Frequently Asked Questions at PhysioFit
Here is where you will find the most commonly asked questions at PhysioFit Physical Therapy & Wellness
During your first visit you can expect the following:
- Arrive at your appointment with your paperwork completed (client forms here).
- If referred by a doctor, you will provide us with your prescription for physical therapy.
- We will copy your insurance card.
- You will be seen for the initial evaluation by a physical therapist.
- The therapist will discuss the following:
- Your medical history
- Your current problems/complaints
- Pain intensity, what aggravates and eases the problem
- How this is impacting your daily activities or your functional limitations
- Your goals with physical therapy
- Medications, tests, and procedures related to your health
The therapist will then perform the objective evaluation which may include some of the following:
- Palpation – touching around the area of the pain/problem. This is done to check for the presence of tenderness, swelling, soft tissue integrity, tissue temperature, inflammation, etc.
- Range of Motion (ROM) – the therapist will move the joint(s) to check for the quality of movement and any restrictions.
- Muscle Testing – the therapist may check for strength and the quality of the muscle contraction. Pain and weakness may be noted. Often the muscle strength is graded. This is also part of a neurological screening.
- Neurological Screening – the therapist may check to see how the nerves are communicating with the muscles, sensing touch, pain, vibration, or temperature. Reflexes may be assessed as well.
- Special Tests – the therapist may perform special tests to confirm/rule out the presence of additional problems.
- Posture Assessment – the positions of joints relative to ideal and each other may be assessed.
The therapist will then formulate a list of problems you are having, and how to treat those problems. A plan is subsequently developed with the patient’s input. This includes how many times you should see the therapist per week, how many weeks you will need therapy, home programs, patient education, short-term/long-term goals, and what is expected after discharge from therapy. This plan is created with input from you and your therapist.
If you’ve been referred by a doctor, make sure you bring your physical therapy referral and your payment information. If your insurance is covering the cost of physical therapy, bring your insurance card.
It is best to wear clothing and shoes that are appropriate for exercise. Wear loose fitting clothing so you can expose the area that we will be evaluating and treating. For example, if you have a knee problem, it is best to wear shorts. For a shoulder problem, a tank top is a good choice, and for low back problems, wear a loose fitting shirt and pants, again so we can perform a thorough examination.
Treatment sessions typically last 55 minutes per visit.
This is highly variable. You may need one visit or you may need months of care. It depends on your diagnosis, the severity of your impairments, your past medical history, etc. You will be re-evaluated on a regular basis and when you see your therapist, we will provide you with our recommendations.
This is a really great question. It’s true that physical therapy is a very physical experience and, as such, treatments can be a little uncomfortable at times, but we will always aim to be as gentle as possible and cause the minimal discomfort we possibly can to get your problem solved as fast as we can. Techniques used will be explained during your session so you will know what to expect. Patients are always encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback about their experiences during the session. Knowing what you are feeling helps us provide the best care possible. Before we do any physical therapy techniques we will tell you exactly what is about to happen whether or not it is likely to hurt and for how long.
More often than not the pain stops as soon as we do, so you only have to tell us to stop and we will. Pain is a side to physical therapy that is often unavoidable and most patients eventually concede that the pain is a nice sort of pain, one they know that is doing them some good and is often no worse than the pain that they are already in. The discomfort usually reduces as treatment progresses and we always advise you on things like ice and heat to help reduce the soreness that might be caused by the treatment.
Here is a list of the common injuries that we see: This is known as the diagnosis.
Back
- Sciatica
- Sacro Iliac joint pain and stiffness
- Spinal Stenosis
- Weak core stability
- Disc prolapse/herniated disc/slipped disc/bulging disc
Neck/Shoulder
- Muscle spasm and tension
- Rotator Cuff tear
- Impingement Syndrome
- Neck Spondylosis (degeneration)
- Disc prolapse/herniated disc/slipped disc/bulging disc
Ankle and Knee
- Ankle Sprain
- Achilles tendon
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Knee Cartilage
- Post surgery knee rehab
Sports injury/Muscles
- Calf strain
- Hamstring strain
- Shoulder muscle tear
- Achilles tendonitis
- Groin strain
Whiplash Injury
Any injury requiring Massage
- Arrive for treatment sessions at the scheduled time or a few minutes early so you are prepared. Late arrival may affect not only your 1-on-1 time with the therapist, but that of other patients in the clinic.
- Actively participate in the discussion to determine visit frequency and work in partnership with the physical therapist to achieve your treatment goals.
- Show up for appointments. Failure to show for an appointment and not calling to cancel the visit may result in a fee and is disruptive to the physical therapist’s schedule. If an emergency prevents you from attending, try to provide adequate notice. It is important to review the facility’s financial and cancellation policy prior to the start of treatment.
