You have pain, and you want relief NOW! As you should. But unfortunately, you won't get it by going to an average Physical Therapist (PT). And double-unfortunately, there are way more average PTs than there are exceptionally good ones...at least in my experience across multiple states!
But fear not, you're in the right place. I'm going to tell you how to find a true rock star PT without having to have any medical knowledge yourself! Once you find that person, you're set. Here's what to do. If you want a video break-down of this process, watch here!
Step 1: Find a Fellow
PT's who are Fellowship trained have undergone the highest level of training available in this country. They have an exceptional up-to-date understanding of the human body and are skilled in hands-on treatments to give relief fast. Now, there are great PTs out there who do not have this certification. But as I mentioned above, they're NOT common and much harder to find! On the flip side, not all Fellows are going to be amazing, but the odds of hitting a homerun are much, much higher! Here's how to find one:
Start by going to this website:
Click on the 'Public Resources' tab as shown below:
In the drop down, click on 'Find a Fellow' as shown below:
From there you can enter your zip code and see who's in your area:
Now this credential is not very common. So in many zip codes, there will be no Fellows! Make sure to enter any neighboring towns you'd be willing to drive to. But if there's still none, no worries! Here's what to do next.
How do I tell if my Physical Therapist is good?
Your next best option is to start by getting recommendations. Go on your town's Facebook page and ask for recommendations. Take those and then look a Google reviews like we all do for anything. But even those can be cherry picked. So the only way to tell is to pick one and try. But here's how to know in 2 visits if you've made the right choice!
Almost all PTs are good and attentive on your very first visit. So throw that out and really pay attention to the second visit because that's where they usually drop the ball. Here's what it will look like if you found a bad PT: suddenly the PT is gone...you ride the bike...an aide takes you through exercises...you see the PT for 10 minutes...you get the hot pack. Each visit is the same...you do the same exercises you could just do at home and waste your time!
On that second visit (and every one after for that matter), you should still spend most of the time with your PT. He/she should find your most painful movement, do a treatment, and the RE-TEST that movement to see if there's an improvement. This shows that your PT is using good clinical decision making skills...even if the result is not an immediate improvement! The effort shows that the correct thought process is there, and you're likely in good hands! If not, it's completely acceptable for you to find another place and look for the same things. You have to do what's best for you and your body...be your own advocate! I hope this helps.
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