What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is the examination, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis using exercise, massage, manual therapy, electrical modalities, heat, ice, education, and assistive devices to aid in the improvement of function, wellness, pain reduction, and prevention of injury. It is appropriate to use with individuals with pain, disability, or problems affecting their sports participation or performance. By law, physical therapy can only be administered by a licensed physical therapist. To find out more information, please link to the American Physical Therapy Association home page.

PT: Physical Therapist

DMT: Doctor of Manual Therapy

MOMT: Master of Orthopedic Manual Therapy

OCS: Orthopedic Clinical Specialist

ATC: Athletic Trainer, Certified

CHT: Certified Hand Therapist

FAAOMPT: Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy

Who Should Seek Physical Therapy?

In addition to the obvious cases of patients with sports injuries, orthopedic surgeries, etc., there are those that live with intractable chronic pain, postural deficiencies and muscle imbalances. These maladies often go unattended for years until the pain becomes intense - and in many cases, unbearable.  Physical therapy can address many of these issues before they become severe to optimize function.
Also, there are patients with balance impairments, vertigo, decreased coordination and urinary incontinence that can benefit from the intervention of Physical Therapy.

What is Manual Therapy?

All of the physical therapists at United Physical Therapy have obtained significant amounts of training in manual therapy. Manual therapy is a term used broadly to describe a specialization within the field of orthopedic physical therapy. Techniques are utilized to aid in the recovery from injury or improve physical performance and the techniques are specialized and require advanced training. The techniques include but are not limited to muscle energy, joint mobilization and manipulation, myofacial release, strain/counter strain, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. They are applied based on the biomechanical and neurological principals to help facilitate recovery and are enhanced generally with the application of appropriate exercise prescription.

Expected outcomes may include managing pain, increasing range of motion, reducing or eliminating soft tissue inflammation, improving contractile and non-contractile tissue healing, mobility, and/or stability, facilitating movement, and restoring function.

You can get more information either from the Ola Grimsby Institute or the American Accademy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy.

How do I get started?

At United Physical Therapy, we've made it very easy for you to get started. When you click on Make an appointment, you will receive a complete checklist of all you'll need to get started right away. All of the contact information for both of our offices is located here, making it easy for you to get in touch with us. Typically, we can see you within 24 hours of your call, and that call is the first step in getting you back on the road to recovery.    

What should I expect on my first visit?

Upon arrival at our office, you will meet your personal licensed physical therapist that you will work closely with throughout your entire recovery process. You will be asked to fill out some basic paperwork (don't forget to bring in your prescription for physical therapy and any written information -- operative reports, X-ray and/or MRI results -- you have about your injury). The physical therapist will then ask you a series of questions about your past and present medical conditions, before performing a comprehensive evaluation of your muscles, joints, nerves, tendons, and ligaments including range of motion, strength and functional testing. Based on your physician's diagnosis, our prognosis, and your personal goals, an individual treatment plan will be devised. You will receive treatment and home exercises on your first visit. Future appointments will also be scheduled.    


What types of treatments do you perform?

We perform various types of treatments, and will customize a program combining the best treatments geared toward your particular injury. The types of treatments we do include soft tissue massage, deep tissue massage, joint mobilization, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, iontophoresis, phonophoresis, stretching, therapeutic exercises, and ice. The treatment program will vary based on your injury, and will be performed in a private treatment room as well as a gym setting using a variety of athletic and rehabilitation equipment.    


How often will I need to attend physical therapy?

Most patients are treated two to three times per week, though frequency may be more or less depending on the particular case. The total duration of physical therapy will depend on the severity of your injury. The more committed you are to your recovery (meaning, you regularly attend your PT sessions), the more likely you are to recover faster. We try to set up permanent appointment times for you to help make scheduling consistent, and we offer early morning, evening and even weekend appointments in order to enable you to fit PT into your busy schedule.    


How long will each appointment take?

Visits range from 30 to 60 minutes depending on how involved the case or if multiple regions of the body are involved.  During each visit, you will spend the time with your physical therapist receiving manual treatment (deep tissue massage, joint mobilization, electric stimulation or other forms of specialized treatment for your injury). This time may also be spent working on strengthening the injured area via specific exercises and stretches.    


Is there anything I can do at home to help speed the recovery process along?

Absolutely. We will customize a home treatment program—comprised of advice on how to reduce your pain, exercises and stretches--for you so that you can continue your rehabilitation process in between physical therapy sessions. It is essential that you follow the instructions and perform the home exercises regularly to control your symptoms and speed up recovery.    


Do you know my doctor?

We are always in close communication with your doctor through frequent progress letters and phone calls. We both share the same goal of helping you recover as quickly as possible, thus, work as a team to make sure that this happens.    



 What type of insurances do you accept?

We accept all Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) insurances, Medicare, medicaid and worker's compensation insurance. We are Preferred Providers for Blue Cross and Aetna. We do not accept HMO insurance plans or liens. However, if you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident and require physical therapy, you may be eligible for coverage under your Private Health Insurance or car insurance policy. Just because we are not listed in your insurance company's provider book does not mean we do not accept your insurance. Please call your insurance carrier to find out whether  whether you are eligible for coverage, and if so, what your co-payment and/or deductible will be. Simply call and ask about your insurance benefits.    

Do I need a Doctor referral for Physical Therapy?

We do require a Dr Referral for all Medicare, Medicaid, Worker’s Compensation and Auto claims. We do not require a Dr Referral for Private Health Insurance claims, however your insurance carrier may require you to have one to pay for your treatment.  It is highly recommended that you contact your carrier before treatment and ask questions about your coverage