A physical therapist helps you relieve pain, restore mobility and restore the function of any injured part of your body. Therapists play an important role in reducing the time needed for recovery. To be a good physical therapist, you need to be kind and patient, as well as credible, humble and accountable.
If you’re recovering from a muscle or skeletal injury, you’ll be spending a substantial amount of time with your therapist, so you want to work with one that has a pleasing personality. With the large number of physical therapists available today, it’s essential to know how to pick a good physical therapist to aid you toward the desired recovery.
Here are five of the abilities and signs of a good therapist:
1. Clear Fitness Goals
Your physical therapist must be committed to making the most of your time during therapy sessions. During your first appointment, you should have a detailed discussion about your goals for therapy and the expected time for recovery.
Typical timelines for recovery include 12 weeks, six weeks or one month. Your therapist should be sincere enough to develop a modified treatment plan to speed up your progress and reduce recovery time.
2. Good Bedside Manner
Of course, you want to be comfortable with your therapist. This is particularly true if you’ll be working together for up to 12 weeks. Make sure your personalities mesh well so you can continue therapy sessions until you achieve full recovery.
3. Ability to Use Different Treatment Techniques
You need a therapist that uses the most modern equipment and treatment techniques. These should give you the most effective relief from pain and improvement in the use of the injured part of your body.
One of the signs of a bad physical therapist is being rigid and inflexible about treatment methods. A good therapist will work with orthopedic doctors that are familiar with a wide range of treatment options. The best therapists use the best treatment plans that are supported by clinical studies and personalized for each patient.
4. Injury Expertise
Choose a therapist who has experience with the type of issue you’re treating. For instance, if you have a specific sport injury, your ideal therapist will have treated other athletes who have successfully recovered from it. If you’re a baseball player, visit a therapist who specializes in treating baseball players.
5. Motivation
You want to work with your therapist as if you’re members of a team, focused on helping you achieve full recovery quickly. Your therapist should encourage you to continue your exercises outside scheduled sessions.
You should leave their office with the motivation to push yourself to your next stage of recovery with stronger muscles, tendons and ligaments. A good therapist will demonstrate a commitment to your full recovery and urge you to continue making progress.
Work With a Good Physical Therapist to Achieve Faster Recovery
If you want to work with a competent, friendly and pleasant therapist who uses the latest techniques and equipment to help you regain strength, call OrthoBethesda today. Our physical therapists have a great bedside manner — they are patient, warm, friendly and kind. We know you’ll enjoy working with them.
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