Physical Therapy during COVID-19

March 31, 2020 Uncategorized

physical therapy during covid-19

Here Are Some Considerations for Physical Therapy During COVID-19

Staying safe at home, but still need physical therapy? This can pose a significant problem. Here are some considerations for physical therapy during COVID-19, as well as the things that North Penn Physical Therapy is doing to address them.physical therapy during covid-19

Social Distancing

Social distancing means that you are not going anywhere that you might encounter a crowd of people. For physical therapy, this means trying to sequester patients in private rooms, or keeping them in separate areas of the facility when they come in for their appointments. North Penn Physical Therapy has been conducting treatment in private rooms long before COVID-19 became an issue. Now, it is of further benefit in order to minimize patients’ contact with each other.

Social distancing has also come to mean maintaining a space between you and other people. Currently the recommendation is a 6 ft distance. While it is possible to keep this distance between patients, some therapy involves closer contact between the therapist and the patient. In this case, we rely on screening, both for the therapist and the patient’s safety. If either person does not feel well, has a temperature, or thinks they have been in contact with someone who may have recently been exposed to COVID-19, they should not attend therapy. This includes both staff and patients.

Private Treatment Rooms

Private Rooms mean fewer germs. Therapy facilities that are inside of gyms, or look like wide open spaces with mat tables may not be the best place to receive therapy at this time. If you need physical therapy treatment, it would appear that you would beĀ  safer in a private room in order to minimize the spread of potential virus germs.

Scheduling for Privacy

Scheduling of physical therapy sessions plays a role in are scheduled will also play a role in how much privacy you will have at a therapy office, as well as how much exposure to potential germs. Ask questions about whether the office is considering spacing out therapy visits to minimize exposure to other patients.

Standard Precautions

Hand washing, cleaning of all surfaces before and after each patient, and the availability of hand sanitizer stations are cleanliness standards. Most health care facilities regularly practice these, and they are more important than ever. When considering making a physical therapy appointment, you may want to ask to see the facility first. This may help ease your concerns about what precautions are being taken, and allow you to see where your treatment will take place. For information about the recommended workplace precautions for COVID-19, click here.

Telemedicine

Not all physical therapy issues can be addressed with telemedicine, but depending on your issue, it can be beneficial. If you have pain, or if an old injury flares up, it might help to get advice. More people are exercising at home right now. These people may occasionally need guidance about home exercises, and whether they are doing more harm than good. A video conference with a member of our qualified staff can be valuable in this instance. If you need more information on this service, feel free to contact us.

Hopefully this article has addressed your concerns regarding physical therapy during the COVID-19 epidemic. If you have additional questions or need more information, we are here to help. Send us an email at northpennpt@outlook.com, or call us at (215) 872-7822.