Tips to Find Your Physical Therapist
Finding the right Savage, MN physical therapist can put you on the path to recovery, help reduce pain, and restore your range of movement.
If you are wondering where to begin when it comes to finding the best physical therapist to meet your needs, continue reading. This artice provides tips to find the best outpatient physical therapist for your pain or mobility concerns.
Gaining Guidance While Recovering from Illness or Injury
Choosing a physical therapist (PT) is an important aspect of recovery from illness or injury. There are many settings and specialties in PT, so it is vital that you get to the right practitioner to ensure success in your rehabilitation process.
When seeking guidance from a physical therapist during the process of healing and recovery, while therapists keep track of patient progress and inquire how their patients are feeling, being your own advocate and communicating well is always valued. To find the right physical therapist, consider things like their credentials, experience, communication style, integration with your local medical community, and more.
Look for someone with proven experience that aligns with your needs. For example, sports-injury physical therapy, or physical therapy for orthopedic needs.
What to Look for When Choosing the Right Physical Therapist for You
- Credentials: In Minnesota, physical therapists are required to have a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from an accredited program, clinical experience, and pass a state licensure exam.
- Experience: Consider the therapist’s experience. What type of setting are they working in now, and what areas have they worked in the past?
- Expertise: Expertise is gained over time and often through niche training (like BEMER therapy, or manuel PT).
- Referrals: Assess how referrals are made to the physical therapist that you are considering and if they are required.
- Specialty: Many PTs have a specialty that can offer you the best results.
- Resourceful: The therapist integrates well within their healthcare network.
- Location: Find someone in your area so it’s easy to make it to your PT appointments.
Credentials
Education from an accredited university will ensure they have the credentials to practice. Some non-PT office settings use the words “physical therapy” when, in fact, they are referring to rehab or therapy exercises performed by a practitioner other than a physical therapist. Be sure you choose a clinic with licensed practitioners.
You can also look for a therapist who continues to learn and keep up with the latest research and developments.
Experience
Clinical settings and practices vary widely across the profession. Large healthcare facilities are commonplace in most metropolitan areas and offer physical therapists valuable field experience. They aim to provide PT services from in-patient to outpatient capturing large volumes of patients. After years of experience at a larger facility, some high-achieving PTs decide to establish their own private practice.
Due to contracts with insurance companies, there becomes an emphasis on quantity vs quality. Physical therapists working in small private practices can provide significant advantages in your care. Look for a practice that sets 1-on-1 appointments with the primary PT throughout your care plan.
Developing this personal relationship with an experienced provider you know and trust will help ensure your goals are met, and your recovery is maximized.
Expertise
Expertise can also be accessed by any specialty certifications they have listed, but consider their years of clinical experience in treating patients as the utmost importance. Quality physical therapists are interested in the health and well-being of their communities. Consider what volunteer work they are involved in as an indication of their care and commitment to others. Volunteer work also builds personal expertise, as patient cases may be unique from clinic cases.
Like other healthcare providers, “expertise” is established when physical therapists have strong analytic and observational skills to diagnose a patient’s problem, evaluate treatments, and provide safe, effective care.
Each physical therapist can select to earn additional credentials by specializing in an area of expertise within the field. Typically, you can learn this from the physical therapist’s website. A call to their clinic can determine whether they have any specialized education or certifications that make them an ideal fit for your needs.
Referral system
Referrals for physical therapy are not always required. Each state has its own practice laws, but in many states, you, as the patient, can directly access the PT without a referral from your doctor. That is how it works in Minnesota. This is known as “direct access” and can allow patients to receive treatment faster and more cost-effectively.
Some insurance companies may still require a referral to cover visits. Checking with your own insurance company to locate a physical therapist in your network near home is a great first step. Some insurance companies require a referral regardless of the state’s access rules, so please ask your PT what you will need upon scheduling your initial appointment. If you are a senior looking for a physical therapist, it may help to know that direct access also doesn’t apply to Medicare patients.
Specialty: Manual therapy emphasis
Our Minnesota physical therapists use safe, natural manual therapy techniques to encourage your body to heal and function optimally.
