If you have an injury causing pain, loss of strength or range of motion, you might need to find a physical therapist. You may have seen a physician who prescribed physical therapy. North Carolina allows direct access to a physical therapist without the need for a doctor's referral. When you need a physical therapist, there are numerous ways to find the best one in Mooresville, NC.
The first step in recovering from your injury is to find the best physical therapist, near Mooresville, who is skilled in treating your condition. The right physical therapist will motivate you, provide treatments including hands-on manual therapy, dry needling, exercise prescription, and most importantly will treat you in a private and one-on-one setting.
So how can you find the best PT in Mooresville, NC?
-Ask your doctor. Many physicians have relationships with other specialists, including physical therapists. Most of the time, your doctor will know a PT who is best suited for your specific condition. Tip: Be mindful when receiving recommendation from large orthopedic or physician practices. If the physician or specialists is within a large organization, they will usually have their own physical therapy clinic. These physician owned PT practices are normally run with a high volume mentality, multiple patients treated at the same time by one physical therapist. This can significantly reduce the quality of care and reduce hands-on time during treatments. Most patients end up doing the same exercises over and over during these sessions without proper instruction and pay substantial co-pays with no results.
-Online search. We all spend hours a week online. We read reviews for automotive repair, restaurants, and many others. Why not do a little more research into your healthcare providers, especially when it comes to physical therapy. Most physical therapy clinics will have reviews on sites like google, facebook, and yelp. They should also have an up-to-date website outlining their services, patient testimonials, as well as location and hours.
-Ask a friend. You would be surprised how many people in Mooresville go to a physical therapist when they are injured and in pain. Physical therapy is not just for the older population and athletes. At my Mooresville, NC physical therapy clinic I treat a wide variety of ages, from small children to elderly, and they suffer from different conditions common with age or related to an injury. My schedule is almost solely comprised of patients who were referred to me from a friend of family member. Talk to your friends about your injury and ask if they have a recommendation for a physical therapist near Mooresville. If they've been to a PT they did not like, this information can be valuable to you as well while you are trying to find the best physical therapist.
Do You Need a Specialist?
Not all physical therapists are created equal. There are PT's who specialize in certain body parts or conditions and in different types of treatments. I have always valued my ability to treat anyone who walks in the door at my physical therapy clinic in Mooresville. The most beneficial treatment skills you should look for in a physical therapist are manual therapy (hands-on) including joint mobilizations, dry needling, and of course a strong knowledge of human anatomy. This last one seems obvious, but you would be surprised how many physical therapists lose their knowledge of anatomy. I feel this is because most physical therapy clinics in Mooresville and really anywhere, overlap patient appts and limit the PT's ability to spend time with hands-on treatment and using any other modalities that require one-on-one time.
Pediatrics. There are certain pediatric conditions that require specialized training to successfully treat. Some of these include cerebral palsy, autism, and other neurological conditions. Infants with Torticollis and motor delays often require a physical therapist who specializes in this age group.
Neurological. Patients suffering from a stroke, Parkinson's disease, vestibular issues (vertigo, balance), dementia and other types of neurological conditions will benefit from a skilled physical therapist. If you suffer from a neurological condition, the most important thing to consider when searching for the best physical therapist in Mooresville, is to make sure they will treat you one-on-one and spend at least 45-60 minutes with you during each appointment. This should be the case no matter what condition you have, but neurological patients definitely need a 100% attention from their physical therapists at all time.
Hands. Hand therapy is a specialization and there are not many PT's that are qualified to treat. I personally treat a lot of hand related conditions including arthritis, pain, carpal tunnel and many others. I do tend to refer patients who need or have had surgery to a hand certified physical therapist or occupational therapist. The reason I do this is because some surgeries require the fabrication of specialized hand or finger splints that I am not equipped to make. If you have had surgery on your hand or wrist, you will be better suited with an occupational therapist.
I hope this article has helped you in your search for the best physical therapist in Mooresville to treat your injury or condition. If you are looking for yourself or someone else, please feel free to email me or give me a call and we can discuss your needs. If it is something I feel you would be better suited with a different physical therapist or clinic, I will give you recommendations from my experiences working with other physical therapists near Mooresville, Statesville, Troutman, Charlotte, Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville, NC areas.