FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happens during my first visit?
- What do I need to bring with me?
- How should I dress?
- How long will my visit last?
- How many visits will I need?
- Can I go to any physical therapy clinic?
- Can I go directly to a physical therapist?
- Can my therapist provide me with a diagnosis?
- Is my physical therapist licensed?
- Can I bring children with to my visit?
- How long will my visit last?
1. What happens during my first visit?
- Call ahead or just come on in; arrive with your paperwork completed (
- you can download it on our Insurance page).
- You must provide us with your prescription for physical therapy or a
- copy of your police report.
- We will also need copy of your insurance card and some form of
- officiated photo ID.
- Upon completion of intake forms you will be seen for an initial
- evaluation by the medical doctor on staff and the physical therapist.
- Your medical history
- Your current problems/complaints
- Pain intensity, what aggravates and eases the problem
- How this is impacting your daily activities or your functional
- limitations
- Medications, tests, and procedures related to your health.
-
On your first visit to our facility please come prepared with the following items/documentation/information (to help us better serve you):
The therapist will then perform the objective evaluation which may include some of the following:
- Palpation - touching around the area of the pain/problem. This is done to check for the presence of tenderness, swelling, soft tissue integrity, tissue temperature, inflammation, etc.
- Range of Motion (ROM) - the therapist will move the joint(s) to check for the quality of movement and any restrictions
- Muscle Testing - the therapist may check for strength and the quality of the muscle contraction. Pain and weakness may be noted. Often the muscle strength is graded. This is also part of a neurological screening
- Neurological Screening - the therapist may check to see how the nerves are communicating with the muscles, sensing touch, pain, vibration, or temperature. Reflexes may be assessed as well
- Special Tests - the therapist may perform special tests to confirm/rule out the presence of additional problems
- Posture Assessment - the positions of joints relative to ideal and each other may be assessed
Finally, after completing the assessment the therapist will then formulate a list of problems you are having, and how to treat those problems. A plan is developed with the patient's input. This includes how many times you should see the therapist per week, how many weeks you will need therapy, home programs, patient education, and goals. This plan is created with input from you, your therapist, and your doctor.
2. What do I need to bring with me?
On your initial visit, please bring doctors orders for physical therapy, any applicable insurance referrals or referral numbers, your insurance card, and any other appropriate billing information.
3. How should I dress?
You should wear loose fitting clothing so you can expose the area that we will be evaluating and treating. You may want to wear or bring shorts if we are treating an ankle or knee.
4. How long will my visit last?
The first visit, the initial evaluation, takes about one hour. Each follow-up visit will take between 30 minutes to an hour depending on your condition.
5. How many visits will I need?
This is highly variable. You may need one visit or you may need months of care. It depends on your diagnosis, the severity of your impairments, your past medical history, etc. You will be re-evaluated regularly and when you see your doctor, we will provide a progress report for the doctor with our recommendations.
6. Can I go to any physical therapy clinic?
In most cases, you have the right to choose any physical therapy clinic of your liking. Even if you have been involved in an accident in which you did not, immediately, request to be taken to the hospital at the scene you are still entitled to No Fault benefits.
Many people do not realize that they can be injured from low speed impacts or in accidents where there is little to no damage to the car whatsoever. Some injuries are not obvious immediately, and if there are changes to the biomechanics of the neck which are not acutely painful, the symptoms may not show up for months.
However, insurance policies require that you report the accident within a relatively short amount of time. No fault benefits must be claimed by filing a specific form - NF2 Application for Motor Vehicle No Fault Benefits - within 30 days of your accident; failure to do so may result in a denial of coverage.
You are always better off sending in the NF2 Application for Motor Vehicle No Fault Benefits in certified mail and keeping copies of the application sent. If you have retained an attorney many will process this paperwork for you; if you have not, and are still within the 30 day notification limit our staff/office will assist you throughout your claims process from filing your NF2 through developing a personalized treatment plan that works around your schedule.
Receiving care after injuries or accidents, especially car accidents is very important for reducing the likelihood of long-term, chronic problems. Even Acute symptoms may not be felt for 1 to 3 days after the accident. The level of pain is often not the best indicator of the extent of the injury; this is why if you or anyone you know is in a car accident we recommend scheduling an appointment for an evaluation as soon as possible.
- According to the Spine Research Institute, this is a list of some of the symptoms and syndromes that can develop days to months after a car accident:
- Neck pain and headaches
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Brachial plexopathy (neurological symptoms in arms)
- Dizziness
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Visual disturbances
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Herniation of cervical discs
- Spinal cord injury
- TMJ injury/disruption
- Brain injury
- Hormonal imbalances
- Damage to the posterior cervical sympathetic nerves
- Menstrual disorders
- Tremor and movement disorders
- Fibromyalgia syndrome
- Allergy
- Breathing disorders
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Digestive disorders
- Low back pain
7. Can I go directly to a physical therapist?
No, in NY, you need a prescription from a medical doctor or nurse practitioner before being seen by a physical therapist. Quick Docs has a fulltime attending physician available during regular business hours Monday-Friday from 12pm to 7pm. So although you can’t go directly to a physical therapist you may come directly to our facility where our doctors will perform an initial evaluation and refer you for physical therapy and X-rays/MRI's; treatment plan will depend on the patients complaints (location and severity of impairment), the physicians initial diagnosis, and the results of test performed.
8. Can my therapist provide me with a diagnosis?
In most states, including NY, physical therapists cannot make a medical diagnosis however, they may offer you advise on coping with pain and recommendation on how to continue your treatment outside the facility to help expedite your recovery. However during your regularly scheduled follow up your doctor will provide for you a diagnosis as well as results and explanation of any significant findings in tests performed since your last visit.
9. Is my physical therapist licensed?
Physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) are licensed by their respective states.
10. Can I bring children with to my visit?
Yes, but they must remain supervised and in the waiting area.
11. What are commonly treated injuries?
We have a wide variety of exercises and treatments for many different injuries. Some of the commonly treated injuries are listed below.
- Upper extremity injuries
- Rotator cuff sprains, strains, tears, or post surgical
- Humeral fractures
- Tennis or golfers elbow (Lateral or medial epicondylitis)
- Cubital tunnel
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Wrist sprain/strain
- Finger/hand lacerations or injuries
- Lower extremity injuries
- Sciatic nerve pain
- Hamstring/quadriceps pain, strains, or tears
- Knee strain, sprain, ligament, or meniscal injuries
- Post surgical
- Calf strains
- Achilles tendonitis
- Ankle sprains and fractures
- Heel pain or spurs
- Plantar fasciitis
- Head, Neck and Back
- TMJ
- Neck sprains/ strains
- Herniated discs
- Postural problems or pain
- Post surgical
- Balance problems or frequent falls
