Is virtual physical therapy worth my time?

Virtual Physical Therapy

It seems like the whole country is going virtual. You can talk to friends and family members using apps like Zoom, which makes it much easier to stay connected. Virtual physical therapy leverages similar technology to help you stay connected with your physical therapist, and it’s most definitely worth your time. 

This type of therapy is also called telePT or telerehab, and it uses a secure video link to put you in touch with a certified physical therapist. The number of patients willing to use telerehab is very high; in fact, one medical study reveals that 78% of people said they’d be willing to receive medical care virtually. One reason this is true is that there are many reasons virtual physical therapy is worth your time. 

Three reasons virtual physical therapy is worth your time

A virtual therapy specialist can do many of the things that they could if they were meeting with you in person. For instance, they can evaluate you to figure out what’s causing your symptoms. Additionally, they can educate you about your condition or injury, and your physical therapist can show you how to treat it. 

This combination of factors makes telePT beneficial for many patients. Three reasons it can be so beneficial are: 

  1. It’s easier to access — In certain areas of the country, it’s been hard to access any type of specialized medical care. This included physical therapy. In part, this is because there are far fewer medical specialists in rural areas than in urban ones. For instance, a study shows that there are 30 specialists per 100,000 people in rural areas of the U.S. In comparison, most urban areas have 263 specialists per 100,000 people. TelePT services allow more people in rural areas to access the physical therapy they need. 
  1. It has lower costs — Most types of medical care are expensive. If they weren’t, people wouldn’t use services like GoodRx so often. Telerehab is sort of like the GoodRx of the physical therapy world in that it can help reduce how much you pay for your care. One study of knee replacement patients shows that those that used telerehab saved $2,745 on average compared to those who had standard physical therapy. 
  1. Patients are highly satisfied with it — The biggest reason telePT is worth your time is that most people who use it are highly satisfied with their care. A study by one researcher reveals that telePT has a patient satisfaction rating of more than 91%. 

Find virtual physical therapy that’s worth your time at Whatcom Physical Therapy

Not sure who can offer you effective virtual physical therapy? Our team at Whatcom PT is prepared to help you get the virtual care you’re looking for. Our staff will be glad to help you set up a virtual session with one of our physical therapists, and these specialists can diagnose and treat issues like: 

Contact our team today for more information about our virtual physical therapy service or to schedule an initial appointment.