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Choosing a Physical Therapist

October 17, 2010

General Information


I recently had a client come to me needing help that was outside my realm of practice. I spent some time helping the client find a physical therapist that was more appropriate for her needs on the APTA website under “Find a PT.” More people than before are shopping around for good therapists, but most of the time they look at location and what is covered by insurance to guide decisions on choosing a PT, not necessarily a PT to fit their needs. When researching a PT, a nice place to start is apta.org under “Find a PT.” There you can search by area code and look at specialties. If you’re looking for someone that treats sports injuries versus strokes the biographies will assist you in finding the right PT.

When calling to make an appointment ask questions:
-Are they familiar with treating your condition?
-Is the treatment one on one or in a group?
-How long are treatments?
-What are their treatment philosophies and style?
-Are treatments provided by licensed personnel such as a PT or PTA?

If you don’t have a good recommendation from a friend or family member, hopefully this will help you in selecting the right PT for you.

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Copyright 2010 Geaux to Physical Therapy

About MoniquePT

My name is Monique Serpas, PT, DPT. I am a physical therapist that practices at HealthReach Rehab-Norhshore in Glendale,WI. I realize how difficult it can be to overcome an injury or manage a chronic condition and am focused on helping my clients achieve wellness through a physically active lifestyle. I treat orthopaedic, balance, and vestibular disorders and practice using a combination of hands-on manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and education. This enables my patients to assist in their own recovery and injury prevention. I worked with a multidisciplinary team at HealthReach to develop an evidence-based program for the prevention of falls in older adults. I also developed a golf rehab and injury prevention program for HealthReach Sports Medicine. I hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Concordia University Wisconsin (2008) and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University (2004). I am a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association (WPTA), and the Orthopaedic and Neurology sections of the APTA. I serve on the state board of the WPTA.

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  • Anonymous

    I have found patients often are not given the opportunity to choose their PT, it is done for them by their physician.  Most of the public does not realize 46 states have direct access laws giving patients the option to select their practioner.

  • http://www.geaux2pt.com MoniquePT

    I agree patients do not know that they can go where they want for their physical therapy.  Regardless of direct access when a physician prescribes physical therapy, the patient has the ability to choose a physical therapist.  Direct access allows people to see a physical therapist directly without a prescription or referral.