Physical therapy, also referred to simply as PT, is an effective form of treatment for many different types of patients. Recovery from serious injuries, accidents, or diseases takes time. But by undergoing physical therapy, you can speed up your recovery time and even improve your long-lasting results. While there are no overnight fixes, physical therapy is one that will offer amazing benefits if you stick with the physical therapy program.
But before beginning your first physical therapy session, you’re bound to have a lot of questions. Since most patients are eager to get back to their active lifestyles, one of the most common questions concerns how long physical therapy usually takes. Here, we’re taking a closer look at how long physical therapy usually takes most patients and offering a brief guide to show you what you can expect from your physical therapy sessions. As a safe, holistic, and non-invasive approach to treatment, physical therapy has helped countless people get back to the lives that they love.
What is Physical Therapy?
We’ve all heard this term, but have you stopped to think what it really means? According to experts, physical therapy is a specialized type of healthcare that includes the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of individuals suffering from a personal injury or sports injury, accident, or illness.
A physical therapist is a licensed healthcare provider who will work with you hands-on to guide you through a specialized physical therapy program that includes various exercises and stretches designed to help your body heal and recover. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the length of your physical therapy can vary dramatically.
How Long Does Physical Therapy Usually Take?
This question isn’t as easy to answer as one might expect. But when asked how long physical therapy actually takes, the question can be answered two ways. Either you’re focusing on the duration of one physical therapy session or you’re looking at the entirety of the program and recovery process.
Let’s tackle the easy one first. A standard physical therapy session generally lasts between 30 to 60 minutes. For most patients, they’ll be scheduling one or two sessions per week, but of course this depends on your needs, injuries, and availability. Sometimes your sessions may also be limited by your healthcare package.
But what about the whole physical therapy process itself? Not even the most experienced physical therapist can set an exact timeline to the duration of physical therapy. That’s because the length of a physical therapy program is based on a variety of factors, such as the injuries or illness, the patient’s recovery speed, their prior fitness level, and the dedication to the recovery. Since physical therapists can’t provide 24-7 care, the patient must take responsibility for many of their own exercises and stretches and stick to the proposed schedule. By failing to do so, the length of the program can be longer. In most cases, however, physical therapy will take the average patient weeks to a possibly even a few months.
What to Expect From Your Physical Therapy Sessions?
Physical therapy is a hands-on approach to care that involves much more than simply visiting your doctor and sitting in an office. For physical therapy to be effective, you need the focus and dedication of both the licensed physical therapist and the patient. This approach to care is truly a team effort and many new patients are rightfully curious about how these sessions work.
What exactly should you expect from a physical therapy session?
For almost every physical therapy patient, your first visit won’t include any actual exercises. Before the hands-on therapy begins, your physical therapist will first perform a thorough physical examination to determine your specific needs and fitness level. This is also an opportunity to the patient to communicate what exactly they need from this treatment and what they hope to achieve by taking part in physical therapy. Be open with your physical therapist and let them know what hurts, what parts of your body are sensitive, and they can begin developing a personalized physical therapy program for your recovery.
Following the initial consultation, your consecutive sessions will begin incorporating various physical therapy exercises and stretches. But remember that physical therapy takes time, patience, and determination. While your physical therapist should be able to offer you a rough timeframe for when they believe your recovery can be completed. It’s of course impossible to know an exact date, but with time your rate of progress should serve as a more effective guide to when you’ll be back in your former shape.
During your physical therapy sessions, it’s important to be open with your physical therapist as you engage with the exercises and stretches. If something hurts, let them know. A little pain is part of the healing process, but if it becomes overwhelming, you may actually slow down your progress. The best physical therapists know when to push to help your body as it heals naturally and recovers.
Conclusion – How Long Does Physical Therapy Usually Take?
Physical therapy is an incredibly effective form of holistic, non-invasive care that can effectively respond to a variety of injuries and ailments. For a patient recovering from a car accident, personal injury, sports-related injury, or learning to use an artificial limb or assistive device, physical therapy could be right for you. However, it’s important to note that physical therapy isn’t an instant fix, and it requires hard work and patience.
There are no overnight fixes when it comes to your recovery—and physical therapy is no exception. Depending on the extent of your healthcare needs, physical therapy may take just a few weeks to months. The exact duration of your program will come down to your needs and your dedication to the program. But the results are well worth the time put in. Engaging in regular physical therapy can help you recover faster, achieve long-lasting results, and even boost your overall health and wellness. What’s not to love?
