We 
would like your first experience with Nesin Therapy to be as easy and comfortable as possible. Below we have outlined some information that will help familiarize you with the process. To schedule your first appointment, please contact our any one of our three convenient locations in Huntsville, Research Park or Madison or contact our scheduling department.
YOUR FIRST VISIT
Please bring your referral from your physician to your first visit. In the state of Alabama, we are required to have this referral in hand before we can begin an evaluation. If your physician's office stated that they would fax your referral, please call us to confirm we have received it. Unfortunately, we will be unable to see you without a referral.
While subsequent treatment sessions generally begin on the hour, for your first evaluation you will be asked to arrive 15 minutes before the hour. This allows time for paperwork to be processed and entered into our system. We recommend intake forms (see below) be downloaded, printed, and filled out prior to your arrival. This will expedite the registration process and allow your evaluation to start on time.
You and your physical therapist will then discuss your problem and history in more detail. Your therapist will then evaluate your problem including assessing movement, performing tests, and taking measurements.
Treatment may begin during this first visit. This may provide you with some relief from your symptoms, and it also provides your therapist with a more hands-on assessment of your problem. Because your therapist will be assessing movement and performing treatment, it is important you wear clothing which will allow them to access the region for evaluation and treatment.
You will be given a folder at the end of your first appointment. Your exercises, given as homework, will be kept in this folder. You may be given one or two exercises on your first visit, but don’t worry, we will avoid giving you exercises that are too difficult for you to perform. Try to bring your exercise folder with you every visit as we will continue to add, change, and update your home program as your status progresses. This folder also contains useful information about our services and your insurance coverage.
You and your therapist will also decide on a treatment plan, establishing the number of sessions per week you will need. Following your visit, your physical therapist will document your session and send a copy of your evaluation to your physician. Our administrative staff will collect a co-payment and work with you on scheduling follow-up appointments with your assigned team of therapists.
Congratulations, you have taken your first step on the road to better health.
WHAT TO WEAR
For every area we address, we need to assess and treat the entire region and this is easier when the region is readily accessible. In addition, part of the session will involve exercises and therefore comfortable, loose fitting clothing are important. A tank top or loose fitting t-shirt works best for treating the neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand as well as the mid-back. T-shirt and gym shorts for low back, hip, knee, foot and ankle are the most optimal. However, you are welcome to discuss other options with your therapist if you are uncomfortable wearing any of these items. We also have gowns, shorts and T-shirts available in the clinic if you forget to bring clothing items to a session.
Please use the links below to download the intake forms prior to your first visit. If you are unable to print the forms and would like to receive them by mail, please contact our office at (256) 461-9654. Having the forms completed prior to your visit will save you a few minutes in the waiting room.
Complete the General and Self-Evaluation Admission forms along with the appropriate body part form.
When you click on the following forms, they will either appear on your screen or download to your computer. You can then print the form, fill it out, and submit it to Nesin.
Here is a copy of our HIPAA Statement for your review.
PAYMENT
At Nesin Therapy, service to our patients is paramount. In order to ensure that we are able to provide the highest quality of care possible, it is important for us to collect payments for service in a timely manner. Please review our financial policy for information regarding payments.
FINDING US
Nesin Therapy has three locations to serve you in Madison, Research Park, and Huntsville.
FOLLOW-UP …OUR APPROACH TO TREATMENT
Our therapists work one-on-one with you. Sessions are approximately 50 to 75 minutes in length. This hour is reserved for you alone to work with your therapist. To get the most benefit, arrive on time or preferably early. If you arrive early, you may change clothes, stretch and/or warm up before your session, allowing you to be better prepared when the therapist is ready to begin. We strive to run as close to on time as possible in fairness to all patients. If you run late we cannot extend a treatment session and interfere with the next patient’s appointment time.
Frequency of sessions is usually two times per week in the beginning of a course of treatment. However, under special circumstances, the frequency may be three to five times per week, such as immediately after surgery. At two times per week, we make forward progress in addressing the problem while also allowing recovery time between sessions. We generally decrease the frequency of sessions to one time per week or every other week towards the end of a course of treatment. This enables us to monitor your status to assure you will not regress with less frequent intervention and to update your home program as you progress to doing more on your own.
In general, the first part of the session is spent doing hands-on treatment. The second part is typically postural education, and other activities including your home program. At times, we utilize a modality to help reduce soreness at the end of the treatment. This may extend the treatment time to 60-75 minutes.
The TEAM approach is an important aspect of your physical therapy program. Typically, a patient is assigned a team of three therapists. Each therapist may look at your problem from a slightly different angle and/or utilize different treatment techniques. This provides an extremely comprehensive approach as therapists combine their extensive experience to optimize your rehabilitation program. This also provides you more flexibility in scheduling.
Your exercise program is developed to address specific problems found during the course of your treatment. The exercises are assigned to relieve symptoms or make progress in areas such as strength, flexibility, balance and stability. The time that you are the busiest or in pain is often when your exercises are most important. We will try to avoid assigning exercises that are too difficult for you to perform. If you experience unexpected pain during or after the exercises, simply discontinue the exercise until your next session and discuss this problem with your therapist. In addition, if you feel you have been assigned too many exercises and are not capable of performing them consistently, talk to your therapist and he/she will often remove exercises as you progress or change the frequency the exercises are performed.
The therapists may ask you to discontinue an aggravating activity for a period of time, or demonstrate an alternate way to perform an activity. This may include work tasks, household chores, or recreational activity. Combined with your exercises, these modifications will shorten your recovery time. This avoids prolonging your symptoms unnecessarily and saves you time and money by reducing the number of treatments needed.
Consistent and timely therapy attendance and providing your therapist with specific feedback regarding your symptoms are also important factors in recovery. You will be asked about your symptoms at the beginning of each session as symptoms frequently vary and should change during the course of treatment. Reporting how intense, how often, and how long the symptoms last, what activities made the symptoms worse or better, and/or how the symptoms have changed since the previous session is very helpful. These factors often give the therapists important clues for treating specific aspects of your problem.
So remember, performing your home exercise program consistently is critical for successful treatment. In addition, please make the assigned modifications to your activity that your therapists have suggested, attend therapy sessions as prescribed, and give your therapist specific feedback regarding your status.
In general, the more effort you put into your therapy, the more you get out of it. This is your part of the team approach to solving your problem. Therefore, take the time to take care of yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
