Physical Therapy Equipment need not cost a fortune.   by Keith Luke

in Health / Fitness    (submitted 2011-01-08)

Have you suffered an injury or medical incident that now requires physical therapy (PT)? If you are now in PT you know how much work it can be.

If you are required to continue PT at home, between sessions, having the right PT exercise equipment can be an important and vital part of your continued success and improvement in your physical condition. But where can you find the right equipment?

I asked Sid Ehren, the owner of StretchCore (www.stretchcore.com), a supplier of exercise and rehabilitation equipment, to find out more. According to Sid, where you get the exercise equipment you need may depend on what your doctor or physical therapist recommends or prescribes.

Often times, a physical therapist or physician may only recommend a 'type' of exercise equipment that is designed to assist with an exercise or exercises at home and may not actually write a prescription for a specific brand or model. If that is the case for you, there are a number of places you can find that type of equipment including medical supply houses, some gyms or even online.

So how do you know if 'Brand X' or 'Brand Y' item will meet your PT needs? Sid recommends that you first talk with your physical therapist or doctor for their opinion. Tell them what you are thinking about buying and ask if that item will 'do the job' for you.

Second, check out the manufacturer's website for specifics on the item you are considering. Nearly all major manufacturers have websites on which you can find complete product information including descriptions and intended use for each of their products. If you need help finding the manufacturers website, just enter the product name in a search engine. The manufacturers website should come up on the first page.

You might also ask the exercise folks at your local gym. Many are experts in their fields and often times they have used most of the equipment in their gyms or similar equipment. They see gym members of varying skills and strengths and some of them may also have had experience with the equipment you need and are considering buying for home use.

Not all medical insurance plans pay for all the physical therapy equipment that has been recommended for you. If you have any questions on that, ask them.

Finally, Sid's advice is to 'shop around'. You don't have to buy the most expensive model of any exercise equipment or the 'brand name'. Many less expensive versions may do the job as well. And remember, it's the effort YOU put into the exercise that counts and will be most helpful to your continued improvement and health.

You can see a selection of physical therapy and exercise equipment at Sid's website, http://www.stretchcore.com

About the Author

Keith Luke is a writer, website designer and media performer with decades of experience but is always learning and he tries to share what he's learned.