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Inquire about packages. Change takes time and persistence. Accountability is often vital for the habit change required to heal. Clinical practice is an inexact craft of hypothesis testing and tweaking to dial in your specific needs that a single session cannot offer.

FAQ

An MRI showed I have a tear

While imaging is a valuable tool, it is only one piece of information in a complex dynamic. Recent evidence suggests most people without pain will have “problems” on an image. If your X-ray shows some arthritis, you probably experienced years without pain in the decades it took to form. I like to say, ‘your disc HAS a problem, it’s not THE problem.’ The problem was the pattern that created the disc issue. If we can figure out and change that pattern, the disc can likely heal, in spite of what the scary MRI or X-ray might lead you to believe. In fact, the gold standard for assessment of low back pain discourages imaging (in non-emergency cases), as outcomes are counterintuitively worse. Imaging is not the final verdict for your potential.

Can you fix me in a single session?

I don’t “fix” anyone. Our bodies are complicated miracles and designed to heal themselves, so, unfortunately, I can’t fix you (and neither can anyone else). People wake up each day, hoping they don’t hurt today. And often, the time the wait-and-see approach sort things out. But when that goes on for 6 months or more, you will develop compensating patterns around the initial pain. At that point, it’s often layers of compensation that have to be “unwound.” We are closer to a plant than a machine; an organism. We can’t simply replace parts, or put them back in place. Much like tending a garden, we don’t make plants grow, or fix bodies. We make the conditions right for the plant to grow, and bodies to heal, and nature does it’s thing. And just like plants, it takes time because we can’t speed up the natural physiology of healing.

Can I see you for a single session?

The short answer is yes. And for some, a single session for a simple problem is adequate. However, more chronic issues have secondary and tertiary adaptations, and is more of a process. It’s possible that we can relieve pain in a single visit, but these changes are less likely to persist if underlying roots of the problem are not addressed. If movement is medicine, taking consistent doses over time are necessary for the benefits. Single sessions are analogous to taking a single dose of an antibiotic and expecting to cure the infection.

How are you different from other PT?

Do you like being treated like a number? Of course not. Since most clinics are optimized to extract from your insurance, you are simply a means to an end. As such, you will likely be seen with other clients at the same time, and the therapist will likely be working on his computer to complete the notes required to bill your insurance. Conversely, I try to approach physical therapy as a craft with “soul in the game.” An inferior service, like any artist, hurts my pride. I think most therapists are well-meaning, but trapped in a system designed by white collared actuaries and administrators that don’t understand what is required to work with individuals. I have worked to sidestep those constraints to work for my clients and provide the best care possible.

What does a visit look like?

It’s impossible to give you directions to a destination on a map without knowing where you are starting. Similarly in physical therapy. Therefore, we start with a thorough assessment to help us understand your problem. After assessment, we have a better idea of how to address the problems that may have contributed to your specific issue. The private session will likely include manual therapy, exercise, and education to help you understand and, as independently as possible, help you take responsibility for your healing.

What do I get for my money (not using my insurance)?

Insurance practices are paid by your insurance provider and are, therefore, incentivized to make your insurance happy, not necessarily you. That means dotting ‘I’s’ and crossing ‘T’s,’ buttoning up clinical documentation and bouncing between multiple other clients, while you are left to do “busy work” exercises like riding a stationary bike. Since you pay me directly, I am incentivized to care for you and give you 100% of my attention. Visits are private, and I do not spend your valuable time looking at a computer screen. While many clinics see clients 2-3 times per week for 8-12 weeks, I can often see clients for fewer visits, resulting in less wasted time and money saved. Depending on your coverage, you may be able to file for partial or full coverage for out of network coverage.

ATX PT

3407 Guadalupe Street,

Austin, TX, 78705,

United States

Atxphysicaltherapy@gmail.com

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I work to ‘eat my own cooking’ by staying active. I am simple, but consistent and have trained, relatively injury-free, over the last few decades

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