When Should You See a Physical Therapist?

Most people think physical therapy is only for when they’re dealing with an acute injury or recovering from surgery. Even in those circumstances, some people see it more like a chore than a valuable tool to help them come back stronger and perform at their best.

But physical therapy isn’t just for recovery. It’s also one of the easiest and most effective ways to help prevent injuries and pain.

The problem is that most people don’t think this way. Many people likely don’t even realize that physical therapy is an option for them.

It’s not their fault.

But it’s time to change how athletes and active people think about where physical therapy can fit into their fitness journey.

Because the truth is that seeing a physical therapist when you’re not dealing with injuries is one of the best ways to proactively help prevent them in the future.

When to See a Physical Therapist

If you want to be proactive about preventing pain and injuries, set a reminder to see a local physical therapist about every three months.

Simply call a local physical therapist’s office and tell them you’d like a full-body movement screen.

This will help pinpoint any weak points or limitations you might have. It will also allow a physical therapist to help you build an exercise list that you can follow weekly to address any potential issues they find.

Chances are that your physical therapist will love you for this. Better yet, if it’s a good therapist, they’ll help you find any issues before they become limitations or potential injuries.

This is a strategy that I personally use to make sure that my body stays resilient and ready for any challenges that I put it through.

Final Thoughts

Proactively seeing a physical therapist every three months is a great way to help optimize your performance and prevent small issues from becoming bigger ones.

It can also help you avoid injuries so you can stay in the game and keep doing what you love.

The first step is to find a local physical therapist you’d like to work with. Then find out if your insurance will cover these screenings.

If your insurance won’t cover it, contact the local physical therapist and see what this sort of service might cost. I’ve found that it typically costs about $125 per session. Even if you go just once or twice a year, there’s a lot of value in that cost.

And if you don’t have any good physical therapists in your area, many of the world’s most elite physical therapists now offer virtual consultations for situations just like these.

That includes some of the experts on SaltWrap’s Clinical Advisory Board.

One more thing: If you want a roadmap for rebuilding your body pain-free, check out my award-winning and bestselling book, Built from Broken.

In it, I give you the step-by-step process for healing joint pain and coming back stronger.

When you combine the science-backed principles and workouts in Built from Broken with proactive physical therapy, you'll have virtually everything you need to build lasting resilience and optimal performance.

Click the button below to learn more.