Health and wellbeing · 10 guides
Physical Therapy: problems and fixes, explained by Brent
Brent Lockett is the only physical therapy member of BNI Preston Center. These guides are written for a Dallas–Fort Worth reader who has the problem right now: what is happening, what to check, when to call, and what it costs.
- Your first physical therapy appointment: what happens in the hour and how to prepare A good first physical therapy visit is a history, a real examination, a plain explanation and the first treatment, all in one session. Here is what happens and how to get the most out of it. What a first visit should includeBefore the appointment: the free discovery visitHow to prepare in ten minutesWhat to wear
- What physical therapy costs in Dallas, and how insurance, superbills and HSAs fit in The price of one visit tells you little. What you actually pay depends on how many visits the problem takes, your deductible and whether your plan reimburses out-of-network care. The short answer on cost and coverageWhat actually moves the priceIn network, out of network and the superbillDeductibles, HSAs and FSAs
- Seeing a physical therapist in Texas without a referral: the 30-day rule explained In Texas you can be evaluated and treated by a qualifying physical therapist without a referral, for up to 30 consecutive calendar days. Here is what that means in practice, and where insurance and Medicare differ. The short answer for TexasWhat changed in 2025Who may treat you without a referralThe form you will be asked to sign
- Rest it or get it looked at? Running and sports injuries and when physical therapy helps A few days of easing off is reasonable for many minor injuries. Pain that changes how you move, keeps coming back or lasts beyond a couple of weeks is worth an examination. The quick rule for athletesSudden injuries and overuse injuries behave differentlySigns that need medical attention firstWhat you can sensibly do at home first
- Physical therapist, chiropractor or massage therapist: matching the choice to your pain All three can help back and neck pain. The right first stop depends on whether you want relief this week, a pattern broken for good, or both. Which one to see, in one paragraphWhat the three have in commonWhere the approaches differWhen massage is a sensible first stop
- In-home and in-office physical therapy in Dallas: who it suits and what a visit looks like A physical therapist can bring a full session to your home, office or gym. For some problems that is better than a clinic; for others it is not. Here is how to tell. Yes, and here is when it is the better choiceWhat a mobile session includesWho it suits bestWhy the room itself can be part of the assessment
- How many physical therapy sessions it takes, and how to tell early if it is working Nobody honest can give you a number before examining you, but you can know what decides it, how often you will be seen, and what should change by when. The honest answer on visit numbersWhy a number quoted on the phone is a guessThe four things that decide itRough shapes for common problems
- Dry needling explained: what it is, what it feels like and how safe it is Dry needling uses a fine, sterile needle to release a trigger point that is driving pain. Here is what it feels like, what the safety research shows and how to tell whether it suits you. Dry needling in plain termsWhat a trigger point is, and why the needle goes where it doesDry needling and acupuncture are not the same thingWhat it actually feels like
- Choosing a physical therapist: the questions to ask and what a one-on-one hour changes The best predictor of good physical therapy is not the building or the equipment. It is who you see, for how long, and whether the plan is built around a real examination. What to look for, in shortCheck the license firstAsk how the hour is actually spentWhat a full one-on-one hour changes
- Back or neck pain that keeps coming back: why, and when to see a physical therapist Pain that fades with rest and returns with the next long week usually means the cause was never found. Here is why it happens, what you can check yourself and when an examination is worth it. The pain that leaves for a while and always comes backWhy the same pain finds you againThree things to notice about your own pain this weekSymptoms that belong with a physician first