Frequently Asked Questions

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Q:  The chiropractor, massage, acupuncturist, and personal trainer are all different options for my problem.  Why bother with PT when I can just go see one of them?

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A:  We have nothing against any of these professionals, they all have great things to offer in their own way.  The difference in our approach at the Green Room PT starts on Day 1.  With a thorough history taken and mobility assessment completed, we can identify the source(s) of your issue.  When you can identify the root cause of your problem, anything you do to address it will have a higher likelihood of success.  We also employ a variety of individualized treatment methods depending on our patient’s particular issue, including manual therapy techniques, modalities, specific therapeutic exercises, and more.  We also provide you with home exercises to stretch and strengthen through a Free phone app so you can continue to improve in between sessions! 

 

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Q:  I’m not really injured, I just have a bunch of nagging pains that are just more of an annoyance.  I don’t want to see the doctor for it, but I want the nagging pains to go away.  I’m afraid of being seen as a “wimpy” person to get this pain looked at.  Is this something PT could help with?

 

A:  This is the most common type of issue we treat at The Green Room!  More than 50% of our patients don’t have an “injury” or surgical condition, they have nagging, annoying neck or back pain, a stiff knee, or cranky shoulder.  Some patients have bothersome headaches or occasional vertigo.  Some have intermittent foot pain/plantar fasciitis.  So, the short answer is, not only will you not be seen as “wimpy,” we’ll applaud your proactive attitude to living your best, healthiest life! 

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Q:  I’ve tried EVERYTHING, INCLUDING PT in the past!  How come I’m still in pain?  Why would it work for me this time?

 

A: The usual answer to why you’re still in pain is that the true source of your pain hasn’t been identified yet.Just because you have pain in your back doesn’t mean it’s coming only from your back, for example.It may be caused by faulty mobility patterns, postural issues, even an old ankle or knee injury.Your hip pain could be coming from a “stuck” SI joint.At The Green Room, we take the time to find the real source of your pain.After that, we have a wide variety of treatment options and techniques, since every body is different and what works for one person doesn’t work for another.

 

 

Q:  I had surgery or an injury in the past, and my doctor said I was all healed and I didn’t have to see him again.  I went to PT and they discharged me and told me to just “do my exercises.”  I don’t feel nearly close to 100%.  Why should I go back to PT if they will just discharge me home with my cheap theraband and basic exercises again?

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A:    At The Green Room, we check in with our patients at the start of every session.  We make sure we are making progress toward their goals.  Just because a PCP or surgeon says someone is “healed” doesn’t mean their level of activity or mobility is where they want it to be.  If your goal is to get back to running, hiking, or working out, that’s what we work on.  If you want to be able to squat down and pick up your child or grandchild, that’s what we’ll work toward.  We don’t discharge our patients until both therapist and patient agree that all goals have been met. 

 

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Q:  I’ve been told by my PCP or Orthopedic Physician that I’m too old, or that I have arthritis, or I have bulging or degenerative discs, and that I’ll just have to deal with my pain for the rest of my life, is this true?

 

A:  Nothing could be further from the truth.  This is just nonsense and there is research to prove that way of thinking wrong.  Unfortunately, we hear this all the time from patients.  We’ll show you just how wrong your Physician is, we have time and time again.

 

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Q:  My doctor says I have “degeneration in my discs (or joints)” and that nothing can be done except medications, injections or surgery.  Can PT help me avoid these?

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A: Absolutely.  See the answer above.  In fact, we have had many patients cancel surgery, injections, MRI’s, and Specialist visits once they realized after a few weeks of therapy how much better they can feel without these invasive procedures.  Not only that, but there is a growing body of evidence showing a large percentage of healthy, pain-free people age 25+ have some degree joint or disc degeneration, disc bulging or herniation, and joint space narrowing on MRI, and these are just normal, incidental findings.  In fact, you can EXPECT to find something wrong on any x-ray or MRI, even in young, healthy, pain-free individuals.  An MRI or x-ray finding doesn’t mean you have to be in pain.  Most times, what is found on x-ray or MRI isn’t the source of the pain, the source of your pain is usually due to weak or tight muscles, fascial mobility issues, inflamed nerves, or spasmed trigger points.  These can all be healed with PT.

 

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Q:  My friend went to PT and said it was a waste of time.  I trust my friend’s opinion, but I’m also running out of options. What should I expect to get out of PT?

