Telehealth

JOANNA KOUDELE, Maximum Performance Physical Therapist

People often are surprised to learn that they can schedule appointments with physical therapists using Telehealth—just like they can with primary care physicians and specialists. It is an especially attractive option during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Telehealth is the remote delivery of healthcare using digital technology. For physical therapy, it is a convenient way to maintain a recovery schedule while practicing social distancing.

Many people view PT as hands-on and wonder how effective it is in a distance environment. The answer is simple: physical therapists constantly observe and analyze patients’ movement, and we can accomplish that during real-time Telehealth appointments. Looking for compensatory patterns is helpful when determining treatment plans.

Patients also wonder if physical therapists need to feel the injured area. Not always. While palpation and joint mobilization are important, they are not a required part of the patient’s rehab process. A major part of our evaluation is the history of the problem, which may or may not be the result of injury. Many patients experience pain with no known injury. Therapists ask questions about our patients’ daily activities and habits because it yields insight into problems.

Flexibility and convenience are two major advantages of Telehealth. While most people agree physical therapy is important, scheduling can be a barrier to receiving care. It can be difficult to leave work or home to come to therapy multiple times a week.

With Telehealth, you can simply go into another room or close your office door for 30 minutes. No need to figure in drive time, ask for a ride or arrange child care. If you wonder whether Telehealth is an option for you, give us a call and we can walk you through the quick and easy process to get started.