7 benefits of telehealth physical therapy

What do you think of when you picture a physical therapy clinic? You probably think of a large room in a health care facility that’s filled with exercise equipment and apparatuses where you’re guided through exercises by a licensed physical therapist. But did you know that you can get that same guidance through a video camera?

Telehealth physical therapy combines the modern technology that you use every day with the health care treatment that you need for a healthier future. If you’re weighing out the benefits between in-person and telehealth physical therapy, we’re here to let you know about the advantages of seeking physical therapy online.

We’ll talk about who telehealth physical therapy can help, the benefits of telehealth physical therapy and what it looks like for an Agile Virtual PT patient.

Who can telehealth physical therapy help?

Physical therapy is a type of health care that helps reduce pain as well as improve your body’s mobility and function that have been affected by surgery, injury or a medical condition. It can also help people who want to boost their overall fitness and athletic performance.

Telehealth physical therapy allows you to get the physical therapy treatment that you need through remote services. It connects you with therapists through chat messages and videoconferencing. They can guide you through exercises that will:

• Decrease pain.
• Improve your range of motion.
• Increase your strength and flexibility.
• Improve the overall function of the affected area.
• Reduce risk of future pain or injury.

Telehealth physical therapy can help with a variety of injuries, medical conditions and specializations, including:

• Back pain and sciatica.
• Shoulder and neck pain.
• Elbow, wrist and hand pain.
• Foot and ankle pain.
• Hip and knee pain.
• Headaches.
• Oncology.
• Women’s health.
• Medical weight loss.
• Elderly care.
• Student-athlete treatment.

7 benefits of telehealth physical therapy

Telehealth physical therapy can provide patients with a variety of benefits that can help them on their wellness journey. For many people, telehealth physical therapy can give them the treatment they need by removing obstacles they may have had in the past with in-person physical therapy.

Here are seven benefits of telehealth physical therapy:

• Accessibility in most areas — It can be frustrating when you know that there are helpful services available that aren’t in your area. If there aren’t physical therapy practices near you, telehealth physical therapy can provide you with access to the services in most areas with Wi-Fi.

• Cost-effectiveness — Many people put off getting the treatment they need because they can’t afford transportation or to take time off work. One of the biggest benefits of telehealth physical therapy is that it cuts out the need for a commute, so it removes the cost of gas or public transportation. It also provides flexible scheduling, making it easier to work around your job without worrying about losing money from taking time off.

• Familiar surroundings — When you’re in an unfamiliar setting, it’s easy to feel uncomfortable and self-conscious while trying to perform physical therapy exercises. When you’re comfortable in your environment, you’re likely to be more engaged in the sessions because you’re in a familiar setting with a therapist whom you form a connection with throughout your treatment.

• Convenience — It goes without saying that modern technology provides us with convenient solutions that help us in our everyday lives. There’s nothing more convenient than learning how to help alleviate your pain and improve your mobility with just a few button clicks. One of the biggest benefits of telehealth physical therapy is that you can receive effective treatment through your phone, laptop or tablet.

• Safety recommendations — Physical therapy patients often have reduced mobility that can make it difficult for them to safely move around their home. During telehealth video sessions, your physical therapist can see any potential hazards in your house that can impact your progress. They can make safety recommendations as well as incorporate exercises that take those hazards into account, such as stairs.

• Family support — Even though a licensed physical therapist plays a large role in your recovery journey, it’s important to have loved ones as a support system throughout the process. With telehealth physical therapy, you can have family members or friends assist you during sessions and provide hands-on guidance during exercises to keep you safe.

• Staying connected — Since treatment takes time, it’s important to know that you can reach out to your physical therapist whenever you need to. One of the best benefits of telehealth physical therapy is that you can stay connected with your therapist in between sessions. They can answer any questions about symptoms you’re experiencing and provide guidance for exercises to perform in between sessions.

Agile Virtual PT provides patients with many benefits of telehealth physical therapy

At Agile Virtual PT, we take all the benefits you’re looking for in telehealth physical therapy and combine them into a customized care program to help you work toward the healthiest version of you. We’ll help you every step of the way, including online PT sessions, exercise tutorials and in-app messaging.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.