No one wants to look for a physical therapist, but as an athlete, chances are high that you鈥檒l need one at some point. When that time comes, you want a physical therapist who knows exactly what it means to treat an athlete (read: someone who will get you back in action ASAP).
If you have a nagging pain that doesn鈥檛 resolve itself within two weeks or if you鈥檝e suffered an acute injury, you should get it checked out by your doctor, says Chris Kolba, a physical therapist at the . From there, your doctor will usually refer you to a PT. As an athlete, do a little extra research to make sure the referral takes you to someone who knows how to provide the right kind of care. Be sure to ask these questions before your first appointment.
Are All of Your Therapists Licensed?
Your first line of defense is simply looking at someone鈥檚 credentials. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be a physical therapist unless you鈥檙e licensed through the state,鈥 Kolba says. This is important because while some chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists might mistakenly use the term 鈥減hysical therapy鈥 to describe their work, that doesn鈥檛 make them licensed as such. While those specialists may also play a role in your rehab, they鈥檙e not who you should turn to first when injury strikes.
Do You Work with Athletes?
As an athlete, you鈥檒l probably want someone accustomed to working with people like you. A therapist who understands athletes will know that you may not have six weeks to recover, says , physical therapist and chair of the department of physical therapy at Winston-Salem State University. You might need to be training again in a week, and your physical therapist will try to figure out if that is truly possible. When you鈥檙e working with an athlete鈥攁mateur or pro鈥攊t鈥檚 not just about regaining strength and range of motion, Millar says. 鈥淲e also have to work on agility, reaction times, things like that.鈥
Are Any of Your Therapists Specialists?
Physical therapists can go on to receive additional training beyond their PT license. Keep an eye out for orthopedic or sports physical therapy specialists, who can be particularly helpful to athletes, Millar says. Among the orthopedists, follow up and ask if they鈥檝e worked with athletes before, since some may have a different focus.
How Many Years of Experience Do You Have?
Specializations are a helpful tool to cull your list, but often it鈥檚 the years of experience that make a great PT. 鈥淪ome people just never get the specialization,鈥 Millar says, but that doesn鈥檛 mean they don鈥檛 know their stuff. 鈥淭ypically, when you call to schedule an appointment, you are put on someone鈥檚 schedule pretty randomly, so you don鈥檛 always know if you鈥檙e getting the person who just graduated or the person with 25 years of experience,鈥 Kolba says.
Have You Worked on This Type of Injury Before?
Be sure to go into your injury specifics when you鈥檙e talking to different clinics. 鈥淪ome therapists may have seen a lot of people with rotator cuff repairs, and somebody else may be more practiced in the lower extremity,鈥 Millar says. The more information your PT can have going into the appointment, the better for both of you.
How Am I Feeling?
Once you start working with a physical therapist, it鈥檚 important to reevaluate how things are going after a few sessions. Is your therapist listening to your needs and wants? Is she explaining what she鈥檚 doing and why? Also make sure the pace and progress fit your needs. If you鈥檙e too sore after a treatment to do anything, they may be progressing you too fast. 鈥淎nd vice versa,鈥 Millar says. 鈥淚f she鈥檚 treating you like Grandma, that may not be the best fit.鈥