Frequently Asked Questions

It comes down to expertise and genuine care. Our team is highly trained in evaluating and treating a wide range of conditions with thoughtful clinical reasoning and a personalized approach. Every treatment plan is designed around your goals to help you recover efficiently and confidently.

At Island Physical Therapy, we combine advanced knowledge with a welcoming, supportive environment where patients feel comfortable and valued. If you are considering therapy, we invite you to stop by or call our office to learn more about how we can help you reach your recovery goals.

If you are injured or experiencing pain that limits your movement or daily activities, physical therapy can help address the underlying cause rather than simply easing symptoms. While medication or other treatments may provide short-term relief, physical therapy focuses on long-term recovery by improving strength, mobility, and function.

Your physician may also recommend combining physical therapy with other treatments depending on your condition. The goal is always to restore movement, reduce pain, and help you return to the activities you enjoy safely and confidently.

Beginning physical therapy early can often lead to faster recovery and better outcomes. Starting treatment soon after an injury allows your therapist to evaluate your condition, address movement limitations, and guide you through the right exercises for each stage of healing.

Early intervention also helps prevent your condition from becoming chronic and gives you the tools to support recovery between sessions. Your therapist will provide education on how the injury occurred, strategies to protect the area, and ways to continue progress at home.

 Of course! Your physician can help determine whether physical therapy is an appropriate part of your recovery plan. If you or your doctor have any questions about how physical therapy may support your treatment, our team is always happy to discuss what to expect, typical treatment approaches, and their potential benefits.

In today’s healthcare environment, it’s important to be proactive about your care. If you believe physical therapy could help you, let your physician know so they can incorporate it into your overall plan of treatment.

The choice of where to receive physical therapy is ultimately yours. Your physician, insurance provider, or friends and family may offer recommendations, but you have the right to select the clinic that best fits your needs.

Some insurance plans specify “in-network” facilities, so it is always a good idea to confirm coverage before scheduling. If you are considering Island Physical Therapy, we invite you to stop by, meet our team, and ask any questions about treatment options, scheduling, or billing. We are proud to offer personalized care and an exceptional therapist-to-patient ratio.

Insurance coverage for physical therapy can vary depending on your specific plan and provider. We recommend contacting your insurance company directly to confirm your benefits, including any co-pays, visit limits, or referral requirements.

Our office participates with most major insurance carriers in the area and is happy to help answer general questions about coverage or billing. If you’d like assistance understanding your plan or verifying benefits, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our front desk team.

Scheduling an appointment is simple. Call our office to find a day and time that works best for you. Our office hours and location can be found on our website, and our staff will collect the necessary information when you call. They are also happy to answer any questions you may have about your visit or what to expect at your first appointment. 

For your first appointment, please bring your insurance card so we can verify your coverage and any co-pay requirements. Some insurance plans require a physician’s prescription for reimbursement, and our staff will let you know if that applies to your plan once benefits are confirmed.

If you have recent medical records such as operative notes, MRI results, or X-rays, you are welcome to bring them, though they are not required. Be sure to bring any braces, splints, or assistive devices you currently use, as well as a list of your current medications.

 We recommend wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that allows you to move freely during your therapy session. If your treatment involves the neck, upper back, or shoulders, your therapist can provide a gown to ensure those areas are easily accessible. For lower body conditions, please wear or bring a pair of shorts. You are welcome to change into your preferred clothing once you arrive at the clinic. 

Your first appointment will be an initial evaluation lasting about one hour. During this visit, your physical therapist will review your medical history and the background of your current condition. A thorough physical assessment will then follow, including tests such as strength and range-of-motion measurements, flexibility, swelling, and movement quality.

Your comfort and tolerance are always respected throughout the session. The therapist will use hands-on techniques to assess your joint and soft tissue mobility, comparing different areas to identify restrictions or imbalances that may be contributing to your symptoms. Based on these findings, we’ll discuss your treatment goals and outline a personalized plan designed to help you reach them efficiently and safely.

Your treatment plan will be designed around the results of your evaluation and your individual symptoms. A typical session begins with gentle exercises or movements to help warm up your muscles and joints in a comfortable, pain-free way.

Throughout your visit, your therapist will monitor your progress and adjust the session as needed to keep activities within your comfort level. Hands-on techniques may be used to improve flexibility and joint mobility, while personalized exercises will target your specific areas of weakness or imbalance. As you improve, your plan will evolve to support continued progress and help you reach your recovery goals.

Your therapist will perform a thorough evaluation, quantifying and qualifying all the deficits and problems you present with and this assessment involving clinical reasoning is ongoing throughout the entire process. We will re-evaluate with measures periodically to determine progress. We simply repeat the measurements from the evaluation and compare the outcomes to determine measurable progress. You will be re-evaluated approximately monthly, or prior to your next physician appointment. Therefore, the therapist always needs to be aware of follow-up visits with your physician so we can communicate your progress prior to the appointment. 

Your physical therapist stays in regular contact with your referring physician to ensure coordinated, effective care. After your initial evaluation, your therapist will prepare a written summary that includes assessment findings, your treatment plan, and the recommended frequency of visits.

Progress updates are shared periodically, especially before any follow-up appointments with your physician, so your care team remains informed of your improvements and ongoing needs. If specific concerns arise, your therapist may also reach out by phone to discuss them directly. At the completion of your therapy, a final report is sent to your physician summarizing your progress and outcomes at discharge.

Your recovery is a team effort, and your participation plays a vital role in achieving the best results. Your physical therapist will guide and support you through each step of treatment, but consistent effort on your part is just as important. Following your home exercise program and any instructions provided will help you progress more quickly and maintain the improvements made during your sessions.  

 Our goal is to help you recover fully so that ongoing therapy isn’t necessary. However, maintaining the progress you’ve made often depends on continuing healthy habits and incorporating the exercises and techniques learned in therapy into your daily routine. In some cases, your therapist may recommend occasional follow-up visits or periodic reassessments to monitor long-term progress or address any recurring issues. If that becomes appropriate for your situation, it will be discussed with you during your treatment or at discharge. 

If your symptoms return after you’ve completed therapy, the next steps will depend on several factors, such as how long it’s been since your discharge, whether the issue is related to the same injury, and whether your physician needs to reassess your condition.

If you think additional therapy might help, reach out to your previous therapist or contact our office. We’ll review your history, discuss your current symptoms, and help determine whether a new referral or updated evaluation is needed before scheduling another course of treatment.

To help us provide the best possible care and maintain an efficient schedule, we ask that our patients:

• Provide at least 24 hours’ notice for cancellations whenever possible.
• Call the office if you have questions, concerns, or anticipate being late. We will do our best to accommodate you, but advance notice allows us to respect the time of all patients.
• Arrive on time for your appointments. We strive to see every patient within five minutes of their scheduled session.
• Let your therapist know at least one week before your follow-up visit with your physician. This ensures we can schedule a re-evaluation and provide an updated progress report for your doctor