14 Questions to Ask About Physical Therapy (2026)

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physical therapist or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions about your condition or treatment plan. Never delay seeking medical advice because of something you read here.

Your doctor said you need physical therapy. Maybe it’s for a knee that won’t cooperate after surgery, a back that’s been screaming at you for months, or a shoulder that you can’t raise above your head. Whatever brought you here, physical therapy can be genuinely transformative when it’s done right. And frustratingly pointless when it’s not.

The physical therapy questions most people forget to ask are the ones that determine whether you get a cookie-cutter experience or a program tailored to your actual life. Not all PT clinics are created equal. Not all therapists have the same expertise. And not all treatment plans are designed with your specific goals in mind.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: some PT clinics are basically mills. They schedule patients every 15 minutes, hand them off to aides for most of the session, and run everyone through the same generic exercises. Others take the time to understand your condition, build a custom plan, and actually put their hands on you. The questions below help you figure out which type you’re walking into.

Before Your First Session

A little prep work makes your evaluation session far more productive.

• Get your prescription or referral details. Many states require a physician referral for PT, and most insurance plans require one for coverage. Confirm the referral specifies the diagnosis, the body part, and the number of authorized visits.
• Check your insurance coverage. Call your insurer and ask: How many PT visits per year does my plan cover? What’s the copay per visit? Do I need pre-authorization? Is there a specific PT clinic or network I need to use? These details prevent billing surprises.
• Gather your medical records. Surgical reports, imaging results (MRI, X-ray), and notes from your referring doctor. Your physical therapist needs this context to build an effective treatment plan.
• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Your therapist will need to see and move the affected area. Shorts for knee/hip issues. A tank top or loose shirt for shoulder/neck problems. Athletic shoes for most visits.
• Write down your goals and questions. What does “better” look like for you? Running a 5K again? Picking up your grandchild without pain? Getting through a workday without needing to lie down? Specific goals lead to specific treatment plans.

Treatment Plan and Approach

1. What’s your assessment of my condition, and what’s causing my symptoms?

Your first visit should include a thorough evaluation: medical history review, physical examination, movement testing, and pain assessment. After that, your therapist should explain, in plain language, what’s happening in your body and why it’s causing problems.

A good PT connects the dots. “Your hip weakness is causing your knee to track incorrectly, which is why you’re getting pain on the outside of your knee when you run.” That’s useful. “Your knee hurts” is not a diagnosis. It’s a description. Push for the “why” behind your symptoms.

2. What does the treatment plan look like, and what techniques will you use?

Physical therapy encompasses a wide range of techniques: manual therapy (hands-on joint mobilization and soft tissue work), therapeutic exercise, dry needling, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, cupping, taping, aquatic therapy, and more. Not every technique is appropriate for every condition, and not every therapist offers every method.

Your plan should include specific techniques, a rationale for each one, and a general timeline. “We’ll focus on manual therapy and hip strengthening for the first 4 weeks, then progress to functional and sport-specific exercises in weeks 5 through 8” is a plan. “We’ll see how it goes” is not.

3. How many sessions will I likely need, and how often should I come?

This directly affects your schedule, your budget, and your expectations. Most PT protocols involve 2 to 3 sessions per week for 4 to 8 weeks, though it varies widely by condition. Post-surgical rehab might require 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Chronic back pain management might be once a week for 6 weeks with a home program.

Ask for a realistic estimate, not the best-case scenario. If your therapist says 12 sessions, ask what factors could extend that. Understanding the range helps you plan financially (each visit costs money) and set expectations with your employer about time away from work.

4. What should I expect at each session?

A typical PT session runs 45 to 60 minutes. The best sessions include a mix of hands-on manual therapy, guided therapeutic exercises, education about your condition, and a review of your home exercise program. You should work hard enough to make progress but not so hard that you’re worse off the next day.

Here’s the key question: How much time will I spend directly with a licensed physical therapist versus a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or aide? In many clinics, the PT does the evaluation and then hands you off to an aide for subsequent visits. Aides can be helpful, but they can’t modify your treatment plan, and they have significantly less training. You deserve to know who’s actually treating you.

