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A Comprehensive Guide to Outpatient Physical Therapy

Senior woman having at an outpatient physical therapy appointment

If you are experiencing an injury, physical impairment, limited mobility, or an illness that causes pain, physical therapy may be a beneficial treatment for you. Physical therapy is a form of rehab therapy that improves or restores normal mobility and functioning of the body.

Many people receive physical therapy (PT) while they are hospitalized, while others receive it as outpatient physical therapy. Outpatient physical therapy is the provision of physical therapy on an outpatient basis, meaning you visit your physical therapy center to receive physical therapy and then return home.

Here we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on outpatient physical therapy, including what outpatient physical therapy is, what condition it treats, and who is eligible for outpatient physical therapy.

Outpatient Physical Therapy

Outpatient physical therapy is physical therapy that is completed in a hospital, physical therapy center, and physical therapist’s office. The length and frequency of outpatient physical therapy sessions vary according to an individual’s needs and goals.

For example, for minor muscle, joint, and movement disorders, outpatient PT is mostly done twice or three times a week. In contrast, more advanced issues such as rehab following a replacement surgery may require outpatient physical therapy for as long as 3 to 6 months.

What Conditions Can Be Treated with Outpatient Physical Therapy?

Outpatient physical therapy is recommended for the treatment of a broad range of conditions affecting muscles, bones, joints, nerves, tendons, and ligaments. Most commonly, outpatient PT treats:

  • Muscle strains
  • Ligament sprains
  • Muscle, tendon, or ligament tear
  • Fractures
  • Tendon inflammation or other injuries
  • Arthritis
  • Joint problems
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Herniated disc
  • Nerve problems like carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, etc.

Outpatient PT can also be used to treat generalized muscle weakness resulting from inactivity, neurological and neuromuscular disorders, chemotherapy, and hospitalization.

Who is Eligible for Outpatient Physical Therapy?

Outpatient physical therapy is appropriate for anyone who has an orthopedic or neuromuscular condition and has no significant limitation or disability that can prevent him/her from getting to and from the rehab center safely and independently.

People who are not eligible for outpatient PT are:

  • Those who have cognitive impairment that make environment at outpatient services too overwhelming or distracting for them.
  • Those who have significant physical limitations and cannot undergo transport to a physical therapy center

Outpatient Physical Therapy in Glasgow, Horse Cave, and Alexandria, KY

Whether you need outpatient PT, in-home therapy, or any other form of physical rehabilitation like occupational therapy, speech therapy, or balance and dizziness therapy, our therapists at H2 Health have you covered. For more than 50 years, we have been offering physical rehabilitation services so that you can move and live your life to the fullest.

In addition to physical therapy, we also offer massage therapy, acupuncture, dry needling nutritional counseling, and more to help you get back to normal.

If you would like to make an appointment with one of our certified and talented therapists, call today at (800) 699-9395 or use our request an appointment form. We look forward to treating you!