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Frequently Asked Questions

What can you expect during your physical therapy care at Specialized Physical Therapy?  Maybe this is your first time getting physical therapy or maybe you have had a experience elsewhere.  We aim to set the bar high in the care we provide and want to take a moment to describe the care you will get at our facility.

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is treatment for physical impairments and musculoskeletal pain by means of manual therapy and specific exercise.  It is a way to treat the underlying cause of your pain without the use of medications and other interventions.  Manual therapy is one of the approaches we use to help reduce pain and improve movement.  Manual therapy is the use of hands-on techniques to treat specific joints and/or soft tissue to reduce pain and improve movement.  At Specialized Physical Therapy we use advanced manual therapy techniques to achieve the best results with our patients.  In addition, we will often utilize trigger point dry needling to also reduce pain and improve function. This technique uses a monofilament needle inserted into a muscle belly to reduce those painful muscular "knots" that can be a source of pain.  Physical therapy also uses exercise that is specific to each patient's need to address the underlying cause of pain.  At Specialized Physical Therapy this is never a one size fits all program. We aim to make all exercises, in clinic and at home, specific to each patient.  

All of our physical therapists on staff are doctorate level trained.  This means they went to college for 4 years and then 3 additional years of physical therapy school as part of their education! In addition, our staff has advanced training in manual therapy techniques and dry needling application to give you the best care possible. You can rest assured that our therapists use modern research to guide our patient care for every treatment we provide. Want to learn more about our staff before your visit?  Click here to be directed to our staff bio page! Click here to see a short video about treatment at our facility!

How Many Weeks or Sessions of Physical Therapy is Needed?

Every patient requires a different frequency of care.  Some of our patients just need a few visits to resolve an acute injury, while others need several visits for years of pain.  On average our clinic will see people for 12 visits at a frequency of 2 times per week.  Research shows that patients who attend their plan of care are most likely to get optimal results.  Patients who do not adhere to their plan of care may find themselves frustrated.  Remember that physical therapy is an active treatment and requires our patients to be an active participant in their care/recovery. Every session will progress you towards your treatment goals.  With a few exceptions of neurological diagnoses, physical therapy is not a long-term treatment.  If you show up for your plan of care and complete your home program, then you will improve.  The goals is to successfully discharge every patient after their episode of care.  

How Much does it Cost?

This is another common question that patients want to know.  The answer to this depends on each patient's individual insurance plan.  At Specialized Physical Therapy we will give you a cost estimate per visit on your first visit.  We take the time to call your insurance company to understand your benefits.  At your first visit we discuss what you can expect your financial responsibility to be for getting care at our facility.  Our promise to you is we will provide care that will achieve a higher value than your cost.  In general, physical therapy is an affordable treatment option.  To put this into perspective, you can get 12-25 sessions of physical therapy for the cost of 1 MRI!  Remember that your physical therapy will be helping you recover, while a MRI is a very expensive "selfie!"

Do I need a Referral from my Doctor?

The state of Arkansas allows direct access to a physical therapist without a physician referral.  Some insurance plans may require us to submit your plan of care to your doctor for his or her signature.  This means you can call us now to set up your initial visit.  We will check with your insurance and communicate with your doctor's office if we need to.

If you have any more questions please call or text us at 479-202-0337.  We are happy to help you. 

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