Virtual Physical Therapy- An oxymoron?

It’s long been assumed that effective physical therapy relies upon in-person interaction and physical contact. While physical therapists (PTs) are certainly trained to perform hands on assessment and treatments, there are also many other skills that physical therapists bring to the table that are easily incorporated into the virtual world. These just aren’t well known. We complied a list of below of some elements of physical therapy you will see whether in the clinic or online.

1.     The discussion

At the beginning of every single episode of physical therapy care, your therapist takes time to ask thoughtful and thorough questions about your medical history, surgical history, general health and wellness, history of injuries, current issues, and so much more. While it may seem like a simple process, this actually takes a very unique skillset that is especially important for virtual care.

2.     Movement assessment

We can analyze some (not all) of your movement in similar ways both in the clinic and on the screen. Providing care virtually does limit some of the tests we may perform in person, but we can still, typically, arrive at a solid idea of what’s going on and develop and individualized plan for you. In fact, observing and analyzing your performance of many functional tasks that you need to do at home is actually easier to do virtually than in a traditional clinic. For example, looking at how you sit at your computer, analyzing your mechanics while you pick something up off of the ground, seeing how you move and play with your child/grandchild, etc. are all easier to do virtually because we can get a more realistic idea of what these activities look like in real-time!

3.     Education

Physical therapists are natural educators no matter what their specialty or setting. For example- pelvic floor physical therapy requires a lot of education on the area of the body we are treating, the other organs involved and how they function properly, and discussion of the multitude of misconceptions people have been taught about this part of their body. Orthopedic physical therapists often spend a good amount of time educating patients about their condition. This educational piece is so valuable and is an important piece of virtual care.  

4.     Exercise prescription

Virtual care relies heavily on exercise therapy tailored specifically to you by your physical therapist for your condition. In some cases, this reduces a person’s reliance on what we call “passive modalities” (like manual therapy, massage, ultrasound, hot packs, etc). I love this approach as a PT because it requires me to think more creatively and requires more accountability from you as the person seeking care.

5.     Lifestyle modification

This goes hand in hand with education. Many times there are lifestyle factors and habits that can contribute to people’s musculoskeletal issues that they are completely unaware of. Physical therapists can help evaluate these things and provide some guidance on how it may be affecting your healing, pain, etc.

Virtual physical therapy may seem, to some, like a bit of an oxymoron. However, some studies are showing that virtual physical therapy may be as effective for some conditions as in-person physical therapy. Those same studies show that many people prefer the convenience of virtual care and therefore, are more satisfied with their overall experience.

 While there will certainly be situations and conditions in which hands-on, in-person assessments and treatments are necessary, virtual physical therapy provides a new option for many who would otherwise not attend in person physical therapy. Many people do not have the time, resources, or bandwidth to attend PT in person.  Physical therapists across the country are held to the same standards of care in person as they are via virtual services. Here at Comet, we work hard to figure out whether your specific condition and circumstances make it feasible and appropriate to attend virtual sessions and, if not, we will let you know and discuss options! In those cases, we can even help you find someone in your area that would be a better fit to meet your needs.