Physical Therapy in Jacksonville, FL for Injury Rehabilitation

It depends on how your care is paid for. Under Florida PIP after a car accident, physical therapy is paid as follow-up care on referral from your initial treating provider. Under Florida workers’ comp, the carrier must authorize physical therapy. Our physicians and chiropractors can evaluate you and refer you in-house when therapy is appropriate. Call us and our front desk will tell you what your coverage requires.

Your physical therapist reviews your history, tests your motion, strength and balance, and watches how you move during the tasks that are hard for you. You set goals together, and you usually start treatment and a home exercise program at the first visit.

Yes. Your sessions are one-on-one with a licensed physical therapist who writes and supervises your plan. Our physical therapist assistants may help with exercise sessions under a physical therapist’s supervision.

There is no set number. It depends on your injury, your goals and how you respond. Your therapist re-tests you on a schedule and adjusts the plan. Some patients need a few weeks of therapy and others need longer, and individual results vary.

Vestibular rehabilitation is a form of physical therapy for dizziness, vertigo and balance problems that come from the inner ear or its connections to the brain. It may include gaze stabilization exercises, balance retraining and, for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), repositioning maneuvers.

It may. Some people have headaches, dizziness, balance problems or trouble concentrating for weeks after a concussion. Physical therapy can include graded activity, balance training and visual-vestibular exercises. Go to the ER first for danger signs such as a worsening headache, repeated vomiting, confusion or weakness.

Dry needling places a thin, solid needle into a tight band of muscle to help reduce muscle pain and tension. At our clinic it is performed by our dry-needling-certified physical therapist. Florida law requires additional training for physical therapists who dry needle and does not allow it to be delegated to physical therapist assistants. It is different from acupuncture.

Many injury patients benefit from both, and at East Coast Injury Clinic they work in the same building from the same record. Chiropractors focus on spinal and joint adjustments, and physical therapists focus on exercise, movement and function. Your evaluating provider will recommend what fits your injury.

Neither is better for everyone. Chiropractic care centers on hands-on spinal and joint adjustments, which some patients find helpful for acute neck and back pain and stiffness. Physical therapy centers on exercise, movement retraining and strength, which is often used for longer-lasting pain, balance problems and rebuilding function after an injury. Many patients use both, and your provider will recommend a plan based on your exam.

In Florida, your own PIP coverage usually pays first. PIP pays for physical therapy as follow-up care on referral from your initial treating provider, and initial care must begin within 14 days of the crash. PIP pays 80% of reasonable charges within your policy limit. Access to more than $2,500 in PIP medical benefits requires an Emergency Medical Condition finding by an MD, DO, PA, APRN or dentist. Our front desk verifies your coverage before your first visit.

Most injury care at East Coast Injury Clinic is covered through one of four paths: auto insurance PIP after a car accident, a personal injury attorney’s Letter of Protection, state workers’ compensation for a work injury, or federal workers’ compensation (OWCP or Longshore) if you are a federal or maritime employee. We also see patients under Medicare, Tricare, VA Community Care, and a limited number of private plans. Our front desk verifies coverage before your first visit and explains exactly what is and is not covered for your specific case, so there are no surprises. Call 904-513-3954 or visit eastcoastinjury.com to start.

Wear comfortable clothing you can move in and supportive shoes. Make sure your therapist can see and reach the injured area, for example shorts for a knee injury or a loose shirt for a shoulder injury.

We have two Jacksonville locations: Southside at 10550 Deerwood Park Blvd, Suite 609, Jacksonville, FL 32256, near JTB and I-295, and North Jacksonville at 13453 N Main St, Suite 302, Jacksonville, FL 32218, north of I-295. Provider schedules vary by location, so call (904) 513-3954 and our front desk will help you choose.