How to Find a Good Physical Therapist Who Fits Your Needs
A Guide to How to Choose a Physical Therapist
If you’ve been living with pain, finding a physical therapist who is right for you could be the most crucial decision. With the right physical therapist, your chances of improving your quality of life are multiplied several-fold.
But finding a good physical therapist is not as easy as it may sound. You’ll need to know what makes a good physical therapist, and then have a process for selecting the best for you.
In this article, Dr. Gary Wang, Physical Therapist at Reload, helps us unpack what to look for in a physical therapist and gives tips on how to make your choice.
The challenge of finding a physical therapist who is right for you
“Ten years ago, picking a physical therapist was mostly about finding one that was nearby. One in a convenient location,” says Gary. “People would go to their local physiotherapy. Every town had one or two. That was the go-to because they were close to you. Things started to change after Covid.”
And Covid certainly has changed the landscape. Many people are now having virtual physical therapy sessions, often with physical therapists who may be located hundreds of miles away. Your options have ballooned: there are more than 300,000 licensed physical therapists in the United States.
Before Covid, the question of how to find a physical therapist was answered with a preference for convenience. Now, you really can prioritize quality. It’s not unusual for people to work with a physical therapist from another town or another state. And the choice of a physical therapist is now based on need rather than location.
How to find a physical therapist and what to look for
“There are many types of physical therapy,” says Gary. “You can have a diagnosis and be treated by five different physical therapists in five separate ways. The hardest thing is finding the method and the techniques and the principles that are a fit for you.”
The trick is to ensure that your physical therapist has the time to listen to your story and really understand what it is that you need help with. A human-centered healthcare approach in physical therapy will help to find the underlying cause of the pain you are experiencing. Treating the cause of and not only the symptom is what delivers long-term improvement to your quality of life.
The best physical therapist for you will listen to you, understand your story and goals, and have the tools, techniques, methods, and, of course, the capability and experience to get results and guide you to your fitness goals.
Why do some people never find the right physical therapist
If you don’t know how to pick a good physical therapist, that’s clearly going to blur your view of the benefits of physical therapy.
It may be that you’ve tried physical therapy before and feel that the results weren’t what you were looking for. That’s going to leave you unsure whether or not physical therapy is helpful. You may feel that you have no other option but to either learn to live with your pain or undergo surgery. Both options can be scary.
“When people don’t have an enjoyable experience of physical therapy, many will say, ‘Hey, I tried physical therapy, and it didn’t work for me. My other options are pain management or surgery. I’ll stick with the pain management’. It’s easier and less invasive,” explains Gary.
“The options for finding different physical therapists further away have helped more people. But the other part is knowing that it exists.”
It’s important to recognize that:
Not all physical therapists are the same
Finding the right one can make a significant difference in your recovery
Different physical therapists have different approaches and services
“From the outside, it’s exceedingly difficult to portray and illustrate the differences. But when you dive into it, there are many different things that we offer that people don’t realize. I think it’s also on us to communicate the unique benefits of our approach and services to potential clients, so they can make informed decisions about their care,” says Gary.
What makes a good physical therapist?
It’s rare to find a physical therapy clinic that will cater to all your needs and wants. Gary believes that around 90% of people either experience traditional physical therapy or none.
“We must be multi-faceted,” says Gary, pointing out the ways in which we collaborate with clients:
Sometimes we are educators, teaching the science behind an injury, the processes involved in healing, and how to prevent re-injury.
Other times, we are like exercise coaches, teaching clients how to reach their goals and return to specific activities or exercises in a safe and efficient manner.
We also function as cheerleaders, supporting and encouraging our clients through the rehabilitation process.
Sometimes we even function as programmers, mapping out a plan for clients that span weeks or even months.
“The role we play depends on the specific needs of each individual client. And those needs can change over time,” Gary concludes.
How to pick a physical therapist: the importance of trust and authority
When you’re deciding on which physical therapist is the best for you, it’s essential that you trust your choice and that he or she delivers on the authority needed to take you in the right direction.
“When you gain someone’s trust, you can push them to do things that they might be fearful of or don’t think are possible. There may be a lot of things that you want to do but haven’t yet tried, and it’s our job to show you that you have all the ingredients to do this. I want you to see and feel that you can do it before we progress and get you to 100%.”
Ultimately, physical therapy is about improving your underlying issues, building your confidence in movement, and exposing you to new things that help you to believe that you can achieve your fitness goals.
How to choose a physical therapist: step one
Finding a good physical therapist – who’s best for you – can be the difference to a strong recovery and life changing experience. Largely because of the Covid pandemic, your options for choosing a physical therapist have expanded. Now, it’s about quality, not convenience.
It’s crucial that you select a physical therapist who listens to you and understands your story and your fitness goals. They must have the experience and the tools to help you and build the trust needed to push you to do things you currently don’t believe are possible.
Remember that not all physical therapists are the same. Finding the best for you will make a significant difference.
If you’re ready to begin your physical therapy journey, schedule an appointment for a physical therapy evaluation with Reload – and experience the difference of our human-centered approach.
