PHYSICAL THERAPY
BY APPOINTMENT
Appointments are necessary. To schedule an appointment or complimentary screening, please call 706-542-8634.
CUSTOMIZED CARE
Therapeutic movement, joint and soft tissue manipulation, dry needling and much more.
FORMS
Complete the Pre-Visit Questionnaire before your first visit or explore other patient forms.
The UHC Physical Therapy department provides comprehensive care through evaluation, treatment, and education regarding musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, chronic or ongoing pain/dysfunction, acute sprains/strains, post-surgical recovery, as well as preventative care (optimization of health, fitness, and wellness).
While we treat common conditions and are proficient in foundational areas, our highly trained PTs have specialized knowledge, skill, and training in areas where they are passionate, such as:
- Sports/function specific (running, overhead and racket sports, weight-training, field sports)
- Chronic/persistent pain presentations
- Pelvic and women’s health services (vaginismus/vaginal pain, stress incontinence, abdominal/digestive pain, painful/irregular periods)
- Temporomandibular (mouth, jaw, face) conditions and headaches
- Vestibular, dizziness, and post-concussive symptoms
- Post-operative care following orthopedic surgery
The Physical Therapy Clinic is located on the first and second floors of the University Health Center at 55 Carlton St on UGA Campus. Our hours are Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm. The clinic can be contacted by phone at 706-542-8634 or by fax at 706-542-1466.
Services are available to UGA students, their spouses, and domestic partners.
Appointments are necessary. Schedule an appointment or complimentary screening by phone at 706-542-8634. Call or schedule with your orthopedic specialist, primary care provider, gynecologist, or dentist to help determine if physical therapy is appropriate for you. UHC PT accepts referrals from in-house (UHC) providers as well as providers from outside of UHC. The UHC main phone line is 706-542-1162.
If necessary, cancel or reschedule your appointment by 24 hours on the preceding business day to avoid a $30 missed-appointment charge.
- Pre-Visit Questionnaire (to be completed in the UHC Patient Portal PRIOR to your scheduled initial visit)
- Health History Form
- UHC Patient Agreement Form
- Physical Therapy and United Healthcare Student Resources Health Insurance Form
- Physical Therapy and Private Health Insurance Form
- ABN for Physical Therapy Services
- Individualized and customized care: 1 Physical Therapist with 1 patient (We do not double-book patients, and we do not use non-licensed employees e.g. rehab aides.)
- Evidence-based and forward-thinking care utilizing current available research and clinical expertise
- Cost-effectiveness with focus on addressing the underlying issues for long-term success instead of “band-aid approaches.” The consensus has been that physical therapy works as well, if not better, than surgery for most conditions/issues where there are no “red flags” and saves time, money, and reduces risk.
- We strive for patient empowerment and optimization of health. We help patients transition from injury to recovery, move functionally well while adopting healthy behaviors, and perform at a level where goals are met and knowledge is obtained on how to continue to thrive.
- We work closely with and coordinate care with our Sports Medicine, Primary Care, and Gynecology clinic physicians and providers as well as other UHC departments (Counseling, Health Promotion, Dental).
Resistance Bands and Tubing
BANDS: Black (Extra Heavy) / Blue (Heavy) / Green (Med.) / Red (Light) / Yellow (Extra Light) = $6.00
TUBING: Blue (Heavy) / Green (Medium) / Red (Light) = $6.00
Foam Rollers for self-massage, stretching, and postural re-education
“OPTP Axis” hard/firm in various sizes:
• 12″x6” (short) = $10.00
• 36″x3” (long/full) = $26.00
• 36″x3” (long/half-width) = $15.00
• 36″x4” (long/narrow) = $16.00
“OPTP Pro-Roller Soft” in various sizes:
• 36″x6” (soft/long) = $36.00
• 12″x6” (soft/short) = $25.00
Custom Orthotics
$80.00 (FP) / $105.00 (NFP)
Back Braces
$43.00 (FP) / $50.00 (NFP)
Ankle Support Orthosis (lace up brace for post-ankle sprain)
“Hely-Weber Ankle Lace Up” = $29.00
Yoga Blocks
$6.00 OR 2 for $10.00
Yoga Straps
$4.00
Lacrosse Balls
$4.00
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Getting Started and Scheduling
Assess movement disorders, evaluate bone, ligaments, tendons, and nerves and other tissues to see how they affect movement. While many patients seek treatment for pain related complaints, some seek out physical therapy to learn how to move and function more efficiently. Physical Therapy can be beneficial for anything that limits someone in their ability to function in their normal environment. Our philosophy is to return an individual to their highest level of function in the quickest and safest fashion.
- Post-operative therapy and rehabilitation
- Treatment and prevention of neck and back pain, spinal dysfunction, and postural problems
- Evaluation and treatment of:
- activity-related injuries
- acute injuries or conditions such as sprains and strains
- painful, dysfunctional joints
- chronic ongoing musculoskeletal and neurological conditions and disabilities
- headaches
- jaw pain (TMJ)
- injury prevention as well as sport-specific training
- pelvic floor (constipation, urinary incontinence, ED, etc.)
