Your first session of physical therapy or PT may spring upon you some surprises, but the thing about the unexpected sensations and physical challenges is that you’ll get used to them over time and they wouldn’t feel so painful or weird then.
Unfortunately, there’s no known way of really preparing your body for the range of movements you would need to execute. You really just need to condition your mind that it’s for your own good and will be worth it in the end. However, you can make your first PT session more comfortable and less daunting by being armed with all the essential items.
Here are the necessary things to bring to physical therapy New York specialists share seven.
- Sensible footwear – Especially if you’re coming from the office and you have on fashionable yet killer footwear. Bring a pair of sneakers or training shoes because not only are these more comfortable, but they can also support the various movements you will have to perform during the session. Throw in a pair of flip-flops in your bag, too, if you will be having aquatic therapy.
- Shorts – These are advised for patients with knee or hip injuries; they just make monitoring the troubled areas much easier. But if you’re worried about accidentally “flashing” your sensitive areas, you may wear Spandex or cycling shorts underneath your loose shorts.
- Pants – Jazz or yoga pants for women and sweatpants for men. Make sure that your pants have elastic or drawstring waist bands so the therapists can easily access your back region if they need to.
- Cotton shirts – These are the most comfortable and sweat-absorbent. As much as possible, avoid really loose shirts because they tend to bunch up in places. The key here is to make sure that your top does not inhibit movement – it doesn’t really matter if you go for a T-shirt or a singlet.
- Support devices – Belts, pillow, braces, crutches, walkers, etc. – all these accessories will likely be required during the session since physical therapy also focuses on occupational movements that can be accomplished easier with the help of the said accessories. Likewise, it’s important to bring all these assistive devices because it will provide your therapist the opportunity to see if they fit you or if you’re using them correctly to expedite your recovery.
- Hair ties – These are for women and long-haired men. The last thing you want during a PT session is for your hair to get caught on clothes, the fingers of the therapist, or all over your face. If you have long hair, keep your hair out of the way with hair ties or bands.
- Swimsuit and towel – These are essential if the session includes water exercises.
