California Rehabilitation and Sports Therapy - Palo Alto

Some patients will need to continue with home exercises. It is important that you communicate your goals to your therapist, so he/she can develop a custom program for you.

Billing for physical therapy services is similar to what happens at your doctor's office. When you are seen for treatment, the following occurs: 1. Your clinic will bill your insurance company, Workers' Comp, or charges you based on Common Procedure Terminology (CPT) codes. 2. Those codes are transferred to a billing form that is either mailed or electronically communicated to the payer. 3. The payer processes this information and makes payments according to an agreed upon fee schedule. 4. An Explanation of Benefits (EOB) is generated and sent to the patient and the physical therapy clinic with a check for payment and a balance due by the patient. 5. The patient is expected to make the payment on the balance if any. It is important to understand that there are many small steps (beyond the outline provided above) within the process. Exceptions are common to the above example as well. At any time along the way, information may be missing, miscommunicated, or misunderstood. This can delay the payment process. While it is common for the payment process to be completed in 60 days or less, it is not uncommon for the physical therapy clinic to receive payment as long as six months after the treatment date.

In most states, physical therapists cannot make a medical diagnosis. This is something that your medical doctor will provide for you. Physical therapists are important members of your medical team. At this point in time, physicians are typically the health care providers that will provide you with a medical diagnosis.

All fifty states have some form of direct access. In most cases, if you are not making significant improvement within 30 days, the therapist will refer you to/back to your physician. Seeing a physical therapist first is safe and could save you hundreds of dollars or even thousands of dollars.

Yes, you have the right to choose any physical therapy clinic. Our practice is a provider for many different insurance plans. The best thing to do is give us a call and we will attempt to answer all of your questions.

Flare ups are not uncommon. If you have a flare up (exacerbation), please give us a call. We may suggest you come back to see us, return to your doctor, or simply modify your daily activities or exercise routine.

Massage may be part of your treatment, if indicated. Our Physical Therapists are trained in a variety of techniques that may help with your recovery. Deep tissue techniques may be part of the rehabilitative process. Massage is used for three reasons typically - to facilitate venous return from a swollen area, to relax a tight muscle, or to relieve pain. Contrary to common thought, massage does not increase circulation.

There are numerous types of treatment interventions. Please see our services page for more detail.

For many patients, one of the primary objectives is pain relief. This is frequently accomplished with hands-on manual techniques, modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and/or heat or cold therapy. Movement often provides pain relief as well. Your physical therapist will provide you with the appropriate exercises not only for pain relief but to recover range of motion, strength, and endurance. In some cases, physical therapy techniques can be painful. For example, recovering knee range of motion after total knee replacement or shoulder range of motion after shoulder surgery may be painful. Your physical therapist will utilize a variety of techniques to help maximize your treatment goals. It is important that you communicate the intensity, frequency, and duration of pain to your therapist. With this information, your therapist will be able to easily adjust your treatment plan.

You will be evaluated by one of our licensed and highly trained physical therapists and he/she will also be involved with your treatments during subsequent visits. Unlike some clinics, where you see a different physical therapist each visit, we feel it is very important to develop a personal relationship with you to maintain continuity of care. Since only one physical therapist knows your problems best, he/she is the one that will be working closely with you to speed your recovery.

In most cases, health insurance will cover your treatment. Click on our insurance link for a summary of insurances we accept and make sure you talk to our receptionist so we can help you clarify your insurance coverage.

You and others may be referred to physical therapy because of a movement dysfunction associated with pain. Your difficulty with moving part(s) of your body (like bending at the low back or difficulty sleeping on your shoulder, etc.) very likely results in limitations with your daily activities (e.g., difficulty getting out of a chair, an inability to play sports, or trouble with walking, etc.). Physical therapists treat these movement dysfunctions and their associated pains and restore your body's ability to move in a normal manner.

Physical therapists are experts in movement and function. A large part of a physical therapist's program is directed at preventing injury, loss of movement, and even surgery. Physical therapists work as consultants in industrial settings to improve the design of the workplace and reduce the risk of workers overusing certain muscles or developing low back pain. They also provide services to athletes at all levels to screen for potential problems and institute preventive exercise programs. Our "hands-on" approach defines our practice and helps us achieve high quality results. We provide evidence-based programs that include therapeutic exercise, functional training, and our extensive manual therapy skills. Depending on your specific needs, our physical therapists may also "manipulate / mobilize" a joint or apply soft-tissue mobilization to a muscle to help facilitate proper movement, healing, and function. Our clinicians also use methods such as ultrasound, moist heat packs, and ice. In addition, our therapists also educate patients on how to self-manage their care via a custom-tailored Home Exercise Program. Although other health practitioners will offer some of these treatments as "physical therapy," it's important for you to know that physical therapy can only be provided by state licensed physical therapists or physical therapist assistants. All physical therapist assistants must complete a 2-year education program and can only work under the direction and supervision of physical therapists.

Whether it is a recent episode or a chronic problem, pain in America is a serious problem. Physical therapists are well equipped to not only treat pain but also its source.

You may need one visit or you may need months of care. It depends on your physician's orders, diagnosis, the severity of your impairments, your past medical history, etc. You will be re-evaluated on a monthly basis and when you see your doctor, we will provide you with a progress report with our recommendations.

Treatment sessions typically last 45 to 90 minutes per visit.

You should wear loose fitting clothing so you can expose the area that we will be evaluating and treating. For example, if you have a knee problem, it is best to wear shorts or sweats. For a shoulder problem, a T-shirt or tank top are good choices, and for low back problems, wear a loose fitting shirt and pants, again so we can perform a thorough examination.

Arrive at your appointment with your Initial Evaluation Paperwork completed. You will provide us with your prescription for physical therapy. We will copy your insurance card. You will be seen for the initial evaluation by the therapist. The therapist will discuss the following: Your medical history. Your current problems/complaints. Pain intensity, what aggravates and eases the problem. How this is impacting your daily activities or your functional limitations. Your goals with physical therapy. Medications, tests, and procedures related to your health. The therapist will then perform the objective evaluation which may include some of the following: Palpation - touching around the area of the pain/problem. This is done to check for the presence of tenderness, swelling, soft tissue integrity, tissue temperature, inflammation, etc. Range of Motion (ROM) - the therapist will move the joint(s) to check for the quality of movement and any restrictions. Muscle Testing - the therapist may check for strength and the quality of the muscle contraction. Pain and weakness may be noted. Often the muscle strength is graded. This is also part of a neurological screening. Neurological Screening - the therapist may check to see how the nerves are communicating with the muscles, sensing touch, pain, vibration, or temperature. Reflexes may be assessed as well. Special Tests - the therapist may perform special tests to confirm/rule out the presence of additional problems. Posture Assessment - the positions of joints relative to ideal and each other may be assessed. The therapist will then formulate a list of problems you are having, and how to treat those problems. A plan is subsequently developed with the patient's input. This includes how many times you should see the therapist per week, how many weeks you will need therapy, home programs, patient education, short-term/long-term goals, and what is expected after discharge from therapy. This plan is created with input from you, your therapist, and your doctor.