From The BLOG

Avoiding Delays in Recovery: How the Right PT Support Prevents Long-Term Disability

At Direct PT/DX, we often work with injured employees who require or are recommended physical therapy care before they return to their employer. In my experience, the sooner an injured worker can start their PT journey, the sooner they can return to work and continue living the life they were meant to live.

Early physical therapy intervention helps reduce pain, prevents additional damage and promotes faster healing, thus preventing long-term disabilities in most cases. On the other hand, delaying treatment can lead to muscle atrophy, nerve damage and reduced range of motion, all of which can cause lasting and irreparable harm to the patient.

It’s also extremely important that patients who start physical therapy continue their treatment until their physician has notified them that they are complete. I’ve worked with several patients who took gaps in their care or never completed their PT and had to undergo additional surgeries and more invasive procedures. This can lead to an even longer time away from work. 

Fortunately, our team at Direct PT/DX follows your patient’s or employee’s attendance so you don’t have to. We make sure they get scheduled per doctor’s orders and maintain minimal to no gap in care. On top of that, we strive to create open lines of communication between adjusters and case managers, as well as between patients and their employers.

Learn more about our medical scheduling system and approach at DirectPTDX.com

Author Bio

Debbie McLendon is a Physical Therapy Manager and has been with Direct PT/DX for more than a decade. An Arkansas native, she is married with three children and two dogs. Alongside her work at Direct PT/DX, she and her family also own a frozen yogurt food truck. Over the last 11 years, Debbie has been instrumental in the growth of the company and the direction it’s headed in.

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