Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQ
So you’re not working with insurance of any sort?
Correct. Riot PT is a 100% out of network provider.
But I am paying for insurance premiums and I’d like to be able to get something from that.
You might be able to! Call your insurance company and ask them for a summary of your “out of network physical therapy benefits”. Most companies reimburse a certain percentage after a deductible is met. Riot PT will provide you with an itemized receipt for physical therapy, as well as instructions for submitting your PT bill to your insurance company.
What if I have no out of network benefits? I can’t afford weekly physical therapy.
Riot will not turn anyone away for physical therapy due to finances. While Riot greatly appreciates those who are able to pay for physical therapy at the regular rate, access to care is Riot’s most precious value. Simply ask for a lower rate and you will receive it.
Okay, so how do I figure out what I can actually afford? I’ve never budgeted for out of pocket healthcare before.
If you’ve had physical therapy in-network in the last year or two, you can figure out how much you have previously paid out of pocket, and amortize that over the next 3 / 6 / 9 / 12 months (depending on how significant your physical therapy needs are). Alternatively, you can figure out how much you are willing to pay per month, just like another line item on a budget.
Typically, people who need a price reduction can manage 150-200/month with 2x/month frequency. Your mileage may vary.
Two times per month doesn’t seem like a lot of physical therapy. I used to go 3x/week after my knee surgery.
And I bet it was for 30 minutes each visit, with an aide or assistant watching you ride a stationary bike after the PT mobilized your knee for ten minutes.
Most patients do great with anywhere from one to three visits per month. The magic of physical therapy happens as you learn how to independently manage your own body, and that doesn’t happen living in a physical therapy clinic.
I just remembered, I have a FSA account! Can I use that?
Yes! You can use your FSA / HSA funds just like a credit card to pay for physical therapy. You will be given an itemized receipt for your records. Alternatively, you can pay with cash / check / credit card and use the itemized receipt for reimbursement.
I’ve done the math, and my wallet and I feel good about starting physical therapy. What can I expect for my first visit?
A few days before your first visit, you’ll receive a short intake form where you can detail your past medical history, as well as the reasons you are coming to physical therapy. You’ll also receive a few legal forms to sign that cover privacy practices, Riot’s cancellation policy, an out of network agreement, and consent for treatment. If you aren’t able to print the signature page for these forms, one will be provided to you at the clinic.
After reviewing your health history and discussing your current physical concerns, we will get to work on the physical examination, which will help guide a corrective movement program.
So once you figure out why I hurt, do I get a massage?
That’s a real quick no. Physical therapy is just that — physical. Most of the time, pain and dysfunction stems from ingrained movement strategies that break tissues down over time. Learning how to correct a dysfunctional movement pattern requires practice of a different movement pattern. Sometimes, manual interventions (soft tissue work, joint mobilization, visceral manipulation) are helpful and even necessary for full recovery — but not always.
In addition, there are far cheaper and more effective massage therapists than I in this city. If you are interested in massage therapy only, I’m happy to provide a name or two.
It seems like physical therapy has changed a lot in the last couple decades. This doesn’t sound like anything I’ve done before.
The profession has absolutely moved at light speed in the last 25 years! We’ve gone from techs to autonomous professionals contributing to an explosion of research literature. Gone are the days of nonspecific exercise and kitschy gadgets (surely laser will help rid me of my hip pain!). Riot Physical Therapy emphasizes collaboration to solve complex movement problems and correction of dysfunctional patterns through precise exercise prescription.
If I expect to be moving a lot in my visits, I’m guessing I shouldn’t wear jeans?
Probably not. It’s hard to get an accurate sense of movement or expose a joint with jeans.
Regardless of the location of your symptoms, it’s nice for your physical therapist to be able to access and see all of your body.
For example:
–Yoga pants / stretchy pants or flexible shorts
–Light, stretchy shirts, tank tops, sports bras
Many PT sessions are spent in bare feet, so unless you are concerned about specific footwear, don’t worry about what shoes to wear unless recommended otherwise.
Anything else I should know about starting PT at Riot?
I tend to swear a lot.
Scheduling FAQ
I’m ready to start physical therapy but I don’t know how many appointments to book.
While there is no standard for visit frequency, I strongly recommend booking two appointments in the first month. We will get a lot of work done on the first day, but to establish as specific and effective program as possible, a second visit 1-2 weeks after the first can help a lot.
What about after that?
Visit frequency is based on the complexity of your case (and budget), but most people typically do just fine with every other week frequency. As your symptoms resolve, we can reduce frequency to 1x/month or less.
I just tried to book and your site says there aren’t any appointments available. What gives?
If the scheduler doesn’t show any appointments available, that means that month is currently booked up. Your options are:
- Obsessively check the schedule to see if anything opens up
- Email me with the days/times that are best for you; I’ll add you to my wait list*
- Wait until the following month’s schedule opens.
* this is likely the best option, but you do you
So am I just going to need to set a calendar reminder for when your schedule opens?
Many people do, and if you have very specific day/time needs, you might want to as well. Here’s the remaining 2022 and 2023 schedules:
You will get a reminder email the day before the schedule opens.
2022
29-Aug: October opens
26-Sep: November opens
24-Oct: December opens
2023
28-Nov: January 2023 opens
26-Dec: February 2023 opens
23-Jan: March opens
20-Feb: April opens
27-Mar: May opens
24-Apr: June opens
22-May: July opens
26-Jun: August opens
24-Jul: September opens
28-Aug: October opens
25-Sep: November opens
23-Oct: December opens