Orthopedic
Can orthopedic physical therapy be done over video?
Yes, for most back, neck, hip, knee, shoulder, and foot problems and for rehab after many surgeries. Orthopedic physical therapy is mostly assessment of movement and a progressive exercise program, both of which are delivered and coached over video; trials of telehealth rehab after knee replacement have found outcomes comparable to in-person care.
The details
What to know
Answered by the practice of Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT, pelvic floor and orthopedic physical therapist.
The evaluation uses guided movement tests on camera: squatting, single-leg balance, reaching overhead, bending, walking. The therapist watches control, range, and symptom response, and uses that to identify what is irritated and what is not doing its share. Strength is tested with body-weight and self-resisted tests the patient performs on screen.
Treatment is the exercise program, progressed week by week with form coaching, plus education about load, pacing, and the activities that provoke or relieve symptoms. Hands-on techniques feel good for a few hours; the program is what changes the next six months, and it is the same program whether taught in a clinic or on a call.
Some conditions do need in-person care: a suspected fracture, a locked joint, progressive weakness, or the first two weeks after certain surgeries. The therapist screens for these and refers out rather than continuing by video.
Video also fixes the reason many people quit physical therapy: three clinic trips a week do not fit around work and children. A 45-minute visit from the living room, with a program done in the same room, is a plan people finish.
Where you live
Tell us where you are
Insurance, referral rules, and booking depend on where you live. Choose your area and we take you to the right page.
Not listed? Dr. Shalem can only treat patients located in a state where she holds a license. Send a message and we will tell you what is possible.
How it works
How a virtual visit works
Most of pelvic floor physical therapy is education, breathing and pressure management, movement retraining, and a home program. All of it works on camera. During the evaluation, Dr. Shalem guides a self-assessment so she can see how the pelvic floor is coordinating with breath and movement. An internal examination is not possible by video; if a hands-on assessment would change the plan, she says so and helps the patient find local care.
Discovery call
15 minutes, free, by phoneA short call to hear what is going on, explain how visits work, and check insurance or pricing. No pressure to book.
Evaluation
60 minutes, by videoDr. Shalem takes a full history, watches how you move and breathe, and guides the self-assessments she needs to build a plan.
Your plan
Same visitYou leave the evaluation with a plain-language explanation and a short home program, usually a few minutes a day.
Follow-ups
45 minutes, every 1 to 2 weeksProgress checks, program updates, and techniques you can do yourself, for as long as they are useful.
For a video visit you will need
- A phone, tablet, or laptop with a camera
- A private room
- A mat or towel
- About an hour
Your physical therapist
Dr. Elana Shalem, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Miami. Licensed physical therapist.
Dr. Shalem treats pelvic health for women and men, from pregnancy and postpartum recovery to bladder, bowel, and pelvic pain conditions and recovery after prostate or pelvic surgery, and general orthopedic conditions of the back, neck, hips, knees, shoulders, and feet. Visits are one-on-one and unhurried, and she explains what she is seeing in plain language.
More about Dr. ShalemPrefer to write? Send a message.
Questions about insurance, pricing, or whether physical therapy is the right next step? We reply within one business day.
Start with a free 15-minute call.
Tell us what is going on, hear how Dr. Shalem would approach it, and decide from there.