My first exposure to physical therapy was in high school as a junior volunteer in the PT department of the hospital where my mom worked. I was responsible for stocking the linens, cleaning the equipment, checking the hydrocollator temperature, among other housekeeping tasks. There were four therapists, and every 30 minutes someone new would come in for their appointment. It was a stimulating environment, with therapists constantly moving and an ongoing flux of bodies and different treatments. As seemingly sporadic as it appeared, everyone fed off of each other’s energies in a sort of organized chaos.
As I continued to pursue my interest in the field, I observed a similar environment in many of the clinics I shadowed and eventually worked in as a PT student. I even became a patient in one of these high-paced clinics and overall had a positive experience. But as I grew and became more immersed in my career, I quickly realized that this style wasn’t serving anyone.
The landscape of physical therapy is changing, and for good reason. But the rest of the world needs to catch up. Through a seven-year doctorate education, we are trained to be experts in movement. We evaluate and assess how our body is a dynamic, inter-connected system and can relate the downstream consequences when certain parts aren’t working as they should. We can identify these underlying factors that other providers often overlook, and ultimately create a unique treatment plan that utilizes various hands-on techniques, modalities like dry needling, and specific exercises that fit into your routine, lifestyle, and goals.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always well-understood, nor is it reflected in the way physical therapy is perceived or experienced. PT is still often seen as something you go to after seeing your physician, as a filler for insurance purposes before you can get an MRI, or as a place for passive treatments like e-stim and ultrasound. It’s where you see your therapist for 10 minutes of one-on-one time, and the remaining 30-40 minutes are spent on the stationary bike or with a high school student guiding your exercises. It’s no wonder that there are people out there who don’t believe in PT and feel it didn’t work for them.
In order to foster lasting change in someone’s movement and function, it requires taking a step back. The need for PT likely arose well before the prescription was written by a physician. There are so many variables that play into how we move, and addressing them requires more than just 10 minutes of one-on-one time twice per week. Physical therapy has often been the unfulfilled employee—underutilized and just going through the motions of what’s always been. It’s an industry that has been walked over by declining insurance reimbursement and a lack of authority and autonomy.
Fortunately, many in the field today are passionate about changing this perception and helping physical therapy live up to its potential. Practices that operate outside the confines of insurance reimbursement, like cash-based models, allow therapists to focus on more personalized care. Innovative educational platforms are also helping change the way the world sees physical therapy, making it clearer that PT is not just about treatment but prevention.
The true value of PT lies not only in rehab, but in proactively preventing injuries before they occur. We now have the power to not only restore your prior level of function, but to surpass it and help prevent future injuries in the process. We’re transitioning from being mere “pain fixers” to guardians of performance, helping individuals optimize their movement and function. Physical therapy is truly the first line of defense against a host of physical problems.
Gone are the days of juggling multiple patients at once while relying on passive treatments that don’t make a functional difference in the long run. Patients are seeing through this model, and therapists won’t put up with it anymore. The quality of our care is reflected in the interventions, education, and the way we empower our patients. For me, each treatment is a carefully calculated decision, synthesizing the patient’s goals, background, and objective findings. It’s unique, nuanced, and personalized. Achieving meaningful outcomes often requires time and problem-solving to arrive at the right treatment. In this new model, undivided attention for an hour once per month goes much further than distracted attention for 30 minutes twice per week.
I am seeing this shift firsthand in my own practice. I get asked less and less if I take insurance. People are reaching out at the first twinge of discomfort or before taking on new challenges to proactively address anything that might restrict their function. They are valuing the quarterly visits to keep things feeling good. People now understand that high-quality care and attention are worth the investment.
So the next time you walk into physical therapy, reflect on your experience. If you’re put on a stationary bike for more than 10 minutes or spend less than 20 minutes with your actual therapist, run. You deserve to have someone fully on your side—someone you feel comfortable asking the “stupid” questions (there are actually no stupid questions)—and who you can trust to have your best interests at heart. You should walk out feeling like you have a solid understanding of what’s going on, and the steps you need to take to get there.
Dr. Jen Reed, physical therapist with Made Strong Physical Therapy & Wellness, has extensive personal and professional experience with ACL rehabilitation, and returning to an active lifestyle after recovering from an injury. She understands the recovery experience, mindset challenges, and what truly makes a difference in your physical therapy to not only get back to the activities you love, but feel stronger doing them than before your injury.
Contact Dr. Jen at jennifer@madestrongpt.com.