If you’re an active Pacific Northwesterner, you inevitably get aches, pains, and even strains from time to time. Maybe you’ve thought about seeing a physical therapist for what you’re feeling, but for various reasons haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Now, however, might be the perfect time, because Bellingham’s CorePhysio — a longtime local leader in orthopedic manual and physical therapy — is resuming their monthly injury screening clinics on the second Tuesday of each month starting March 9th, 2022.
The screenings take place in the new gym in CorePhysio’s Grant Street location in downtown Bellingham, and are a great opportunity to have a licensed doctor of physical therapy (DPT) assess musculoskeletal concerns, whether it’s a client’s back, knee, hip, ankle, or shoulder.
Elizabeth Hampton, PT DPT and CorePhysio CEO and Clinic Director, says the idea for the screenings came from a longstanding partnership with Fairhaven Runners & Walkers, a local specialty footwear business that started injury prevention screenings in their store in the early 2000s.
Pre-Covid, Fairhaven Runner’s clinics were held in the back of their brick and mortar store location, and CorePhysio staffed the clinic once per month for nearly 14 years. Even as virus conditions gradually improve, Fairhaven Runners won’t be resuming their in-store screenings.
“Fairhaven Runners owners Steve and Genevie Roguski have shared their excitement to see us continue this important community access to quality PT,” Hampton says. “CorePhysio and Fairhaven Runners share a lot of the same values: we love to build and nourish a network of cool people and top-quality services. Serving our community, sharing quality educational resources for active people, and supporting an active lifestyle is important to us all.”
How It Works
During the injury screening, a CorePhysio DPT meets one-to-one with a client to first understand what goals a client wants to achieve. The physical therapist assesses their movements, from strength levels to sports-specific movement patterns, and performs evidence-based tests to understand the factors contributing to their symptoms.
The screenings are a terrific opportunity to gain understanding of a potential issue, what you or your physical therapist can do about it, and even if more serious medical intervention is needed.
“If it’s something the person can self-treat, that’s always our goal,” Hampton says, adding that solutions such as activity choice, graded exposure to progressive training, prescriptive exercises, or a change in footwear can sometimes solve a client’s problems.
In other cases, a screening might find good cause to develop or continue a relationship with a physical therapist, whether at CorePhysio or another preferred physical therapy provider.
“If someone comes to an injury screen here, it’s not like they’re being unfaithful to a PT they’ve worked with in the past,” Hampton says. “We truly support folks in getting the care they need from the physical therapist they choose – and of course, we’re always happy to care for folks at CorePhysio if they wish.”
A screening might also determine a potential medical issue best checked out by a patient’s client’s primary physician.
“Physical therapists first, always, look for red flags to prove that this is a problem that PT can address,” Hampton says. “There have been situations where a client comes in and thinks they have a calf strain, and after evaluation, clearly needed to be ruled out for a (blood) clot. We don’t hesitate to send clients to their physician saying, ‘Yeah, this is unusual enough that I really think you should have your primary care provider doctor assess you.’ Safety and thoroughness always come first.”
The purpose behind these screenings, of course, is not only CorePhysio’s desire to help people, but to help educate them about the potential benefits of physical therapy, which Hampton describes as the best kept secret in alternative health care. It’s also about community health equity.
“With more physical therapists going out- of- network with insurances, it’s harder for people to find affordable care,” she says. “This consultation is a starting point that makes it accessible to the majority of our community, and that is our driving force.”
The difference between a screening and a full physical therapy evaluation is in the time, detail and documentation. Screenings are a big picture snapshot, assessing for red flags and making recommendations on next steps. A full PT evaluation is a longer time period that enables a deep dive into medical history, differential diagnosis and links to a course of PT treatment.
Screenings are cash-based and cannot be billed to insurance. CorePhysio is a preferred provider for most insurances and happily accepts new clients for their screening or full PT care, depending on what the client prefers or needs.
What To Know Before You Go
The preventative screenings will be held on the second Tuesday of each month, with individual appointment opportunities at 5:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. Participants can sign-up through Eventbrite, fill out a quick waiver and symptom report, and pay the $30 fee, all in advance of walking into their appointment.
Once a screening is reserved, participants need to stick with it: there’s no refund for no-shows and cancellations. Participating clinicians will rotate on a regular basis, and the initial March 9th injury screening clinic will feature CorePhysio’s Evan Palmer, PT DPT, who has nearly a decade of experience as a sports and orthopedic physical therapist.
If participants wish to come back to CorePhysio for subsequent therapy following a screening, further discussion of treatment and insurance options will commence.
So, whether your back is giving you some recent pain or you’re nursing a possible ankle sprain, making an injury screening appointment at CorePhysio can be a great way to begin your path to better physical function and fitness.
And at just $30, you’d be hard-pressed to beat the cost, too.
“A rising tide raises all ships,” Hampton says. “We’re proud to promote active lifestyles and physical therapy in our community, as Whatcom County has an incredible group of world class PTs, running stores and healers of many disciplines. Reducing barriers to connect active consumers with quality physical therapy care is CorePhysio’s goal.”
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