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What You Should Know if You Are a First-Timer for Douglas, WY Physical Therapy


August 22, 2018

Are you getting ready to go to physical therapy in Douglas, WY for the first time after suffering an injury? You might be wondering what you can expect and how you can prepare for your first appointment.
The first thing you should do is plan to move, so you’ll want to be sure you wear comfortable clothing, as recommended in this Angie’s List article on going to physical therapy.
Here are some other tips you’ll want to keep in mind if you are a physical therapy first-timer.

The Evaluation

During your first session, your physical therapist will ask you about your medical history. There could be issues there that relate to any musculoskeletal problems you might be having. The physical therapist will also perform objective testing to make an accurate diagnosis of your injury, which will help determine the best course of treatment. Range of motion, strength, flexibility, and posture will all be evaluated during the testing.
There will also be an overall screening that will include taking your blood pressure and measuring your height and weight.
All of this information will enable your physical therapist to develop a treatment plan for you. In addition, this will enable your physical therapist to have a baseline against which to measure improvement in the coming weeks.

The Beginning of Treatment

After the initial questions, information, and testing is completed, be prepared to start with physical therapy on the first day you go in. This is the beginning of your rehabilitation process. Although physical therapy isn’t intended to be painful, it can sometimes be challenging to move parts of your body that have been injured.
Just keep in mind that depending on the complexity and severity of your injury, physical therapy will take a bit of time, so be patient. It’s also important that you are consistent with physical therapy, so stick with it once you start.
Many people might wonder if they can recover from an injury without physical therapy. The answer to this question is complex. Sometimes injuries can and do heal on their own. But keep in mind that physical therapy can dramatically improve the healing timetable of your injury and make the healing more thorough.
Many people make the mistake of Googling their injuries in an attempt to self-treat, but this often brings on additional problems. With the help of a physical therapy treatment plan that is tailored to your body and your injury, you will be able to feel better and function at a higher level than you would without physical therapy. Physical therapy is frequently part of a thorough treatment plan for an injury.
If you have suffered an injury and are slated to try physical therapy, North Platte is your go-to local physical therapist in Douglas, WY to provide the services that will get you feeling better and stronger. Our expert staff is respected throughout the Wyoming and Nebraska areas for providing superior and customized physical therapy services. We can handle any of your physical therapy needs. Fill out our contact form to get started and to find a location near you.