Your First Visit

Because physical therapists are licensed healthcare providers, your insurance must provide physical therapy benefits. If you have insurance coverage, bring your current insurance card(s). If you have questions about your insurance coverage or benefits, you can direct those questions to your Patient Care Representative, a Front Desk Coordinator, or the billing department.

Please wear loose-fitting, casual clothing for your physical therapy appointments. Also, it is essential to wear appropriate shoes to perform any exercises. If needed, we provide a changing room.

Write down any symptoms you have today and include how long you have been experiencing each symptom. If you have more than one symptom, begin with the most bothersome one today. As you make your list, be sure to include the following:

• Do certain activities, movements, or specific positions, such as sitting or standing, increase or improve your pain?
• Is your pain more noticeable at certain times of the day?
• When resting, is your pain more significant or reduced?

Make a note of any critical personal information, including any recent stressful events, injuries, incidents, or environmental factors that you believe might have contributed to your condition.

Write down essential information about your medical history, even if it seems unrelated to the condition you are seeing the physical therapist. For example:

• Make a list of all prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements that you are taking.
• Make a list of any medical conditions of your parents or siblings.
• Bring the contact information for your physician and other healthcare professionals you would like your physical therapist to contact regarding your evaluation and your progress.

It is common for the first appointment to last two hours.

First, your physical therapist will ask many questions about your health and the specific condition that requires physical therapy today.

Your physical therapist may also ask specific questions about your home or work environment, health habits, and activity level. Note that your leisure and recreational interests are also vital.

Answer the questions with details to help your therapist create a custom recovery plan.

Second, your physical therapist will perform a detailed examination. This examination will include an evaluation of your strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, posture, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Your physical therapist might use their hands to examine or “palpate” the affected area or to perform a detailed examination of the mobility of your joints, muscles, and other tissues. Your physical therapist may also evaluate the following:

• How you walk (your “gait”)
• How do you get up from a lying position or get in and out of a chair (“functional activities”)
• How you use your body for certain activities, such as bending and lifting (“body mechanics”)

The TTN physical therapist will work with you to determine your physical therapy goals and begin to develop a plan for your treatment. In many cases, the physical therapist will make a diagnosis and begin treatment during the first appointment or shortly.

Your physical therapist will communicate information from your examination to your physician and other health care professionals at your request. Your therapist will share your goals, improvement, and future care with you and your list of health care professionals.

• Plan to arrive a few minutes early for each scheduled appointment. Late arrival may affect your 1-on-1 time with the therapist and that of other patients in the clinic.
• Actively participate in discussions with your therapist on your schedule and the frequency of appointments.
• Show up for appointments. Please review the facility’s Financial and Cancellations Policy before starting a TTN treatment program. Failure to show up for an appointment without following the TTN cancellation policy may result in a fee. If an emergency prevents you from attending, try to provide adequate notice.
• If you plan to discontinue therapy or change the frequency of treatment because of personal or financial considerations, please discuss this with your physical therapist.

A commitment to a home therapy program is essential to your recovery. Plan to follow the home program as instructed by your physical therapist.

Only perform exercises at the therapist-specified repetition, frequency, and resistance (such as weight or resistance band color). More is not always better and may cause injury!