Physical Therapy Bowie, MD

What To Expect During Your First Physical Therapy Session

Physical therapy is beneficial for a wide range of conditions. It can help individuals regain their strength following an injury or surgery. It can also improve balance and coordination in individuals with temporary and permanent movement disorders. The first visit for a physical therapy Bowie in MD with a physical therapist determines subsequent treatment and includes multiple steps. 

Interview

During your first visit, your physical therapist will begin by asking you questions to get a sense of your overall health history, the limitations and discomfort you experience due to your condition, and what you hope to achieve through therapy.

Physical Evaluation

After interviewing you, the therapist may touch and move your body parts or ask you to perform movements or activities to determine how well your joints, muscles, and nerves function and assess your:

• Strength
• Coordination
• Flexibility
• Balance
• Range of motion
• Mobility
• Stamina

Treatment Plan

After a thorough evaluation, a physical therapist will propose a treatment plan to help you achieve your goals. Treatments often begin during the first visit and include various modalities. Sessions will usually start with an application of heat to stimulate blood flow and send oxygen and nutrients to the affected areas. Heat increases flexibility in preparation for other treatments that follow.

After applying heat, the therapist may use manual massage techniques to decrease muscle pain and tension and improve circulation. The therapist might also repeatedly move your joints in various directions to help improve your mobility.

Ultrasound is helpful in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. A topical gel on the skin over the affected site helps deliver ultrasound waves to the muscles via a wand to improve blood circulation and promote healing. Light therapy and electrical stimulation can help reduce pain and inflammation and encourage injury healing.

Treatment sessions may also include supervised exercises that you can perform with progressive degrees of intensity as your condition heals or improves. Your sessions will end with an application of ice to control inflammation resulting from therapeutic activities.

Home Exercises

During an initial physical therapy visit to our clinic Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic, your therapist may recommend exercises using special equipment available at the physical therapy site. The therapist will also review home-based exercises you can perform independently between sessions. Discussing the importance of these exercises is a crucial part of your initial visit and will help ensure that you continue to improve and progress between sessions with a therapist.

If an injury or medical condition leaves you unable to enjoy life, schedule an evaluation and initial session with a knowledgeable physical therapist to start on the road toward feeling better.