FAQ for patients inquiring about Schroth Method and Postural Restoration:
- When can I begin treatment and what should I expect?
Advance Physical Therapy has therapists that are certified for Schroth Method as well as Postural Restoration. Each therapist has their own individual schedule and appointment times will vary depending on availability. Please call our office to inquire about scheduling. We maintain a waiting list and will inform you of earlier availability when this occurs. Read also: WELCOME to Your Scoliosis Program. - How long are the appointments?
We recommend an initial appointment of 1.5 to 2 hours. For future visits, your therapist will recommend either 1 hour, 1.5 hour or 2 hour treatment sessions. Some insurance policies will cover more than 1 hour per day but not all insurance companies/policies will cover the additional time. If your specific insurance company/policy only covers 1 hour daily, any additional time will be billed at the self-pay rate. - How long will I need to come?
We recommend a 20 hour intensive, introductory program for people of all ages with scoliosis. This program includes 1) patient education about scoliosis and your unique curve pattern, 2) a thorough evaluation, clinically and via x-ray images taken by outside provider (see x-ray recommendations below), and 3) a program of progressive, therapeutic, individualized, scoliosis specific exercises as well as training in appropriate body mechanics for activities of daily living. The exercise program requires daily practice by you in your own setting for optimal results. We have found 20 hours enables you to 1) learn about scoliosis and to understand your own unique curve pattern, 2) begin a process of self-awareness and postural changes and 3) achieve competence in your individualized home program which requires a steep learning curve and a lot of feedback. Success rates vary from patient to patient but you can review prior patient testimonials by clicking this link (http://advance- physicaltherapy.com/all-testimonials/). - How often will I need to come?
The frequency of visits will depend on several factors: the goals of treatment, patient’s schedule and therapist availability. For patients that are experiencing a growth spurt, attempting to reverse a curve, or trying to avoid surgery, we would recommend more frequent visits. Generally, local patients will schedule about once per week. Intensive sessions are also available, depending on therapists’ schedule and availability. If you are coming from out of town, see below for more information regarding intensive sessions. - How much will it cost?
Advance Physical Therapy participates with several insurance providers and we offer a discounted self-pay rate. Not all insurance policies include benefits for Out-of-Network providers. It is the patient’s responsibility to verify the specific coverage provided by your insurance company for physical therapy and any patient responsibility for cost of the provided services. If we are not in-network providers for your insurance network, we can bill your insurance policy as a courtesy, upon request, but payment is expected at time of service. When calling your insurance company to verify benefits/coverage, you should specify the request is for physical therapy in a private, outpatient office setting. Most evaluations are one-hour. We recommend 1.5 hour evaluations for patients with scoliosis. - Do I need to have x-rays to have an initial evaluation? If I already had x-rays, do I need to bring them?
It is helpful for your therapist to receive x-ray images and reports prior to your appointment in order to review them and to prepare for your visit. Current x-ray images give the most useful information. We do not perform x- ray imaging in our office. If you need to get x-rays please go to X-RAY-the-Smart-Way for x-ray recommendations. We recommend both a side view and a back to front view, including the base of the head to the hip joints. If you have already had x- ray imaging, please contact our office so we may request your x-ray images and reports prior to your initial appointment. - Out-of-town Patients & Intensive Appointments:
Advance Physical Therapy offers intensive appointments for patients that do not live locally or would like to schedule multiple appointments over several days or during one week. If you would like to schedule more than 2 hours of appointments in a calendar week, it is considered an intensive session. We are happy to accommodate intensive session requests based on therapist’s availability. The maximum recommended treatment time for 1 day is 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon for a maximum total of 4 hours per day. Be aware, the maximum 4 hours per day is not covered by all insurance policies. Some policies will only cover 1 hour per day. Please be sure to verify your policy benefits with your insurance company prior to your scheduled appointments. All intensive sessions require a pre-paid deposit of $40/hour scheduled. Once your deposit is paid, you will be confirmed on the schedule. Your deposit is refundable if intensive sessions are cancelled 5 business days prior to the first scheduled appointment. If scheduled appointments are cancelled within 5 days of your initial appointment, the full deposit is forfeited. Any balance remaining after your insurance has been processed can be applied to future visits or refunded by check. If you would like to schedule an intensive session, please contact our office at 919.932.7266.
