Blog · Video
What to expect at physical therapy Your first visit, a typical session and how progress is measured
What to expect at physical therapy: the first visit is an evaluation, where a physical therapist asks about your symptoms and goals, then tests your movement, strength, flexibility and balance and explains what they found. Treatment usually starts that day. Later sessions mix hands-on care, guided exercise and a home program, and most last about 45 to 60 minutes. Many plans run two or three visits a week for four to eight weeks, with progress re-measured along the way. Some soreness after early sessions is normal, but sharp or lasting pain is something to tell your therapist about.
If you have never had physical therapy, it is natural to wonder what happens in the room. Will it hurt? How many visits will it take? Do you need a referral? This post explains what to expect at physical therapy, from the first evaluation to the last visit, so you can walk in prepared. It applies whether you are coming for back pain, a sports injury or rehab after surgery.
What to expect at physical therapy on your first visit
The first visit is longer than the rest, often close to an hour. Your physical therapist will:
- Ask questions: where it hurts, how it started, what makes it better or worse, your health history, your job and what you want to get back to
- Test movement: range of motion, strength, flexibility, posture, balance and how you walk, squat or lift
- Use special tests to narrow down which joint, muscle, tendon or nerve is involved
- Explain the findings in plain language and agree on goals with you
- Start treatment, usually with a few exercises to begin at home
Bring a list of medications, any imaging reports, your surgeon’s protocol if you had an operation, and your insurance card.
What a typical session includes
Most sessions blend three things:
- Hands-on care: soft tissue work and joint mobilization to ease pain and stiffness, like the work in the first video. Our manual therapy page explains these techniques.
- Guided exercise: stretching, strengthening, balance and movement training, progressed each week, as in the second video
- Teaching: how to move, sit, lift and pace your activity so the problem does not keep coming back
Depending on the problem, your therapist may also use heat, cold, electrical stimulation or taping as a short-term help alongside exercise. Our lower back pain exercises show the kind of starter program a therapist teaches.
How long physical therapy takes
Many plans run two or three visits a week for four to eight weeks, then taper as you take over your home program (see how many physical therapy sessions for typical counts by condition). A recent sprain may need only a few weeks, while rehab after surgery or long-standing pain can take months. Your therapist re-measures your strength, motion and function every few weeks and adjusts the plan. Our injury recovery timeline explains how long different tissues take to heal.
Will physical therapy hurt?
Some effort and mild soreness are normal, especially in the first week or two, and usually fade within a day. Physical therapy should not cause sharp pain or leave you much worse the next day. Tell your therapist how you feel during and after each session so the plan can be adjusted. For long-term pain, as Zoya Reznik, DPT, OCS explains in the first video, a gradual program is what helps most; our post on chronic pain that is not improving covers why.
How to get the most from physical therapy
- Wear comfortable clothes you can move in, and shorts or a loose top if a knee or shoulder will be treated
- Do the home exercises; they matter as much as the visits
- Keep a note of what flares your symptoms and what helps
- Ask questions until the plan makes sense to you
Physical therapy also covers more specific problems, such as balance exercises, vestibular therapy for dizziness and hamstring strain recovery.
More videos on physical therapy
More clips from our YouTube channel @precisioncaremedical showing what a physical therapy session looks like.
Related care at Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance
A physical therapist near you
Searching for a physical therapist near me in southern Brooklyn? physical therapists Zoya Reznik, DPT, OCS and Maggie (Yi) Zhang, DPT, with physical therapist assistants Dennis Furman, PTA and Leila Nahmoud, PTA see patients at our Brooklyn physical therapy office on Shell Rd, convenient to Marine Park, Midwood and Sheepshead Bay. The first video features Zoya Reznik, DPT, OCS. Occupational therapy in Brooklyn, for hand and arm problems, is offered at the same office, and Ashley Marcus, MD also sees patients there.
For physical therapy on Staten Island, physical therapists Victoria Lynn Kain, DPT and Nicholas “Nick” Ursini, DPT work at our Staten Island physical therapy office on Richmond Rd, a short drive from Dongan Hills, Grant City and Todt Hill, where Jake Stephen, DO also sees patients. In Manhattan, Yuri Gordin, MD sees patients at the Precision Care Spine & Pain Center in Midtown Manhattan, reached easily from Midtown East, Spanish Harlem and Washington Heights; physical therapy is not offered at the Manhattan office. Request an appointment or call the office closest to you.
Questions patients ask
What happens at the first physical therapy appointment?
Your physical therapist asks about your symptoms, history and goals, tests your movement, strength, flexibility and balance, explains the findings and usually starts treatment with a few exercises to do at home.
How long is a physical therapy session?
The first evaluation often takes close to an hour. Follow-up sessions usually last about 45 to 60 minutes.
How many physical therapy sessions will I need?
Many plans run two or three visits a week for four to eight weeks, but it depends on the problem. A recent sprain may need only a few weeks, while rehab after surgery can take months.
Is it normal to be sore after physical therapy?
Mild soreness that fades within a day is common, especially early on. Sharp pain or feeling much worse the next day is not expected, so tell your therapist.
What should I wear to physical therapy?
Comfortable clothes you can move in and supportive shoes. Wear shorts for a knee or hip problem and a loose top for a shoulder or neck problem.
Where can I find a physical therapist near me?
Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance offers physical therapy in Brooklyn at 2781 Shell Rd, Suite 101, (718) 648-1234, and on Staten Island at 1630 Richmond Rd, Suite 101, (718) 339-7100. Physical therapy is not offered at the Midtown Manhattan office.
Educational only, not medical advice. These videos and this article explain common problems and treatments in general terms. They are not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for you. Results vary from person to person. See a qualified clinician about your own symptoms, and call 911 or go to an emergency room for an emergency.
More videos and articles on the Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance blog