Question 1

How does online Physical Therapy work without manual therapy (massage)?

Answer

Traditional Physical Therapy does use manual therapy and it can be an effective tramtent, but it is not the only effective way of treating pain. The goal of any maunal therapy is to get the patient more comfortable with moving and exercises. As exercise is really what helps us decrease pain more than anything else. This can be accomplished without manual therapy by guiding the patient with self treatments and education on the nature of the injury. The goal of online physical therapy is to give the patient control over their injury and make it accessible to everyone with fewer visits.

Question 2

Are online physical therapy services covered by insurance?

Answer

Traditional Physical therapy patients are expected to be seen in the clinic for two to three times a week, often for 4-12 weeks depending on the diagnosis. Most often patients are seen by a therapist who are also seeing 2-3 other patients at the same time. Sometimes patients spend more time with a rehab tech then an actual physical therapist. Also copays for these visits are often $30 or more, really adding up over time. In an online model, patients revieve one on one care by a liscensed physical therapist, with the goal of teaching you how to manage your own injury with no more than one session a week and at most just a few weeks. Many patients may be able to mange after just one session. So, although insurance does not currently cover online physical therapy sessions if you follow the plan made for you, you can get better, faster for equal or less total out of pocket expense then traditional physical therapy and all on your time from your home or office.

Question 3

How many visits will I need?

Answer

While every case is different. The goal at Kelly Kuhn physical therapy is patient education and self management of their injury. This means a large portion of the treatment is teaching you what to do and how to work it in to your busy lift and be in control of your injury. For many patients this can happen in one visit. Most commonly if the patient needs another visit after the follow up, it is only one or two more. Our goal is not to keep you coming back for visit after visit but to teach you and let you go and then only follow up as needed.

Question 4

Do I need a prescription from my doctor to be seen?

Answer

You do not need a prescription from you doctor to be seen for Physical Therapy. In Pennsylvania Physical Therapists have direct access for 30 days. This means that I can see you for 30 calendar days after your inital evaluation without prescription from your doctor. Because we are trying to teach you what to do on your own, most often we never need the prescription. Some patients may wish to be seen one time and follow up a month or two later to have their exercises advanced. In that case I can send a copy of the evaluation to your doctor with a description of the plan and if the doctor signs and returns that form a prescription is not needed. If they refuse to sign then a prescription for physical therapy is needed after 30 days. If you are returning after 30 days for a new injury or an injury that got better and was reinjured the 30 days will start over and prescription is not needed.

Question 5

Can I be seen online at Kelly Kuhn Physical Therapy from anywhere in the world?

Answer

No, at this time physical therapists can not practice across state lines. I am currently practicing in Pennsylvania and therfore you would need to be in the state of PA at the time of treatment.

Question 6

Will my visit be recorded?

Answer

Your visit will be recorded only if you choose to have it recorded. If you choose to have it recorded, I will send you the link to the video so you can have a reference of everything we did. I will also send you videos of the exercises that we discussed to help guide you at home

Question 7

What if I forget the exercises?

Answer

At the end of your visit I will make a list of exercises with links to videos or pictures to remind you. Also, I believe once a patient always a patient. That means at any point if you have questions about exercises or something we did you can email or call me even if it is months after we discharged you from Physical Therapy

Question 8

What equipment do I need to participate in online physical therapy?

Answer

For the visits you just need internet access and a web cam. You will be given a link via Zoom for access to your visit and will need to download the free Zoom app. If you are scheduling a running analysis you will need to be able to video yourself running on a treadmil and upload to drop box. You may need a tripod or a friend or something to prop the cammera on and access to a treadmill. If you have any exercise equipment such as bands or kettlebells have them available during the appointment, we may use them if available but are not mandatory.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions