in more ways than you can imagine, but in order to get the most benefits out of your physical therapy exercises and consultations, you need to make sure that your physical therapist is the right one for your needs.
There are some general guidelines laid down by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for choosing the right physical therapist, and we will be walking you through them below.
First Off, Your Rights
Before discussing other factors, let us first have a quick word about your rights here. Well, you can directly go to a physical therapist without the need of any referral from a physician, as all the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, allow you to do so.
That said, your insurance policy may have a say here, as it may require that you visit a physician first before seeking the help of a physical therapist, or may limit your options to only its preferred physical therapists.
However, if your physician says that you will need to have your physical therapy sessions in their office or a facility that is financially connected to them, then know you don’t need to follow their advice here.
You’re free to choose any physical therapist you want, and the same goes for the facility in which you have your physical therapy sessions.
Choosing the Right Physical Therapist
Performing a simple Google search may help you find quite a few physical therapists serving patients like you in your area. Many of them would also have a “Google Business” page, where you may be able to find reviews of their past customers.
Yelp is another platform that will help you both find the physical therapists in your area as well as understand the experience of their past customers.
While not necessary, you would have a better much chance of finding a good physical therapist if you limit your search to those that are members of the American Physical Therapy Association.
The next step would be to get an idea of the services the physical therapist offers, as many of them specialize in a certain area, like sports, pediatrics, geriatrics, women’s health and more.
Another important thing to keep in mind is whether the physical therapist participates with your insurance provider. You would have a much lower financial responsibility to take care of if they do.
Apart from that, certain physical therapists also specialize in particular parts of the body, such as the knee, back, neck and more. So if you’re dealing with any kind of health issues specifically related to a particular part of your body, then you may want to visit a physical therapist that specializes in it.
Similarly, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) has introduced 8 specialty areas for physical therapists, including neurology, sports, pediatrics, orthopedics and more. So again, you would ideally want to approach the right specialist professional based on your needs. It’s the same way an individual approaches a dietician for specific purposes , like a person who specifically wants to follow a ketogenic diet has to visit a Keto specialist and not a normal dietician.
