Did you know that no script is necessary to receive care from a physical therapist? Well, there is a caveat here with respect to involving Medicare and some insurance companies (if you choose to use them). In all 50 states (to some degree), patients can directly seek care from a physical therapist for their injury or issue. This ability can speed up recovery. Not having to wait for another provider to tell you what you already know (about your injury). Or specifically who you need to go see (a physical therapist). Why delay treatment? Wouldn’t it be nice to feel normal again more quickly? The answer is of course.

The next question (if you already know (knew) that no script is necessary) is why delay?

Common reasons for delayed care include:

It will just go away on its own.

If it was going to go away on its own, it would do so within 2-3 weeks. If a problem persists longer than that, medical guidance is advised. In most cases, the longer a problem persists, the longer it will last and the longer it takes for rehab gains to be realized.

I need to get imaging to know exactly what is wrong.

FALSE. There are very few instances where imaging is necessary and/or beneficial for most orthopedic (non-fracture or trauma) injuries. In fact, imaging has a tendency to be more harmful than helpful. Yep, you read that correctly. Imaging can be harmful. How so? Well, think about all the thoughts that run through your head thinking about if you are dealing with condition X or Y. And what then becomes of your thoughts if (WHEN) a doctor tells you something. Even if the findings are just normal aging…because that is what is often reported on most imaging on folks over the age of 40 but is told in such a way that it changes beliefs. The words used make people believe that if they remain active they will have a problem. Worse yet, many are told to stop doing activities because they MIGHT have some future impact on the body.

The psychological impact of imaging is HUGE and rarely does it help a provider make treatment decisions…that is unless you really want surgery.

So…back to the matter at hand…in most instances no script is necessary to see a physical therapist – the muscle and joint experts. If you are struggling with pain or cannot do some activity you love, don’t you think it is time to do something about it?

Have Questions???

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