Finding the right physical therapist
If you’re feeling pain in your muscles or joints that isn’t going away, we often recommend seeing a physical therapist.
But there are so many PTs out there – how do you choose?
The first consideration is whether to use a physical therapist who accepts insurance.
Sadly, because of the way health insurance covers physical therapy, we often recommend you see a “cash-based” therapist if you can afford to pay out of pocket.
Going through insurance will limit the scope of the PT’s evaluation. If you say your knee hurts, the physical therapist will likely only look at your knee because that’s all insurance will cover. Odds are, though, that your knee pain is affected by other parts of your body. A cash-based PT will do a head-to-toe scan to see what else could be causing or contributing to your pain.
That being said, I went to PT for knee pain, used insurance, and his pain is now mostly gone. So this isn’t a definitive rule.
Next, you’ll want to make sure the physical therapist has experience with the type of injury or pain you’re dealing with. You can usually find this information on their website.
Finally, you’ll want to make sure the physical therapist understands the importance of moving regularly while healing.
You might need to attend a session or two to fully figure this out, but if a physical therapist specializes in “sports medicine,” that’s a good sign.
Members regularly tell us they went to a doctor or physical therapist who told them to stop exercising entirely, or avoid basic movement patterns like squatting, because of pain.
If a medical professional makes this recommendation, we suggest you get a second opinion.
There are situations where complete rest is the best option, and it makes sense to avoid overtaxing an injured joint or muscle.
But many times, staying active with appropriate modifications is critical to healing. And if you’re not supposed to squat, how are you supposed to sit down and stand up in daily life?
The best physical therapists will know how to help the body heal while maintaining a healthy amount of activity.
Searching for the right medical professional can be time-consuming and stressful. But when it comes to recovering from injury, it’s worth it.
