“When will I be done with physical therapy?” “How often should I plan on coming to physical therapy?”
These are some commonly asked questions throughout a physical therapy program.
It is very difficult to answer this question due to several factors including what the patient’s ultimate goals are, how fast the patient’s body responds to treatment, and how engaged the patient is in the treatment program. Even though it’s hard to predict the exact number of visits, there are general guidelines and phases during the recovery process that were established based on previous patients. That is why we put together our outline of Phases of Recovery for our patients for better to understand their recovery process.
There are 5 phases of recovery. Phase 1 is pain relief which typically involves 3-5 visits to identify and address the main source of dysfunctions contributing to pain. This phase involves checking alignment, tissue extensibility and joint mobility. Once the sources of dysfunction are improved, phase 2 takes around 5-8 visits and involves improving the mobility of the affected area. Phase 2 involves improving both the range of motion and the quality of movement of the specific body part. Phase 3 takes around 8-12 visits and focuses on building strength in areas of weakness to reinforce the new mobility and movement patterns achieved in phase 2. After 8-12 visits, phase four becomes the most individualized part of the treatment process and involves improving overall function during daily activities or returning to sports. This phase can range from 12-24 visits which is dependent on the intensity of the activity and other factors such as the patient’s response to treatment and adherence to the plan of care. The final phase focuses on lifetime wellness and maintenance in order to keep the body functioning well. These visits are typically only once every 1-3 months.
This was a brief overview of the typical phases of recovery. There have been patients who have progressed faster or slower than the visit ranges mentioned. Some joints and soft tissues improve faster than others, and some people gain strength faster than others. Ultimately, the length of rehabilitation depends on what activities you want to get back to doing and how quickly your body responds to treatment. If you would like to get started with your physical therapy treatment, give us a call at Innovative Physical Therapy for a FREE discovery session at (904) 280-2002 or visit mymanualpt.com.