- If you plan to discontinue therapy or change the frequency of treatment because of personal or financial considerations, discuss this with your physical therapist.
You will get out of therapy what you put into it. Sufficient effort, as agreed between you and the physical therapist, is necessary to get maximize benefit from each treatment session.
This may vary. If you are a private/self-pay patient, you can choose to pay for each individual treatment session or purchase a multi-session bundle. If we are contracted with your insurance company then we will collect based on information received from your insurance company at the time of service.
You can pay with cash, check, or credit/debit card.
Yes, we accept patients without insurance. Please contact our clinic at (650) 947-8500 to ask about cost and availability.
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What Our Clients Say
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Love their Pilates instructors are professional, knowledgable and perceptive. Specially Lori. Their Physical Therapist have being very helpful when dealing with knee pain.
Liliana Paz
Well run, very experienced PTs. Great at listening to you and helping you on the road to recovery.
Suzanne Cowan
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I was lucky to find PhysioFit. They have a really professional staff that deals with all sorts of physical therapy needs. In particular I was in need of a person that understands male pelvic rehab, I found Katrina extremely professional therapist. If you are looking to get physical therapy, this would be a great choice.
Amir Fuhrmann
I have had treatment from both Allison and Janet. And they are amaizing. Great accessible location and they are always good with schedules and reschedules.
Raji Arasu
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I have seen Katrina for pelvic floor physical therapy this past year, and have struggled with nocturia for 15+ years. Prior to seeing Katrina, I saw 3 different urologists who were not able to find a solution for my night time voiding. I was given so many different medications - none of them worked. The doctors just said my symptoms were due to menopause, which was very vague and didn’t make sense to me. Waking up several times a night (every 2 hours) to urinate was very disruptive to my sleep, SO very frustrating. As someone with a complex medical history, I didn't think there would be a solution, and thought I'd have to live with this. I was pretty much ready to give up, until I found Katrina! Katrina is a very holistic therapist, she is very kind, genuine, competent, listening to my story, and doesn’t treat me like a “cookbook” patient - she really takes her time and looks at your body holistically during the evaluation. She explains everything that she is doing, which is very helpful because I've been trying to find an answer to my problem for years! She provides visual images and videos to help me learn about my issue, using the pelvic floor model as well, as I'm a visual learner. She is also very accessible - if I have any questions, she will respond to my email within 24 hours. I am now able to sleep through the night without waking up. I also don't leak urine anymore, so I don't have to wear those annoying and expensive pads when I play tennis. I have more energy throughout the day to participate in activities with my friends, which is important to me. Thank you Katrina for being my therapist and friend, problem solving with me, and never giving up on me.
Katherine A
I have been going to physiofit after trying several other centers that did not work for me. As an older adult in my 70’s I needed to find a therapist that really understood how to take care of my many pains and aches. This is not an easy therapist to find, I was looking for someone who both understands the anatomy of an older body but also has the caring touch and sweet demeanor. Well I was so happy to find Katrina who is all of those things she is the best therapist I have ever worked with and has completely help me transform my pain into exercises and stretches that truly support me in my healing. I could not recommend her enough she is caring, knowledgeable, and patient. I feel very grateful to her support in this process of healing my body. You will be glad to work with her. Thanks -maryam
maryam motiee
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Physiofit has been fantastic! Keya and Katrina prepared me for knee surgery and then helped me thru 2 knee replacements. The longer appointments and combination of manipulation, exercises and Pilates really made a huge difference in my recovery time.
Melanie Ercoli
very easy to communicate with the front desk staff, Shalini is a good physical therapist who takes time to listen, provide good advice and promote physical wellbeing for her clients.
claire tan
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I'm very thankful to have had PhysioFit and Janet Perrino recommended to me for the physical therapy of my proximal humerus fracture. Having in office sessions focused on evaluating my progress, tuning the rehab I do on my own, and manual therapy is exactly what I was hoping for and is only possible because of Janet's knowledge and experience. It has been great!
Robert Strong
I found PhysioFit through my friend who also had clogged milk ducts. I was having a persistence clog that wouldn't resolve and needed to unclog it. I'm in healthcare myself and I've never heard of therapeutic ultrasound that delivers heat to break down the clog. I've only heard of diagnostic ultrasounds. Katrina who is the physical therapist I saw explained that it's not new technology but usually used in PT to help with sore tissues and muscles. Katrina used the therapeutic ultrasound and massaging technique to get both of my clogs out! I felt relief immediately! The sessions was an hour and I was afraid I'll be uncomfortable while she worked on the clog, but Katrina was full of energy and chatted with me the whole time! The sessions are pricey ($290/session) but they were upfront on the cost and did try to bill my insurance. But since I have HMO insurance it was considered out of network and did not cover the session. However they do take FSA card and sometimes offer promos! In the end, super glad this place offers this type of service for lactating mothers.
Alice K.