Ever feel discouraged by trying everything to fix an injury, but nothing works?

As a busy person leading a fitness lifestyle, you likely don't have time to deal with injuries for yourself or your kids. Life happens. You may experience injury or need a surgery, and this is where Physical Therapists can help you get back on your feet quickly and safely.

However, not all therapists are created equally, and the company website often doesn't share what you really need to know in finding a good fit for your busy lifestyle and goals.

Today, we will get the inside scoop on what to look for on the Internet when deciding if a provider is right for you.

We will come back next week with a part 2-- What to ask your Physical Therapy provider to fill in the gaps on effective and efficient care.

Start with the Internet

Why is a medical provider recommending an Internet search? I'm not recommending treating yourself based on the Internet information. There is so much misinformation out there, not to mention your individual factors may not match what you need. For example, if you search exercises for a meniscectomy versus a meniscal root repair, you might find yourself back in the operating room fast. My book, Mobility | Stability Equation: The Core Has Arms shares a real-life example of a client that almost tore her rotator cuff doing "rotator cuff" exercises from the Internet (and how we instantly fixed the issue for her return to weight lifting).

Instead, run a Google (or other search) for your Physical Therapy provider. However, don't believe everything you see. Here are 3 tips to filter what you find:

Provider's company's website

On the provider's company's website, you'll often find basic information about your provider:

• Certifications above and beyond the Physical Therapy license
• Specialties
• Treatment philosophy
• Possible link to the therapist's personal website, where you can get to know the provider as a "human"

While all of these elements can be helpful in guiding your care decisions, many sites have limitations or omitted information. You can ask your provider or provider's front desk/scheduling questions to help fill the gap. Commonly omitted information:

• Does the company accept your insurance? Most company websites do not list every insurance. If your insurance isn't listed, call to inquire.
• Years of experience. Most companies that employ therapists with a broad range of experience don't allow providers to list their experience. Take a moment to ask your provider about his/her background since experience can influence care efficiency.
• Full list of specialties and credentials. Many employers have limited templates to create a uniform appearance among providers. This often leads to listing only the top 1-2 certifications and perhaps 2-3 out of potentially many specialties. Your provider will be happy to share additional training and certifications to help inform your decision.

Health/medical grading sites and review apps

What you see is bias. Many sites and apps require the provider to pay monthly fees to scrub bad reviews and add in stellar reviews.

• Bad reviews: Remember that a bad review might just be one person's interpretation at one point in time. Perhaps the provider was having an "off" moment; perhaps the person that wrote the review was having an exceptionally bad day and needed to let off steam somewhere. A bad review doesn't mean that the therapist won't be perfect for your needs.
• Good reviews: Likewise, lots of good reviews could be like a million social media followers. They can be bought. If you see too many, be suspicious. If you only see a few, that isn't bad either. Many providers are very humble, so they don't necessarily take the extra step to ask people to write them reviews (even though they do appreciate them).

Spammy sites

Did your Google search reveal the provider's picture or other information in situations the provider probably wouldn't want you to know about? If the site looks spammy, it probably is. It's like reading a pop magazine full of fake news. Much of what you see on those sites was contrived. Eventually they are shut down, but in the meantime, there is often nothing your provider can do to get their stolen Internet images or information off of fake news & entertainment sites.

Conclusion

While these 3 tips were intended to help inform your decision on if you've found the right Physical Therapist for you, there is so much more to the story! Later this month, we will share inside tips on the top questions to ask your Physical Therapist in the first visit to be sure you've found the right one.

Questions, thoughts, other tips on scouring the Internet? Feel free to leave a comment to help others find effective and efficient Physical Therapists to meet their needs. (No soliciting please).

P.S. As a closing tip, never use social media or unsecured e-mail or websites to transmit personal health information.