A prescription or referral to physical therapy IS REQUIRED. A prescription can be obtained from a UHC clinician, your private physician, or a specialist in the community. This prescription must be filled within 30 days of the date it was written. The Physical Therapy department can help coordinate this prescription or referral if you would like assistance.
Appointments are necessary. Initial appointments can only be made in person or on the phone. After that, follow-up appointments can be made in person or by phone.
During the screen, the Physical Therapist will discuss your complaints and how they are limiting or effecting your day-to-day activities. As part of the screen, you will be provided with information regarding your injury, injury prevention, and recommendations for additional healthcare services, as appropriate.
The Physical Therapist is unable to provide personalized direct care and treatment at this screening visit, but they can give you insight on what healthcare services including PT would be beneficial for you and what you can expect in regards to care, duration, etc.
It is recommended that you schedule your future appointments at the end of each Physical Therapy session to make sure you will be able to be seen at a day and time that is most convenient for you.
We ask that patients cancel/reschedule appointments 24 business hours in advance.
When you are scheduled for a treatment session, the time is reserved especially for you. When you cancel without timely/proper notification or if you do not show up for your scheduled session it makes it difficult for us to maintain a consistent schedule for our therapists and for those patients who are on our waiting list wanting to be scheduled.
We value all of our patients and we hope you will understand that in the interest of fairness it is important to have advance notice of cancellations so that those spots may be used by other patients. Thank you for your understanding. If you need to cancel an appointment, please call us ASAP so we have the opportunity to offer your appointment to another patient.
There is a $30 charge for late cancellations and missed appointments.
Evaluation and Treatment
Wear appropriate clothing (i.e. exercise clothes, tennis shoes, etc). If we are seeing you for a neck/upper back/shoulder issue, a tank top is preferable. If we are seeing you for a hip/knee/ankle issue, please wear shorts.
Please bring your current insurance card, your recent (within 30 days) prescription or referral for PT, and any other information that you think might be helpful to the therapist.
The physical therapist will review your information and ask you questions about your problem or injury. We will evaluate your whole body as well as your problem area. An examination of the problem area will take place to assess your movement and mobility, strength, flexibility, and other signs such as muscle and joint tightness and pain. This will help the therapist to determine what factors are leading, and/or contributing to your problems and develop a treatment plan specifically for you. You will also receive treatment at this first visit.
Appointments typically last 45-75 minutes.
Please arrive about 10 minutes before your appointment.
Frequency of treatment varies. You may be seen once to three times a week for 6-8 weeks, or you may be seen for one to two visits total. You and your therapist will determine what is best for you in your rehabilitation.
At each visit, the physical therapist will provide treatment to you, discuss your progress with you, and provide direction for your continued improvement. You will be encouraged to ask questions and participate as much as you would like. When you have improved and have made sufficient progress, your Physical Therapist will discuss long-term plans for you to make sure you feel ready to move forward independently and thrive. Your Physical Therapist will communicate with your referring Medical Provider as needed throughout your care. 
You and your PT will make decisions as a team regarding what types of treatment will be best for you, what types of interventions will be most helpful for you to do on your own outside of PT, and how often and long you need to attend skilled PT. Please freely communicate your wishes, comments, etc., and ask questions so you can better understand and be a part of your care and physical rehabilitation.
Therapeutic Exercise; Manual Therapy including joint, soft-tissue, and spinal mobilization; Neuromuscular Re-education; Sport Specific Training; Electrical Stimulation and TENS; Ultrasound; Iontophoresis; Ice; Moist Heat; Paraffin; Taping/Splinting; Workspace Adaptation and Equipment Recommendation; Dry Needling; and Orthotics
Billing and Payment
All students, spouses, and domestic partners are eligible to receive physical therapy at the University Health Center regardless of whether they have health insurance or not. In comparison to other clinics in the area, our visit costs are on average about 50% less. Our clinic’s mission as a whole is to be the leading providers of physical therapy and massage therapy services by offering high quality, individualized, integrative and accessible care through treatment and education. Please contact our clinic for more information.
Every student has the option of where they would like to undergo Physical Therapy. It is VERY important to contact your insurance company PRIOR to your first appointment about your specific coverage. Call your insurance company via the phone number on the card, explain you have been prescribed Physical Therapy and that there is a clinic here on campus. Then ask what percentage or amount they will cover if you receive Physical Therapy here at the UHC.
Please note: Many health insurance companies have begun requiring pre-certification for Physical Therapy services, so YOU (as the patient) are responsible for contacting your health insurance company to verify Physical Therapy benefits and if Pre-Certification is needed before continual treatment. Failure to obtain Pre-Certification, if needed, can result in penalization from your insurance company. This means your insurance company is not responsible for paying the incurred charges. We are here to help you with this process. Any charges not covered by health insurance are the patient’s responsibility to pay.