What to Expect During a Physical Therapy Session

You may feel nervous about having your physical or massage therapy, especially if it’s your first time. One great thing about working with a family-owned clinic like Terrapin Care Center is that we treat our patients like we would our own relatives, making you feel right at home. To reduce your anxiety, here is an overview of what happens during a therapy session.

Medical History Review

To start, we may ask if you or any of your family members have had diseases, medications or procedures that may have affected your current physical health. We do this with all our patients, whether your case was referred to us by a doctor or not. This allows us to verify information, build rapport and update your medical records. The session also serves as our guide in establishing the best type of management to address your needs.

Physical Examination

Your reliable pain doctor will then take some of your vital signs, like heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate, to include in your baseline data. We may then ask you to perform a series of exercises to analyze the way your body moves in different positions and circumstances. We’ll observe how you walk, run and jump, allowing us to assess your strength, balance and flexibility. We’ll also evaluate your gait, range of motion and body mechanics.

Goal Setting and Creating Your Treatment Regimen

Afterward, we’ll set goals and create a treatment plan based on your medical history and physical exam results. We’ll also consider your personal circumstances, lifestyle and other associated factors. Our first step usually involves reviewing any health issues so we can identify their root causes. If you’re experiencing back pain, for example, we’ll examine how it developed and discuss our various services to improve your comfort levels.

Physical therapy is one of the most effective methods to reduce body pain. This may include providing anti-inflammatory agents, controlling progression of any evident muscle or joint swelling. We’ll then work on building up your core and strengthening your weak joints or muscles. We may also use manual stimulation techniques, stretching activities and deep tissue laser therapy as part of your rehabilitation program.

For more information what to expect during a physical therapy session, call us at (301) 220-1930, or complete our form. We serve Silver Spring and nearby MD areas.