Home Program and Progress

5. What home exercises will I need to do, and how often?

Home exercises are where most of the real progress happens. Your 2 to 3 hours per week in the clinic aren’t enough. The work you do on your own between sessions is what determines whether PT succeeds or fails.

Ask your therapist to demonstrate every home exercise and watch you perform them to check your form. Request written instructions with photos or videos. Many PT clinics now use exercise prescription apps that send videos and reminders to your phone. If yours doesn’t, ask for a printed handout with clear illustrations.

The ideal home program takes 20 to 30 minutes per day and includes exercises you can actually do with the equipment you have (or don’t have) at home. Most home PT programs rely on a handful of affordable basics: resistance bands, a foam roller, and a yoga/exercise mat. Ask your therapist which ones you’ll need before buying anything.

6. How will we measure progress, and what milestones should I expect?

Good physical therapy is data-driven. Your therapist should establish baseline measurements during your evaluation: range of motion (in degrees), strength (graded on a standardized scale), pain levels (0 to 10), and functional tests (like how far you can walk, whether you can climb stairs, or how long you can sit without pain).

These measurements should be reassessed regularly, typically every 2 to 4 weeks. If the numbers aren’t improving, the treatment plan needs to change. Progress should be documented, not just vaguely described. You want to see “knee flexion improved from 95 degrees to 120 degrees,” not “things are getting better.”

7. What should I avoid doing outside of therapy that could set me back?

This is the question that saves people from undoing weeks of progress in a single weekend. Your therapist should be specific: don’t run on concrete until week 6. Don’t lift more than 15 pounds for the next 3 weeks. Don’t sleep on that shoulder. Avoid sitting for more than 45 minutes without standing and moving.

These restrictions are based on your healing timeline and your specific condition. Following them isn’t optional. The patient who ignores them and pushes too hard almost always ends up back at square one, which means more sessions, more money, and more frustration.

Therapist Qualifications and Clinic Setup

8. What’s your experience treating my specific condition?

Physical therapists have varying specialties and levels of experience. A PT who primarily treats neurological conditions may not be the best choice for your post-ACL surgery rehab. And a sports medicine PT might not be ideal for your chronic lower back pain.

Ask directly: “How many patients with my condition do you treat per month?” and “What outcomes do you typically see?” A therapist who specializes in orthopedic rehab and has treated 200 ACL patients is a different resource than a generalist who sees one or two a year.

9. Do you have any specialty certifications?

Beyond the DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) degree, some physical therapists pursue board certifications and specialty credentials that indicate advanced expertise:

• OCS (Orthopedic Clinical Specialist) for musculoskeletal conditions
• SCS (Sports Clinical Specialist) for athletic injuries
• NCS (Neurologic Clinical Specialist) for stroke, MS, Parkinson’s
• GCS (Geriatric Clinical Specialist) for older adult care
• WCS (Women’s Health Clinical Specialist) for pelvic floor and pregnancy-related conditions

These certifications require additional clinical hours, continuing education, and passing a specialty exam. They’re not mandatory, and a great PT can exist without them. But for complex or specialized conditions, a specialty certification gives you extra confidence.

10. How is the clinic set up, and how many patients are seen at the same time?

This tells you a lot about the care model. In a one-on-one clinic, you get 45 to 60 minutes of dedicated attention from your therapist. In a mill-style clinic, your therapist might be juggling 3 to 4 patients simultaneously, which means you get maybe 10 to 15 minutes of actual therapist time and spend the rest doing exercises on your own or with an aide.

Both models exist. The one-on-one model is generally better for complex conditions, post-surgical rehab, and patients who need hands-on manual therapy. The group model can work for maintenance programs or straightforward conditions. Know what you’re paying for.

Insurance and Costs

11. How much will each session cost, and what does my insurance cover?

Physical therapy costs range from $75 to $350 per session depending on your location, the clinic, and whether you’re in-network. With insurance, copays typically run $20 to $75 per visit, though high-deductible plans might require you to pay the full rate until your deductible is met.

Ask the clinic’s front desk to verify your benefits before your first visit. Find out: What’s my copay? How many visits does my plan authorize? Do I need re-authorization after a certain number of visits? Is there an annual visit cap? Many plans limit PT to 20 to 30 visits per year, and some cap the total dollar amount instead.

