Life is a battlefield. And in that field, we experienced various victories as well as crushing defeats. For our veterans, life is not the only battlefield they have to fight on.

Due to the injuries you have received on the battlefield, going to the physical therapist may not be that new to you. But if this is your first time being referred to one, you may feel nervous. After all, you are not certain of the things you are about to encounter.

Let us take a sneak peak on preparing for your first trip to your physical therapist:

• Being referredBefore you go straight to a physical therapist, you need to be examined first by your attending physician. Your doctor will refer you to a therapist if you have been having pain or if you experience difficulty in moving around.The physician will initially give you various diagnoses. This is to determine what the perfect course of action is for the pain you are experiencing. After these diagnoses, you will be referred to a physical therapist in order to begin working on your different functional mobility limitations.If your doctor failed to make a referral, you can ask for one. Or you can also request for a session in your own home through our Home Health Care Services in Ohio.
• Looking for your physical therapistOnce you find out that you need to be worked upon by a physical therapist, the first thing you have to do is to look for one. You have a lot of options on how you can do this. You can:
  • Ask your primary care provider (your doctor)
  • Ask your family or friends
  • Go online
  • Ask assistance from the American Physical Therapy Association or APTA

  Your search does not end once you have found a physical therapist. You need to ask your physical therapist if he or she is a specialist in treating your condition. You might also want to check if he or she accepts insurance.

  Once you have your initial appointment, you have to review important facts about your health. It would be of great help for your PT if you give him or her the answers to the following questions:

  • When did your problem begin?
  • How did it begin?
  • How was your functional mobility status before your injury?
• WardrobeDressing up is essential when you go to your appointment. Wear clothes that are:
  • Easy to move around
  • Accessible to the site of your pain

You do not have to go out of your way to be assessed by a physical therapist. You can simply call on Buckeye Home Health Care and perform your sessions in your own house. This is the least we can do for our heroes who have fought for the country.

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!