Everything You Need to Know About Remote Physical Therapy

Seeing a physical therapist virtually may seem unusual, maybe even a little intimidating the first time, but we want you to know that it can work, and it can accommodate a lot of orthopedic needs.

What exactly is remote PT? (aka telehealth)

Remote PT is two-way, real-time, interactive video communication between a patient and a physical therapist from a remote location. Advances in connected devices and secure, end-to-end encrypted video are letting clinicians evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients remotely and safely, which means your information stays protected. It’s a good fit for busy people who don’t always have time to get to an appointment, and for people who live somewhere without easy access to in-person care.

What are the perks of remote PT?

• You can join a session from your computer or smartphone, before work, over lunch, or in the evening, without adding a commute on top of the appointment.
• No travel time, no gas, no need to step away from work for as long as an in-person visit takes.
• You practice your exercises in the same space you’ll actually use them, your kitchen, your living room, your garage gym, so the program fits your real environment from day one.
• It opens up access for people in rural areas or without easy transportation to a clinic.
• Easier access tends to mean better follow-through, and better follow-through tends to mean a faster recovery.
• Most HSA and FSA plans accept it the same way they accept an in-person visit.

Through remote PT we can:

• Triage and treat non-life-threatening aches, pains, and new injuries.
• Continue an existing treatment plan without a gap while you travel or stay home.
• Help manage an ongoing condition alongside your regular care.
• Support your recovery after a hospital stay or a procedure.

Physical therapists are musculoskeletal experts and often the first stop for an orthopedic issue. Some things are well suited to a remote visit, and others, or a different specialist entirely, are better handled in person. If we decide mid-visit that you need to be seen in the clinic instead, you won’t be charged for the remote visit.