What to Expect at Your First Physical Therapy Appointment

If you have recently received a referral for physical therapy in Scottsdale, Arizona, you may wonder what to expect during your first session. Endurance Rehab, with offices in Scottsdale, Mesa, and Phoenix, outlines what typically happens during the first physical therapy session in this blog.

How to Prepare for Your First Appointment at Endurance Rehab

We encourage all patients to wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that allow them to bend and stretch with ease. You should also come prepared to discuss your injury or chronic health condition. For example, your physical therapist needs to know when the problem began and what you have already tried to help yourself feel better.

Your physical therapist will also ask you questions about how your condition affects your day-to-day life, mobility, and independence. Here are some other questions you should be prepared to answer:

• How often do you experience symptoms?
• Which activities seem to make your symptoms better or worse?
• Which prescription and non-prescription medications do you take?
• Have you had any adverse reactions to physical therapy in the past?
• How is your overall health? Have you had any recent surgeries?

Your physical therapist uses the answers you provide to these questions to create your initial treatment plan. Keep in mind that your treatment plan will change as you make progress or continue to struggle in certain areas.

Your Initial Physical Therapy Exam

After getting up to speed on your current medical condition and overall health status, your physical therapist then conducts an exam to obtain a baseline in these areas:

• Balance
• Functional mobility
• Heart rate and palpitation
• Neurological status
• Range of motion
• Strength tests

You will spend most of the first session testing and getting acquainted with your new physical therapist. From that point forward, you should expect to spend the entire session completing various exercises tailored to help you overcome or compensate for your weaknesses.

Please contact us to learn more about setting up physical therapy in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Sources

What to Expect at Physical Therapy: Your First Session (verywellhealth.com)