My name is Becca and I work for SOL Physical therapy, but I’m not a physical therapist. After years of being in pain and trying all kinds of strategies to provide myself with relief, I decided it was time to get some physical therapy.
I had my first visit with SOL Physical Therapy + Performance yesterday, and here’s how it went!
My Physical Therapy Evaluation
PT Evaluation Phase 1: Assessment Questions
As we began, my SOL PT asked about the history of my arm/shoulder/neck pain (in pain since 2009), how the pain was affecting my life (affects everything!), and what I was looking to get out of physical therapy (would like to live pain-minimal or pain-free).
She also asked me what activities I do outside of work (cycle, swim, softball, teach), if I ever had any formal treatment for the pain (nope!), and what I had tried to provide relief in the past (massage, stretches, etc).
Since my issue is typing related, she also asked some great questions about my office set-up (sitting desk at work, standing desk at home).
PT Evaluation Phase 2: Physical Assessment
After asking questions, my PT informed me she was going to do a physical assessment. She started my assessment with a functional movement screen.
She asked me to complete a series of movements (like turning my head left and right, squatting, bending, moving my arms up and down, etc.) and watched me very intently. She talked to me about what she was looking for, and pointed out ways my body was compensating for my issue.
After the functional movement screen, she had me lay down on the exam table.
In this part of the exam, I had to focus very intently on my body. My PT moved my body around and asked me to tell her where and when I felt pain, discomfort, or tenderness in my affected areas. She also tested me for range of motion, and went from my right side (the good side) to the left side (the bad side) to give me a good basis for comparison.
She was super-focused during my assessment, and I could tell she was mentally preparing for what came next.
PT Evaluation Phase 3: Introductory Physical Therapy
My PT started my introductory physical therapy with what I can only describe as pinpointed, targeted massage (I’m sure it has a fancier physical therapy terminology, but I don’t remember it!).
She got her fingers into the muscles in my arm, neck, back, pecs, and shoulders, and applied pressure and massage. It was definitely deep tissue stuff, which caused some mild discomfort. She assured me this was normal, and kept checking in to make sure I was okay.
Then, she brought out “The Percussor”. For those of you who have never had the pleasure, The Percussor is a powerful piece of vibrating machinery. This thing vibrated with such force that while she was applying pressure to my shoulder, I could actually feel the vibration all throughout my head cavity and down my body. This thing was no joke, but it felt amazing!
After the physical therapy, we returned to assessments.
After my manual therapy, my SOL PT had me run through the same set of movements as during phase 2 of my evaluation. To my serious surprise, I struggled less with some of the movements, and I could move my arm more freely. It was like magic!
With the knowledge that I could move a little better, I let my PT lead me to the gym.
PT Evaluation Phase 4: Exercise!
After my introductory physical therapy, my PT explained and took me through a series of exercises to help begin reversing the years of damage. As I went through each exercise, she explained how to keep my form productive, where in my body the movement should come from, and what to expect when I did my exercises at home.
She gave me my plan of care, recommending 1-2 times per week for 4 weeks, and then 1 time per week for an additional 4 weeks.
I asked her if that plan of care would be enough to cure the pain.
She was real with me. She said because I’ve been experiencing this for so long, the plan of care would initially reduce my pain, but curing it might be a less straightforward, and longer process.
Before I left, she reminded to do my Home Exercise Program (HEP), fix my workstation, be more mindful of my posture throughout the day, and get up and move every 30 minutes!
Mission Accepted!