Manual therapy utilizes a range of PT techniques that help reduce pain. These may include specific tactics for stretching tight muscles, reducing swelling, and helping body tissues relax and heal with warmth. Many forms of manual therapy can play an effective role in pain reduction and mobility improvements. For example, joint mobilization/manipulation often lowers a person’s pain level by stretching tight structures and increasing blood flow to the joint.
Finding a physical therapist specializing in your area of need can make a significant difference. For example, a deep understanding of sports injuries, neurology, or age-related issues may all contribute to your successful results. Even though many general outpatient physical therapy clinics say they treat everything, expert care may be helpful for specific health and healing scenarios.
Resourceful
If your PT asks for another therapist’s opinion, that’s a sign that they’re using all available resources to treat you best. You are no longer limited to one person’s expertise and experience. They can draw upon other PTs when unusual needs arise to provide resourceful treatments and options.
A good PT may also send you home with resources like a PDF, handout, or brochure with helpful explanations and example exercises. They may also have online videos you can watch that make your follow-through exercises easier.
Location: A Physical Therapist in Savage, MN
Finding a nearby physical therapist’s office is an important factor for many patients. Busy lives or limited wellness may significantly impact a person’s driving ability or tolerance for prolonged sitting to get there. Consider “location” if driving a distance aggravates your condition or injury.
If getting to your PT session becomes inconvenient, the need to reschedule visits occurs more frequently. If you choose a location close to home, your attendance to visits is more convenient and your likelihood of completing your plan of care increases.
Question Answers That Help When Selecting a PT
Physical therapy provides various opportunities to help people recover to their normal or better-than-normal condition. Here are additional answers to questions poeple ask when seeking the best PT for their needs.
What does a physical therapist do during a patient’s initial assessment?
During an initial evaluation, the physical therapist typically examines the patient, obtains a health history, performs relevant system reviews, assesses the patient’s functional status, and selects and administers specific tests and measurements to formulate clinical treatment recommendations.
Your PT assessment is a dynamic process in which your physical therapist makes clinical judgments based on data gathered during this initial examination. Further visits and therapeutic exercises will add to your clinical assessment and PT treatment plan.
Do I need a doctor’s referral to begin physical therapy?
No, the state of Minnesota has direct access which allows you to see a licensed PT without a referral from your physician.
Minnesota state law allows patients to receive physical therapy (PT) care without a referral from a physician, chiropractor, dentist, podiatrist, or advanced practice nurse for up to 90 days.
“Allows direct access without a time limitation for patients being treated by a physical therapist for prevention, wellness, education, or exercise.” – Minnesota Physical Therapy Statutes & Rules
What is the difference between a PT and GPT?
A PT is a physical therapist with either a Masters (MPT) or Bachelors degree (BSPT). A DPT has a Doctorate degree as the APTA moved all entry level education to a doctorate in 2000. Physical therapists educated before that time were mostly MPT or BSPT.
What is the difference between a PT and a DPT?
DPT is a “Doctor of Physical Therapy.” A DPT is a person who has a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. A PT (physical therapist) has a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physical therapy. Both DPTs and PTs are qualified to examine and provide helpful treatment for movement difficulties.
How do I know if a physical therapist is good at their job?
The only real way to know is to experience it firsthand, but you can gain clues from their communication, professionalism, treatment approach, what their patients say, and clinical outcomes.
A patient may request a male or female therapist if they have a clear preference. While it has never occurred in our Savage, MN Family Physical Therapy office, a person may request a different therapist if there are personality conflicts. Many people prefer to work with a particular PT through a recommendation or past experience. Your comfort level will be taken into consideration and given high priority.
What if I cannot communicate well with my PT?
A physical therapist should be your partner in helping you meet your wellness and movement goals. Find someone you have a good rapport with and can openly communicate with. An expert physical therapist will be highly confidential and communicate with you to put you at ease.
Most professional PTs appreciate it when patients are invested in their own recovery, ask questions, and want to learn more. When both patient and provider are open to these conversations, it’s easier to debunk myths, try new things, and learn how your body responds best – together.
SUMMARY: Finding a Good Physical Therapist
Working closely with your physical therapist is the most effective way to achieve the best results. Brenda Brewster and all support personnel at Family Physical Therapist care that you feel confident about your PT choice.
Remember, choosing a therapist isn’t like selecting a snack from a vending machine. It is a very personal choice that impacts your long-term sense of well-being.