When you decide that you want to become a patient at Tensegrity, you might wonder where to start or what to expect. Here is our comprehensive guide for what to expect from your first appointment.
The first step is to schedule an appointment. To schedule an appointment, you can either call, fax, email, or visit us at our location.
Once you schedule an appointment, you will be required to fill out new patient paperwork. You will have the option to either fill that out online here or on one of our laptops when you come to our office before your appointment. If you are post-operation or have been recommended by a physician, we ask that you bring your referral/script, or have your doctor fax it directly to us.
If you are not sure what to wear for your first appointment, we always suggest that you wear something comfortable. Your physical therapist will likely need to get to the body region you are coming in for. There is a possibility that you will either have to move around or exercise.
We recommend that you show up 5-10 minutes early if you have filled out your paperwork online, and 15-20 minutes early if you have to fill it out in our waiting room. Your PT will then come to get you at your appointment time and bring you back to their working area.
Once you meet with your PT, they will often start by asking you questions about the pain/injury, how it affects your daily life, and what your goals are. Then, the PT will do a physical evaluation of the body as a whole to create a list of impairments. This will be followed by a variety of treatment techniques including hands-on and/or exercise. Before you leave, a customized plan will be created for you.
We see the greatest results when our patients actively participate in their recovery. Our staff will often give home exercise program to work on outside of the clinic, and then when you come back in, you will be constantly checked and evaluated by your PT.
Often our PT’s will also refer you to our exercise specialists, our massage therapist, and/or our naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist for any additional help.
You will continually work with your PT to decide a schedule for how often you should be coming in, what you should be working on, and they will help you create a plan to lead you back on the path to rehabilitation.