12. What happens if my insurance runs out of visits before I’m done?

This happens more often than you’d think. Your insurance authorizes 12 visits, but you need 20. At that point you have options: your therapist can request additional authorization (often successful with proper documentation), you can switch to a home exercise program with periodic check-ins, or you can continue paying out of pocket.

Ask your therapist to prioritize the most impactful treatments early in your care. Front-loading the hands-on manual therapy and complex exercises ensures you get maximum value from your covered visits. As your condition improves, you’ll need less in-clinic supervision and can maintain progress independently.

Pain and Expectations

13. How much pain should I expect during and after PT sessions?

This is the question everyone wonders about but many don’t ask. Physical therapy sometimes involves discomfort. Stretching tight tissues, mobilizing stiff joints, and strengthening weak muscles can be uncomfortable. The key distinction is between productive discomfort and harmful pain.

Productive discomfort: you feel a stretch, a muscle burn, or mild soreness that fades within 24 to 48 hours. Harmful pain: sharp, sudden, increasing pain that worsens during or after exercise and doesn’t resolve. Your therapist should set clear expectations: “You’ll feel some pulling during these stretches, and you may be sore tomorrow, but the soreness should fade by the next day.” If it doesn’t, tell them.

For managing post-session soreness at home, a hot/cold therapy pack is worth keeping in your freezer (or microwave). Your therapist can tell you whether ice or heat is better for your specific condition.

14. What’s the plan if PT isn’t producing the results we expected?

Having a contingency plan removes the anxiety of “what if this doesn’t work?” Sometimes the initial approach needs adjusting. Maybe a different manual therapy technique works better. Maybe the exercise progression is too aggressive or too conservative. Maybe an additional diagnostic test reveals something the initial imaging missed.

Your therapist should have checkpoints built into your treatment plan, typically every 4 to 6 visits, where progress is formally reassessed. If you’re not hitting milestones, the plan changes. If multiple adjustments don’t produce improvement, the next step might be a referral back to your physician, a different specialist, or a therapist with different expertise. A good PT knows their limits and won’t keep treating you indefinitely if it isn’t working.

What to Bring to Your First Session

Show up prepared and your evaluation will be more thorough and efficient.

• Your prescription or referral for physical therapy. Include the diagnosis, the referring physician’s name, and the number of authorized visits if specified.
• Insurance card and payment method. Confirm your benefits have been verified before the visit. Bring a copay payment just in case.
• Medical records, imaging results, and surgical reports. MRIs, X-rays, CT scans, and any operative notes. Your therapist needs to see what’s happening structurally, not just what hurts.
• A list of all medications you take. Some medications (blood thinners, muscle relaxants, pain medications) affect treatment decisions and exercise safety.
• Comfortable athletic clothing. Your therapist needs to see and access the affected area. Loose shorts, a tank top, or athletic wear depending on the body part being treated. Bring athletic shoes.
• Your written goals and questions. What do you want to be able to do that you can’t do now? Be specific. “I want to get back to hiking 5 miles on weekends” gives your therapist a concrete target to build toward.
• A list of activities that cause or worsen your symptoms. Be detailed: “My back hurts after sitting at my desk for more than 30 minutes” or “My knee swells up after climbing stairs.” This context helps your therapist understand what’s triggering your symptoms in daily life.

Typical Cost Range and Factors

Physical therapy costs add up quickly, especially when you’re going multiple times per week. Here’s what to budget for.

Per-Session Cost (without insurance): $75 to $350 per session. The national average is around $150. Outpatient hospital-based PT clinics tend to charge more ($200 to $350) than private practice clinics ($75 to $200).

Per-Session Copay (with insurance): $20 to $75 per visit for in-network providers. Some plans charge co-insurance (a percentage, like 20%) instead of a flat copay, which can be more expensive for costly sessions.

Evaluation Visit (initial): $150 to $500 without insurance. The first visit is longer (60 to 90 minutes) and includes a comprehensive evaluation, so it typically costs more than subsequent visits.

Total Cost of a Typical PT Course: A common prescription of 2 visits per week for 6 weeks (12 sessions) runs $900 to $4,200 without insurance. With insurance copays of $40 per visit, that’s $480 out of pocket.

