What Is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy (PT) uses specially designed exercises and equipment to help you regain or improve your physical abilities. It aims to ease pain and help you function, move, and live better.

Physical therapy services are provided by physical therapists, who are professionals licensed by the state in which they work. They work closely with you to prevent injury or loss of functional mobility and help ensure a safe return to maximal function.¹

Why is Physical Therapy Performed?

You may need physical therapy to:

• Relieve pain
• Improve movement 
• Prevent or recover from an injury
• Work on balance
• Adapt to an artificial limb
• Help with a splint or brace

No only does therapy treat a variety of health problems, but it also has been proven to reduce medical costs and save you money by diminishing the need for unnecessary medication, imaging scans, or surgeries. The ultimate goal of physical therapy is to help you to restore functional independence.²

How Should You Prepare?

To prepare for physical therapy, call to make an appointment and ask whether you should wear or bring a certain type of clothing. Your first physical therapy session may include an initial evaluation, so make a list of  any questions you have and be prepared to discuss any symptoms you’ve been experiencing. This will ensure you make the best use of your time with your physical therapist.

Physical therapy is performed in a variety of settings, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation facilities, at home or in an outpatient clinic.³

What Can You Expect During Physical Therapy?

During your initial evaluation, the physical therapist may evaluate and assess your overall condition . You may be asked to do physical exams to measure:

• Strength
• Balance
• Pain
• Range of motion
• Cardiac and pulmonary function
• Overall functional mobility

After gathering information about your injury or illness, the physical therapist will work with you to create a treatment plan and recommend the number of physical therapy sessions that you may need.⁴

Sufficient effort, as agreed between you and the physical therapist, is necessary to maximize the benefit from each treatment session. After your physical therapy care is completed, continue to follow the after-care instructions provided by the physical therapist.⁵

Is Physical Therapy Covered by Insurance? 

Insurance coverage for physical therapy depends on your health plan. Check with your insurance company to see if they cover the total cost of therapy services. If you have to pay out of pocket, the price range of physical therapy in the MDsave network is updated in real time at the top of this page.