What Is Virtual Physical Therapy? What Are Its Benefits?

Over 50 million American adults are experiencing chronic pain. It causes $300 billion worth of lost productivity every year. If you’re part of this group, getting treatment is paramount to improving your life.

If your schedule is restrictive, you might neglect your therapy sessions. The good news is virtual physical therapy is now an option.

What is virtual physical therapy? Read on and find out how it can help your condition:

Virtual Physical Therapy Explained

Virtual physical therapy (VPT) is a component of virtual healthcare. It refers to the practice of clinicians helping patients using technology. For example, a therapist can videoconference you at home.

Instead of going to a physical therapist for an in-person visit, you can attend your PT sessions at home. Depending on your therapist, you can use platforms like Skype or Zoom. Larger establishments have a custom-built application to talk to their patients.

For this reason, online physical therapy nudges people with chronic pain toward recovery. In the next section, you’ll learn some virtual physical therapy benefits. You can also check out this NPTE prep course for more information.

Virtual Physical Therapy Benefits

Now that you know how VPT works, it’s easier to see how it could help ease your chronic pain. Consider understanding the following advantages before committing to the treatment:

Proper, Timely Care

Virtual physical therapy overcomes the various hurdles to physical care. As long as you get the necessary advice and treatment, you can return to your lifestyle.

For example, you might struggle to climb stairs after a knee injury. When you get online physical therapist appointments, the recovery process starts sooner.

This benefit shines the most when you live in rural areas with few therapists. It also applies when you have no means of taking a break from work. With a virtual setup, you have better control over your treatment.

Better Treatment Adherence

Most people with gyms located over five miles of their home are less likely to exercise. In general, they might limit themselves to monthly sessions. A nearer gym makes them five times more likely to visit.

The same principle applies to people in physical therapy programs. It’s worrisome since adherence rates can be as low as 30%. VPT has a better record due to its easier logistics and engaging methods.

Some PT businesses have behavioral health coaches and physicians as well. These people promote accountability, allowing you to stick to the program for years.

Robust Patient Data Access

VPT takes advantage of sensors and computer vision technology to collect patient data. It helps identify various unique factors to personalize your treatment. With the information, therapists can identify potential obstacles to your betterment.

Traditional physical therapists often wait for patients to return for their appointment. It could take at least a week before they can learn more about you.

If you can’t exercise or adhere to your treatment plan, it takes a while before your therapist finds out. For this reason, VPT is more beneficial since it tackles these problems immediately. They use a specific application to determine your adherence and exercise performance.

Your therapist will know whether an exercise is too painful or time-consuming. It could also make them realize the reason you skipped some workouts. With the data, they can adjust your routine immediately.

Some VPT providers can use your medical history to develop your treatment. They avoid prescribing pain relief medication interfering with your current prescriptions.

More Cost-Effective and Scalable

Virtual physical therapy allows therapists to give small nudges. These activities are easier to do, making you more likely to follow through. On average, you’ll find palpable pain relief within three months.

The shorter duration also affects its financial impact. It means your medical claims will decrease, resulting in lower premiums.

How to Improve Your Virtual Therapy Session

You might want to contact a virtual physical therapist after learning these benefits. However, maximizing your treatment is all about optimizing your home setup.

Here are some virtual physical therapy tips to relieve your chronic pain sooner:

Wear Your Workout Gear

Consider wearing comfortable fitness clothing for your VPT sessions. It should allow you to focus on your primary body areas of concern. With this, you can make every minute of your appointment count.

Get the Right Environment

You need ample space to learn, perform, and get feedback on your exercises. Look for an area in your home with enough flooring for your yoga mat or treatment table. Ensure it’s wide enough to be visible to the webcam.

The ideal distance for your mobile gadget or laptop is 3 to 5 feet away from the area. Ensure the webcam has a good view of the focused body part.

Optimize Your Internet Speeds

Virtual physical therapy is at peak effectiveness when you have good internet speeds. Regardless of your platform, consider getting at least a 5-Mbps connection.

Keep as few devices connected to the WiFi as possible. Check whether your connection is stable before starting the session.

Wear Earphones

Use Bluetooth-enabled headphones to connect to your gadget or computer. It allows you to exercise and stretch without stopping to talk to your therapist. With this, you waste less time while keeping your movements more natural.

Ask for Help

Never exercise without having someone nearby. These people can help with specific movements to avoid further injuries. You can ask your spouse or children to do these alongside other tasks.

For example, your assistant can move the camera around. Your therapist can observe your stretches from various angles. They can correct you faster to ensure proper movements.

Start With Virtual Physical Therapy Now

We hope you better understand virtual physical therapy and its benefits. Never let your chronic pain get the best of you. Use what you gleaned to decide whether this treatment setup is for you.

However, your choice of therapist can affect your experience. Consider learning what to look for in a virtual physical therapist to avoid scams.

Did you find this virtual physical therapy guide helpful? If so, read our other posts and learn more today.