Hey friends! There are many versions of physical therapy out there and we all tend to specialize in different areas. There can be many ways to solve someone’s pain or movement problems. Clinically, my way isn’t the only way. But there are some principles that stand true that provide consumers with the absolute best and highest quality healthcare experience possible.
Here is some background on why I started my own practice despite never really wanting to. I worked in an outpatient physical therapy clinic for years right out of my Doctor of Physical Therapy program. I personally experienced or witnessed all of the scenarios below. I was feeling burnt out and frustrated that I couldn’t provide the outcomes and quality experience that I knew I was capable of. So I decided to create a treatment model that allowed me to solve each one of these problems below.
I know that many people aren’t aware that any other treatment models of physical therapy even exist. I hope this list gives you some things to look out for in any of your physical therapy experiences. I also hope that it allows you to learn about my model (performance physical therapy aka cash-based physical therapy aka private-pay physical therapy) in case it might be the best fit for you should you need it in the future.
10 Signs You’re Getting Subpar Care in Physical Therapy
1. You are being seen at the same time as 1, 2, or 3+ other people. Listen, I’ve provided care in this setting too. It can be done. But not without your physical therapist being distracted and oftentimes overwhelmed, which limits the quality of care they can give you.
2. You’re an active person and the clinic you’re going to doesn’t have the tools to fully get you back to the sport/activity you love. For example, if you want to be able to back squat 225 pounds but the heaviest weight they have in the clinic is a 30 pound dumbbell….then that might not be the best clinic for you.
3. You are left on the bike to “warm-up” or “cool-down” for 10-15 minutes as a part of your treatment. Typically, this is done because your physical therapist has their hands full with other patients and needs to waste some time before seeing you. If it’s programmed for a reason that was clearly communicated to you and used as a supplement to your skilled care then that’s okay. But otherwise, you could spend your time in a better way.
4. You are left to do basic, unskilled exercises with a tech. You feel like your time is being wasted because you could do those exercises at home on your own. And you’re right! The in-network clinics use techs in this model to allow their therapists to bill more units because they kept you for longer and the therapists “supervised” them while they helped you through exercises.
5. You see multiple different physical therapists and physical therapist assistants every visit. Each time this happens your new therapist must go back and read notes, relearn what is happening in your case, and get to know you and your goals. This takes time away from forward progress. Your continuity of care is poor and therefore your progress is slowed down.
6. You sit in the lobby waiting for your visit 5-15+ minutes past your scheduled visit time. This is normal in our healthcare system. BUT it shouldn’t be. Your time is important.
7. Your physical therapist tells you that they are only allowed to treat one complaint area due insurance restrictions. This means they aren’t able to take a comprehensive approach to solving your problem. This typically leads to underlying issues that never get resolved, and pain that returns down the road.
8. You can’t get in touch with your physical therapist between visits to ask about any concerns or questions with home programming.
9. You have been doing the same exercises at 3 sets of 10 repetitions since week 1. You rarely feel challenged and aren’t sure that you’re actually building any strength.
10. You are only receiving manual therapy and not getting up off the table during your physical therapy treatments. If you’re an active adult or an athlete that wants to get back to moving your body, then there NEEDS to be a portion of your treatments that are active.
As a reminder, this isn't a diss at the physical therapists in these practices. Typically, they are doing the best they can. But the model is broken folks. It's time that providers held themselves to higher standards, and patients advocated for themselves to get the best care possible. You only have one body after all...
Sincerely,
Dr. Sieara Hinshaw
828-808-3704
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