Physical Therapy: What to Expect from Spaulding Rehabilitation

Physical therapy (PT) can be your lifeline back to normalcy when you are recovering from an illness or injury. At Spaulding Rehab, our goal is to improve your mobility, strength, and functional ability, to achieve your highest functional level and optimal quality of life.

Our physical therapists are part of a physician led, interdisciplinary rehabilitation team, working in collaboration with you and your family to customize your care across our multiple levels of care – hospital rehabilitation, outpatient, skilled nursing and long-term acute care.

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy addresses injuries or impairments that limit an individual’s abilities to move and perform functional activities that are integral to daily life.

Why physical therapy?

Whether you have physical impairment, have been injured, or received surgery due to a chronic condition, physical therapy is a vital component to the recovery process. Physical therapy can help:

• Fix irregular patterns of movement
• Prevent scar tissue build up
• Increase flexibility in muscles and joints
• Strengthen muscles and reduce imbalances
• Improve quality of life 

What to Expect

When a patient receives physical therapy at one of our Spaulding Rehab centers, you can expect a physical therapist to:

• Review a patients’ medical history and referrals from other health professionals
• Assess a patient's functional mobility
• Develop an individualized care plan that may include outlining the patients’ goals and the expected outcomes
• Hands-on therapies may include guided or interventional exercises, stretching, and use of PT related equipment to increase mobility, reduce pain, and prevent future injuries
• Record and evaluate a patient's progress and modifying physical therapies and treatments when needed
• Educate a patient and establish expectations during the recovery process and how to strategically address challenges throughout the process