What to expect for 1st physical therapy appointment?
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at
5:54 pm
I’m getting physical therapy for my knee & hip. I haven’t used it at all for about 6-8wks. My first appt. is tomorrow afternoon. What should I expect? What will be done on my 1st appt.? Will the pain be bearable without pain meds? Thanks!
I’m getting physical therapy for my knee & hip. I haven’t used it at all for about 6-8wks. My first appt. is tomorrow afternoon. What should I expect? What will be done on my 1st appt.? Will the pain be bearable without pain meds? Thanks!
Also, what kind of exercises will they have me to do?
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Expect to spend the first 15 minutes or so discussing your history, both of your medical history and your current problem, how your current problem affects what you do on a day to day basis and what are your goals.
After that, they will observe your posture, how to walk, test your strength, flexibility, etc.
There may be some pain during the assessment, especially if what is wrong is not known (ie, if we have to try to figure out what is hurting/why). It’s not, however, our goal to make you hurt.
Depending on the type of problem you are having, you should feel fine after the assessment, maybe a little more sore. I always try to give my patients a "plan" on what to do if it should be exceptionally painful later that day.
Your home program will depend on the nature of your problem…almost invariably it will include some gentle strengthening or stretching exercise…it depends on your deficits.
Good luck for a speedy recovery.
You will have pain. not so much on the 1st appointment though just a little. Alot of fillin out forms if you havent already done that.
I think they will probably just make you stretch it out and if it gets to unbearable just tell them too…STOP!and they probably will.
im sure they will just work with moving the parts to get them looser from not using them. be vocal with the therapist and let them know whats comfortable for you.
i have been through PT for 3 different injuries (both knees and back), and from my experience what they do on the first day is take measurements of range of motion and asses your pain levels and get a starting point, so they can devise the best plan for you and a quick recovery.
good luck
a lot of Pain
If there is pain or not: if you don’t go there and start to get used to move in its normal way, you might be not able to get your full function back. By the way: A physical therapy will never treat you so far, that you have to take pain killers. Listen in your body and find out what is good
The first visit it usually an assessment mostly to see how much you can do and what are your current limitations. You may be given a few exercises to do and keep doing at home after but it’s unlikely to be overly strenuous to begin with. It’s possible that you will have some pain from the manipulation so take some pain killers along with you just in case.
They will prob ally assess your injuries and decide a good routine to try. They will start out slow and test out your pain tolerance. Don’t worry at all, Physical Therapist are licensed professionals…..they will help for sure. Good luck-I have a bad knee too uggghhhhhhh