Where forms of healthcare such as physical therapy are concerned, the assessment is of equal importance to the treatment. While it's easy for therapy patients to get caught up on the forms of treatment that their therapist will use to make them feel better, they shouldn't lose sight of the value of the assessment process. When an assessment is correct, the therapist will use the right approach to treat your issue, helping you to get over it sooner. The opposite is also true — an improper assessment can lead to an incorrect treatment approach. When you're booking physical therapy, don't hesitate to ask about these assessment-related details.
An Assessment Expert
Ask the clinic if it has a physical therapist on staff who is an expert in assessing patients. While any physical therapist can assess an injury, some clinics have a senior employee who is particularly adept at this process. You ideally want to hear the receptionist excitedly tell you about a therapist who is well known in the community or in the industry for his or her accurate assessments, and that this person will be able to take a look at you and determine what is wrong, even if another therapist will actually be performing your therapy.
Range Of Assessment Techniques
You'll feel more confident that your assessment will be performed correctly if the clinic uses a variety of assessment techniques. There's no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to assessing an injury and determining an appropriate course of action for the treatment of the issue. For example, you want to hear that the therapist assessing you will perform a physical assessment, as well as put you through a series of movements that can further illustrate the nature of your injury and, finally, send you for an X-ray to confirm the findings.
Common Assessment Results
While the receptionist you speak to can't talk specifically about other patients' cases, don't be afraid to ask how often the clinic gets its assessments right. Tailor this question to your physical issue. For example, if you're dealing with back pain as a result of a motor vehicle accident, ask how often accident victims are correctly assessed versus incorrectly assessed. Typically, the receptionist will be able to give you an estimate, and you're looking for the highest percentage possible or an otherwise confident answer. When you hear favorable answers to these queries, you can feel comfortable booking your physical therapy assessment.
To learn more, contact a physical therapist at a location like South Shore Wellness Center.
