For Physicians

For more information or questions, please our New Patient Line at (575) 522-3391, or email intake@swsportandspine.com

Referral Slip

Click on the thumbnail to download our Referral Slip.

How to Refer to Physical Therapy

Physical therapists are experts in movement and function. The primary goal of physical therapy is to treat people who have suffered injury or illness and maximize function. Physical therapists do this by developing specialized treatment programs to help restore mobility, reduce pain, increase fitness levels, prevent injury, or slow the progression of irreversible medical conditions.
To achieve these goals physical therapists employ the following interventions:

Therapeutic Exercise – both on land and in water
Aquatic Therapy
Manual Treatment Methods including joint mobilization and elements of massage/soft tissue mobilization
Physical Agents: heat, cold, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, infrared and traction
Patient Education including postural advice, ergonomic instruction, home exercise, energy conservation, fitness information and more…

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What diagnoses are treated by physical therapy?

A: Specifically, we treat the following conditions:

General Orthopedic Injuries:

Sprains, Strains, Fractures, Nerve entrapments

Post-operative Rehabilitation

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome

Arthritis

Back & Neck Pain

Headache

Posture problems, including scoliosis

Osteoporosis

Rehabilitation after a serious injury (e.g. work-related, auto accidents, sports)

Amputations

Balance or coordination problems / Fall Prevention

Women’s Health Issues

Prenatal and post-partum issues – low back pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Incontinence and Pelvic Pain

Q: How often should I refer a patient, i.e. what frequency and duration is appropriate for therapy care?

A: In general, most patients with musculoskeletal conditions attend physical therapy 2-3x/week on non-consecutive days. Length or duration of care is dependent on many variables including patient age, diagnosis, fitness level, severity of injury, just to name a few. On average, patients are seen in therapy for 3-6 weeks. If you are unsure of the most appropriate frequency and duration, the physical therapist can make a recommendation based on their evaluation findings. You can also put an initial frequency and duration on the prescription and if the therapist feels more or less therapy is indicated this can be communicated via physical therapy progress reports faxed to your office.

Q: What should I write on the physical therapy prescription?

A: Most physicians list the diagnosis as well as the statement “evaluate and treat.” This phrase lets the physical therapist know that the physician is requesting that they evaluate and treat the patient for the condition listed on the prescription. The therapist will complete this evaluation and fax over a copy of the report to the physician office.

If you ever have questions regarding appropriate referral to physical therapy, please do not hesitate to contact one of our therapists.