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A:  Unfortunately, there are a lot of “Mill” therapy centers out there.  Therapists are expected to treat a patient every 15 minutes, or worse, sometimes treat 2-4 patients at one time.  Many times in these centers, patients are given a list of exercises to do and told by the therapist “I’ll be back” or placed on e-stim and heat and told “I’ll be back.”  Of course that’s a waste of time!  We agree with your friend.  Rest assured, we are nothing like that.  Our whole mission and purpose is to be nothing like that.  We provide one-on-one, individualized therapy and you will have your therapist’s undivided attention during every visit.  We work with you every single session to trouble shoot what is working, what’s not working, and how we can truly address your issue from the source to help you reach your goals for therapy.

 

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Q:  But my doctor told me to just rest, take some pills, and that I’m not “ready” for PT!

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A:  We hear this a lot, and this is based on old information.  Current research shows that when you have a pain or injury, you need to immediately learn ways to move your body safely and to also work the joints or body areas above and below the site of injury.  Rest and pills just cover your pain, they don’t address the cause of your pain or allow you to heal.  Not only that, but if it hurts too much to move, your therapist can provide manual massage techniques, taping, and modalities to reduce the pain and facilitate/promote healing rather than just cover up the pain, until you’re ready to start moving and strengthening again.

 

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Q:  I’m interested in what physical therapy has to offer…BUT….I’m really not sure if this will work for me.  I’ve been let down in the past so many times and I don’t want to waste any more time and money.  What can you do for me?

 

A: One of the things we are most proud of is that we have a reputation for being the place that people go to when they’ve tried other PT’s, Chiropractors, and more and haven’t had results.  Because we do take the time with each patient to work with them one-on-one, take an individualized approach, and offer different (and sometimes unusual) treatment approaches, our patients finally get results when they haven’t been able to before.

 

 

Q:  I would get treatment, but I have NO idea what to expect.  I’m scared something will be “done to me” that is going to make me feel worse! 

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A:  We understand that each patient’s tolerance to treatment is different.  We take this into account.  Depending on what your situation is, you may benefit from deep tissue techniques that may initially be uncomfortable, but that will allow you to finally heal your pain and injury.  We will discuss this with you and educate you on what we feel will get you results and what you will feel in the process.  Any temporary soreness usually only lasts 1-2 days, but will leave you feeling much better in the long run.  We will also never start or continue with any treatments that the patient doesn’t feel comfortable with. 

 

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Q:  I’ve heard in the past that PT stands for “physical torture”…do the treatments hurt?  I’m quite worried that my body can’t handle those treatments, but I want to try!  How much will it hurt?  What can I expect?

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A:  See the answer above.  Since we do work with each patient one-on-one, we are constantly asking for feedback and making sure that no treatment technique is too much.  Most treatments are totally pain-free, or even “feel good.”  Some examples of treatment techniques that may be a bit uncomfortable while they are being administered (but can help heal you much faster!) include deep tissue/myofascial techniques, Graston technique, and trigger point release. 

 

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Q:  I’m worried I’ll be too “sore” after treatment and I won’t be able to do things later, should I still come to PT?

 

A:Some soreness can be expected, including delayed onset muscle soreness from new strength exercises.  Temporary soft tissue soreness may be expected at first from certain manual techniques, Graston therapy, or cupping, for example.  In order to fully heal your pain or injury, it often requires us to get your pain from a Chronic state of pain and injury back to an Acute state of healing to allow your pain to finally heal for good.  You may also be extra sore during visits 1-3 from evaluation techniques and initial mobilizing of stiff, inflamed tissues.  Rest assured, this is all completely normal and any temporary soreness or pain is a good sign!  Within 2-3 weeks (or much sooner for some pains or injury), the soreness you initially experienced after therapy sessions will no longer be there, and you will start to notice that the pain you first came in with is going away!

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Q:  I have a question or concern for my therapist, should I wait until my next visit to address it? 

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A:You may feel free to contact us between sessions at any time by phone (518)326-3771 or email care@thegrpt.com  We are here to guide you all along the way, so don’t feel you have to save any questions or concerns for during visits only.

 

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Q:  What should I wear for therapy?

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A: Comfortable, loose clothing is best.  Make sure the joint or body part to be worked on is accessible (no tight-fitting clothing, for example).If you are a runner, walking, or gym-goer, it’s helpful to bring in your sneakers for us to assess.

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Q:  I want to refer my friend or family member to your practice.  Do they need a Physician’s referral or script first?

 

A::  New York State is a Direct Access State, meaning that you do NOT need an MD referral in most cases.  There are a few exceptions: Worker’s Comp cases and No Fault, also Medicare after the 1st visit.  If you have any more questions about this, feel free to give us a call or email.