Where can I find my exercise videos / How do I use PhysiApp®?
PhysiApp® is a service I provide to clients to send, review, and track your home program. You can login and download the app here. Additionally, telehealth appointments are delivered through this service. Please reference the instructional video below for more information on how to set up and use PhysiApp®.
How Long Are Sessions?
Sessions are typically one hour long, however they can vary depending on the type of service. For example, doing a kinematic assessment with the portable lab often takes 2 hours of field time just for the data collection.
What Does a Typical Kinematic Assessment Entail?
This is a highly customized service. Most sessions require 2 hours of data collection, 1-2 hours of backend data processing and report generation, and then a post-hoc follow up session where the actionable data is discussed and a plan created, depending on your goals. This would total 4-5 hours of time (3-4 one-on-one time with the practitioner)
Depending on your goals, data collection entails connecting Accelerometers and EMGs to your body and then executing a series of movements to capture the information. Often 1-2 cameras are used as a reference. Data collection can occur in many environments: from the office, home, or field. Please refer to the flow chart below:
I Don’t Have A Lot of Space…
That’s okay. Depending on your goals, lab sessions can be completed elsewhere (like a park). For more traditional PT sessions, less space is needed and plans are designed around what you directly have access to and optimized for your space. This is something that can be discussed during the consult call.
How Do I Schedule An Appointment?
In most cases, appointments are booked in bulk at the start of a treatment plan.
For new clients, I recommend sending a message to request a free consult call to discuss your case and determine appropriateness for care. From there, an initial appointment can be scheduled and a plan developed if subsequent visits are required. If you are an existing client and looking to either schedule a new appointment or reschedule an existing one, please log in to the client portal and either send a secure message requesting a new appointment or use the self-booking tool (if available).
Do You Take Insurance?
I am an out-of-network provider. What this means is that most major insurers have my information on file but I do not bill to insurance directly. Instead, fees are collected upfront and all necessary documentation to submit to your insurance for reimbursement is provided. This documentation is referred to as a “superbill” and contains codes used universally by all payers to process claims. Superbills contain coded diagnostic and treatment information, and thus are classified as protected health information (PHI). To keep this information secure, I provide digital access to them through the client portal within 2 business days of the treatment date.
Your reimbursement is dependent upon your insurance benefits. Not all services are covered. I encourage all of my clients to reach out to their health insurance provider and inquire about their out of network physical therapy benefits to best understand their out-of-pocket effective cost for treatment. As a convenience, I have partnered with Reimbursify to assist with out-of-network submission. You can download the app here, and simply upload your superbill. In addition to providing online self-service access to your superbills through the portal, I try to help answer clients’ questions through this process to make it as easy as possible to access your benefits — however ultimately you are responsible for getting reimbursed.
Moving out of traditional insurance networks was a difficult but thought-out decision. It has enabled better care and better service overall: allowing for longer appointment times, mobile outpatient care, advanced lab services, and more customized treatment plans based on the clients’ needs rather than insurance protocol.
How Do I Communicate With You?
Part of improved service is better access to your provider. For new clients, I encourage sending a message to request a consult call to discuss your case and assess appropriateness for care. For existing clients (whether or not the case is currently active), it is best to log into the client portal and send a secure message.
For more urgent matters, if you are an existing client and have the contact number you can call or text there. However, I am often with clients and cannot immediately answer. Feel free to leave a voicemail and I will return your call when I can.
What Equipment Do You Bring?
This varies depending on the appointment and service. My typical arsenal is a portable treatment table, hand tools for manual therapy, resistance bands, balance pads, and various other small exercise equipment. If we are doing biofeedback, I will bring pieces of the lab with me to utilize some of the technology.
For kinematic analysis and motion capture sessions, I bring the entire lab consisting of a case, sync board, computer, receivers/transmitters, cameras, tripods, accelerometers, and sEMGs along with all fastening and miscellaneous support equipment. Depending on the event, sometimes I bring a large backup battery
Elaborate on “Technology”
Buzzwords are rampant on the internet and in advertising media, so let’s define “technology” and “data-driven”.
Technology: Research-grade inertial measurement units (IMUs), surface electromyography (sEMG), camera(s), pressure sensors, and force plates
Data: Joint positions, segmental/angular velocities, muscle activation, pressure, and force-vector outputs during static or dynamic tasks — all synchronized and verified with reference video.
This equipment enables replication of existing research studies to compare output data to published findings, and helps guide evidence-based, data-driven clinical decision making. Reliable, repeatable measurement of variables is necessary for management or meaningful diagnostics. This data also enables the ability to measure improvement objectively to verify or falsify effectiveness of treatment. This is often critical to long-term success.
Since the lab is free-form and portable, almost any static or dynamic task can be captured. I welcome ideas from clients and collaborators on different ways to utilize the various components. Parts of the lab can also be utilized during treatment sessions for movement retraining and biofeedback. Check out the case examples page to get an idea of how the tech has been utilized to inform or solve unique scenarios
Do You Work With Other Healthcare Professionals or Coaches?
Yes! Interdisciplinary communication is vital to overall health and performance management. I welcome collaboration with your other professionals in the community — coaches, physicians, dieticians, mental health therapists, trainers, sports scientists, and more.
Lab reports are written with the intent to be handed to other professionals should they desire to use the information. Traditional physical therapy offices that are not able to offer these lab based services can still utilize this information to guide standard treatment. If you are getting PT elsewhere, a kinematic assessment can be a great extension service to ensure the best results with your current physical rehabilitation solution.
Are you recovered from surgery, done with PT, but still unsure about returning to high level sport, work, or recreation? I encourage verifying or assessing if you’re ready for safe return.
Do You Do One-Offs / Second Opinions?
Yes. Part of being a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy involves training in screening for non-musculoskeletal disorders and referring to the appropriate provider if necessary. You can see a physical therapist without prescription in California under Direct-Access. Should you require further physician or non-physician services, you will be referred appropriately.
Completed a treatment plan elsewhere but still experiencing problems? Send a message to request a consult so we can discuss and ensure all options were explored
I Don’t See My Superbill
Superbills can be accessed through the client portal. If more than 2 business days have passed since the treatment date and you cannot view your superbill, send me a message through the portal and I will be happy to get you a PDF copy and troubleshoot your access.