SportsCare Physical Therapy FAQs

Physical Therapists (PT/DPT) are health care professionals in the field of injury care and prevention. Through professional evaluation, diagnosis, and innovative treatment techniques, physical therapists can optimize the healing and recovery of your muscle, joint, and neurological disorders.

Your first appointment will consist of a physical evaluation, a review of your medical history, and a discussion of your treatment goals. If your symptoms allow, your physical therapist will assess your swelling, flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, and posture. They will then evaluate your performance during various body mechanic exercises and functional activities.

Your physical therapist will create a customized treatment plan and closely manage it during your following visits. Initially, treatment follows a structured plan: reduce pain and swelling, restore or improve flexibility, and then increase strength and endurance. Once these goals are accomplished, additional exercises and activities will be added that mimic your everyday tasks or chores. Your progress will be examined throughout your treatment dates to ensure improvements are being made. Once the treatment goals are met and the referring physician is confident in your results (if applicable), the patient will be given proper education for continued success and discharged from therapy.

If you need of physical therapy, simply call one of our SportsCare locations or request an appointment online to schedule an evaluation. If applicable, your physical therapist and referring medical provider will agree on a frequency and duration for treatment. Our front desk will schedule you to meet those requirements. We will do everything we can to accommodate your requests for appointment days and times. Please inform us of any scheduling restrictions and we will do our best to work around them.

Appointments typically last 45 minutes. Your therapist will do everything in their power to get you out on time, but please expect to be here a couple minutes past the scheduled end time.

Please bring photo identification, your insurance card or claim number, a copy of the written referral from your doctor (if applicable), and a list of any medications you are currently taking. Please arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment in order to fill out the necessary paperwork if you have not already done so at home by printing them off our website. Also, if you are currently wearing a brace, please wear or bring it to your first appointment. Other than those small details, bring a good attitude and a willingness to get better!

Appropriate exercise clothing is highly recommended. Please refrain from wearing skirts/dresses, restrictive clothing, and heels or sandals. If you have a shoulder injury, consider wearing a loose sleeve top so the therapist can access the injury site. Likewise, if you have a lower extremity injury, consider wearing shorts or loose sweats so the therapist can access the injury site. If you are currently wearing a brace, please wear or bring it to your appointment.

After the initial evaluation, your physical therapist will contact the referring physician to discuss a treatment plan (if applicable). The therapist will suggest a treatment duration and frequency while considering insurance plan coverage, which your referring medical provider will either sign off on or adjust. Once an agreement has been made between the physical therapist and doctor, SportsCare will contact the patient to schedule the recommended appointments. Initially, patients generally attend therapy about two times every week. As the patient advances through treatment and shows steady improvements, office visits will likely be fewer and farther between, typically once every week or other week. During this time, patients will continue self-treatment using a prescribed individual at home exercise program. Once the treatment goals have been met, the therapist and doctor will agree to discharge the patient from therapy.

All of our physical therapists have completed the necessary didactic and clinical education, as well as the required certification examinations, to be licensed and practice physical therapy in the state of Oregon. Our physical therapists hold a minimum degree of a Master of Physical Therapy, with most of them earning a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, the standard for new graduates in the industry. Every year, physical therapists must increase their level of education by attending continuing education classes.

Most insurance agencies pay for a portion, if not all, of physical therapy services redeemed. If you are unsure of your benefits, SportsCare will gladly assist you in understanding your benefits coverage.

In most cases, no. If you will be using your private health insurance plan or paying directly, you are not required to see your doctor or medical provider before you begin physical therapy. Patients being seen for work injuries, car accidents, or those with Medicare or Medicaid insurance plans do require a referral before starting therapy. If this applies to you but you are not sure where to go, we are happy to recommend a trusted medical provider within our community.