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How Long Does Physical Therapy Last?

Posted on February 28th, 2022 by Orthopaedic Specialty Group

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy (PT) is a type of care that works to ease your pain and improve your movement and functions to live a happier, healthier, and more comfortable life. Your doctor may suggest physical therapy if you recently suffered an injury, deal with chronic pain, need help improving flexibility and movement, or are healing from a procedure. 

During physical therapy, a therapist will start by assessing your needs with an examination. Then, they will work with you to build a personalized treatment plan to help heal your ailments. This could include a series of stretches, exercises, massages, and other treatments to target the desired area to minimize pain and maximize movement.  

How Long Is a Physical Therapy Session?

On average, physical therapy sessions last between 30 and 60 minutes with a frequency of two to three times a week. Of course, your sessions may be longer or more or less frequent depending on your condition and what was deemed the best course of treatment. Your first physical therapy session will include examining and assessing your ailments to determine the best course of action going forward with your sessions. This initial consultation could be longer, depending on your therapist.  

How Long Is Physical Therapy Needed?

When you first start meeting with your physical therapist, they will give you an estimation of how long your sessions will last —this could be weeks, months, or even years, depending on what’s being treated.

The duration of your time in physical therapy overall will depend on your goals, rate of healing, and the condition you are having treated. Naturally, this will be different from person to person, and it is impossible to precisely predict how long it will take. Another factor affecting your physical therapy timetable will be how much you do on your own; your physical therapist will likely give you some exercises to work on at home, too. Your progress will be carefully monitored to determine when is the right time to end your physical therapy journey.

For physical therapy in Fairfield County, CT, contact Orthopaedic Specialty Group!

Give the professionals at Orthopaedic Specialty Group a call at (203) 337-2600 to learn more about how our doctors and physical therapists can work with you to help treat your orthopaedic conditions and injuries.