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7 Ways to Breeze Through Physical Therapy

March 28, 2022 | Tips & Trends
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Pick the Right PT
Just like your doctor, you want a Physical Therapist or Occupational Therapist who has experience with your condition. Ask questions about their background, the plan for your therapy, any special equipment you will need, and how long your treatment will last. You should be able to talk comfortably about what happens during your sessions and be able to openly discuss any concerns or questions you have with your therapist.

Know Your Goals
What do you want to be able to do after physical therapy? Get out of a chair more easily? Play tennis again? Have less difficulty completing daily tasks? Know what your goals are and make sure your Physical Therapist does, too. They will customize your plan of care to help you achieve your goals. Short-term gains are important, too. Celebrate each step along the way, no matter how small!

Do Your “Homework”
Your therapist may give you exercises to do at home between appointments. It is important to do them to help your recovery continue to progress. Many of the benefits from PT comes from the work you put in on your own, away from the clinic.

Come to Your Appointments Regularly and On Time
Consistency is key! Your therapist will prescribe a plan of care based on your condition to get you back to feeling better as quickly as possible. Sticking with your plan of care is important to keep your recovery on track and prevent regression. We know things come up in life and you may need to reschedule an appointment. Our caring Patient Care Coordinators will help you reschedule your appointments when needed.

Wear Appropriate and Comfortable Clothing
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes with non-skid soles to every appointment. Your therapist may move the joint that is bothering you to test how well it works, check how you walk, ask you to get up out of a chair, or do other motions. If your therapist(s) assigns exercises for you to do at home, they will demonstrate and then watch you do them to make sure your form is correct.

Don’t Overdo It
Keep up with your home exercises but follow your therapist’s instructions. If you add more weight and reps, or exercise more often than you’re told to, you will not heal any faster. You might even set your recovery back or develop a new injury. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact your therapist before your next appointment.

Manage Pain
It’s important to stick with your therapy program, but don’t ignore your body’s warning signals. Talk to your PT about any discomfort and ask for tips about how to deal with it. Keep up with your home exercises but follow your therapist’s instructions.

Find a Phoenix Physical Therapy clinic location near you.

The entire Phoenix Physical Therapy Team is committed to providing our patients with quality physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy in a safe and healthy clinic environment. We continue to follow the guidance provided by the CDC, WHO and public health officials to update you as new information becomes available. Let’s work together to keep each other safe and healthy.

The safety of our patients, communities and team members remains our top priority. We know you have a choice in your care providers and appreciate your commitment to Phoenix and our qualified clinicians.

Here are the actions we have taken to keep our patients, communities and team healthy & safe:

  • Flexible scheduling allows for social distancing
  • Regular cleaning and sanitation of all clinic surfaces
  • Facemasks must be worn by all Phoenix staff and are recommended for all patients
  • Screening questionnaire and temperature checks prior to entering clinics
  • 6 feet of social distancing throughout the clinics

Keeping Our Clinics Safe

Here are some tips on how we can keep each other safe:

  • Handwashing is your best self-defense against the spread of germs. When soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Please stay home if you are not feeling well, especially if you have a fever, are coughing or sneezing, or are experiencing shortness of breath. If a patient shows up with symptoms, the clinic team will work with them to reschedule.
  • Be vigilant. If you have traveled to any of the countries where there are outbreaks of the virus, please follow guidance from the CDC website and our Travel Guidelines.

Here are actions we are taking to keep our clinics clean and safe:

  • Equipment will be wiped down after EVERY use with antibacterial wipes/sprays
  • All surfaces that patients or staff may touch including door handles, countertops, seating, pens at sign-in, bathroom and all other common areas will be disinfected regularly
  • Treatment tables will be 6 feet apart
  • Team members will wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezin
  • Clinics will have hand sanitizer available at the front desk and in the treatment areas
  • Any Phoenix team members who are ill will be asked to stay home
  • We will maintain social distancing between patients in the clinic
  • Caregivers that are bringing a patient to the clinic should wait in their car or come back when the appointment has ended unless necessary (i.e. minor requiring a guardian or for assistance needs)
  • When possible, we will treat patients in private rooms to increase social distancing
  • Any patients that have underlying health issues (i.e. diabetes, respiratory problems, etc.) will be given the option to be seen during special clinic hours or can opt to be treated in a private room away from other clinicians and patients
  • All patients should be self-screening before entering the clinic. Our PCCs will perform a secondary screening during the check-in process and before patients enter the clinic including a screening questionnaire and temperature check.
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