Annual Visit Caps: Most insurance plans limit PT visits to 20 to 30 per year. Some plans have a dollar cap instead (for example, $2,500 per year for all outpatient rehabilitation).

Deductible Considerations: If you have a high-deductible health plan, you’ll pay the full session cost until your deductible is met ($1,500 to $8,000+ depending on your plan). This can mean the first 5 to 15 sessions are entirely out of pocket.

Specialty PT (pelvic floor, vestibular, hand therapy): $100 to $400 per session. These specialized areas often have fewer providers, which drives prices up.

What Drives Costs Up: Hospital-based outpatient clinics (with facility fees), out-of-network providers, specialty physical therapy, sessions requiring specialized equipment (aquatic therapy pools, anti-gravity treadmills), and urban locations.

What Drives Costs Down: Private practice clinics, in-network providers, cash-pay rates (many clinics offer 20 to 40% discounts for self-pay patients), and maximizing your home exercise program to reduce the total number of visits needed.

Red Flags vs. Green Flags

Money-Saving Tips

• Choose a private practice over a hospital outpatient clinic. Hospital-based PT clinics charge facility fees on top of the therapy charges. The same treatment at a private practice clinic is often 30 to 50% less expensive. Ask your referring doctor if they have specific clinic recommendations.
• Verify in-network status and visit limits before starting. Know exactly how many visits your plan covers and what your copay is. If your plan authorizes 20 visits, work with your therapist to build a plan that maximizes results within that limit.
• Ask about cash-pay rates. If you’re uninsured or have a high deductible, many PT clinics offer cash-pay rates that are 20 to 40% below the insurance-billed rate. A session that costs $250 through insurance might be $150 cash-pay. Always compare.
• Front-load the in-clinic work. Use your covered visits for the hands-on therapy and guided exercise instruction that you can’t do on your own. As you learn the exercises and your condition improves, shift to a home program with periodic in-clinic check-ins.
• Commit to your home exercise program. This is the single biggest money-saving move. Every $150 session you can prevent by doing consistent work at home is $150 saved. Patients who follow their home program diligently typically need fewer total visits.
• Use your HSA or FSA. PT copays and out-of-pocket costs are eligible expenses. Paying with pre-tax dollars saves you 22 to 37% depending on your tax bracket.
• Ask for re-authorization documentation early. If you’re approaching your visit limit, don’t wait until the last session. Ask your therapist to submit re-authorization documentation to your insurance at least 2 to 3 visits before you run out. This prevents gaps in care.
• Explore telehealth PT for follow-up visits. Some insurance plans now cover virtual PT visits at a lower copay. For exercise check-ins and program modifications, a video visit can be just as effective as an in-person one, and cheaper.

Quick Reference Checklist

Print this and bring it to your evaluation session.

Treatment Plan and Approach

• What’s your assessment of my condition and what’s causing it?
• What does the treatment plan look like?
• How many sessions will I need, and how often?
• What should I expect at each session?

Home Program and Progress

• What home exercises will I need to do?
• How will we measure progress?
• What should I avoid doing outside of therapy?

Therapist Qualifications

• What’s your experience treating my specific condition?
• Do you have any specialty certifications?
• How is the clinic set up, and how many patients at once?

Insurance and Costs

• How much per session, and what does insurance cover?
• What happens if I run out of covered visits?

Pain and Expectations

• How much pain should I expect during and after sessions?
• What’s the plan if PT isn’t producing results?

Glossary

Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques performed by a physical therapist to improve joint mobility, reduce pain, and restore tissue flexibility. Includes joint mobilizations (gentle, graded movements of a joint through its range), soft tissue massage, and myofascial release. Manual therapy is a skill that varies significantly between therapists. A PT who is skilled in manual therapy can often achieve results faster than exercise alone.

Range of Motion (ROM): The full movement potential of a joint, measured in degrees. Your therapist will measure your ROM at the evaluation and track changes over time. For example, normal knee flexion is about 135 degrees. After a knee replacement, you might start at 80 degrees and work toward 120 or more. ROM improvements are one of the most objective ways to track PT progress.

Therapeutic Exercise: Structured exercise programs designed to restore strength, flexibility, endurance, and function. Unlike gym exercises, therapeutic exercises are selected to address specific deficits identified during your evaluation. They’re progressed systematically as your condition improves. Your home exercise program falls into this category.

Modalities: Passive treatments used to reduce pain, swelling, or muscle spasm. Common modalities include electrical stimulation (E-stim), ultrasound, ice, heat, and dry needling. Modalities are supplementary to manual therapy and exercise. A treatment plan that relies heavily on modalities without active exercise is usually less effective long-term.

Functional Goals: Specific, measurable activities you want to be able to perform as a result of physical therapy. “Walk without a limp” is better than “feel better.” “Return to playing tennis 3 times per week without knee pain” is better than “improve knee.” Your therapist should work with you to define 2 to 3 functional goals during your evaluation and use them to guide your entire treatment plan.

Helpful Tools and Resources

• APTA Find a PT (apta.org/apta-and-you/find-a-pt) - Search for physical therapists by location and specialty through the American Physical Therapy Association’s directory.
• ABPTS Specialist Directory (abpts.org) - Find board-certified physical therapy specialists. Filter by specialty area (orthopedics, sports, neurology, etc.) and location.
• Physitrack / HEP2go (free home exercise resources) - Free home exercise program builder with illustrated exercises. Useful for supplementing your PT-prescribed home program or understanding exercise descriptions.
• Medicare.gov Physical Therapy Coverage - Details on Medicare Part B physical therapy coverage, including annual caps and exceptions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is physical therapy supposed to be painful?

Some discomfort is normal, especially in the first few sessions. Stretching tight tissues and strengthening weak muscles causes temporary soreness, similar to a tough workout. What’s NOT normal: sharp pain during exercises, pain that worsens significantly after sessions, or swelling that increases. Tell your therapist immediately if you’re experiencing pain beyond general muscle soreness. They should adjust your program. “No pain, no gain” is outdated advice that gets people hurt.

Can I do physical therapy at home instead of going to a clinic?

A home exercise program is a critical part of PT, but it’s usually not a complete substitute for in-clinic treatment, especially in the early stages. Manual therapy, supervised exercise progression, and objective reassessment require a skilled therapist and clinical equipment. That said, some conditions (chronic back pain maintenance, general deconditioning) can be effectively managed with a well-designed home program and periodic clinic check-ins.

How do I know if my physical therapist is good?

Look for these signs: they perform a thorough evaluation, they explain your condition in terms you understand, they create an individualized treatment plan with specific goals, they provide hands-on treatment (not just exercise supervision), they measure and track your progress objectively, and they modify the plan when something isn’t working. You should feel like an active participant in your recovery, not a passive recipient of a routine.

What if I don’t like my physical therapist?

Switch. Seriously. The therapeutic relationship matters in PT just as it does in any healthcare setting. If the communication isn’t working, if you don’t feel heard, or if you question their competence, ask to be transferred to a different therapist within the same clinic, or find a new clinic entirely. You don’t owe anyone loyalty in healthcare. You owe yourself the best care available.

How long does it take to see results from physical therapy?

Most patients notice some improvement within 2 to 4 sessions, though significant progress typically takes 4 to 8 weeks of consistent attendance and home exercise compliance. Post-surgical rehab timelines are longer, often 3 to 6 months for full recovery. If you’re not seeing ANY improvement after 6 to 8 sessions of consistent effort, it’s time to reassess the treatment plan with your therapist.

Next Steps

Start by confirming your insurance coverage and getting a clear referral from your doctor. Then research PT clinics in your area. Call two or three and ask about their treatment model (one-on-one vs. group), the therapists’ experience with your condition, and availability.

At your evaluation, bring this checklist. Ask the questions that matter most to you. Pay attention to whether the therapist listens, explains things clearly, and seems genuinely invested in your recovery.

After the evaluation, commit to the process. Show up consistently, do your home exercises, and communicate openly with your therapist about what’s working and what’s not. Physical therapy works, but only if you do.

The patients who get the best results are the ones who treat PT as an active partnership, not a passive appointment. Be that patient. Your body will thank you.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physical therapist or referring physician with questions about your specific condition or treatment plan. Do not begin any exercise program without appropriate medical guidance.