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Maggie McKay (Host): Welcome to Wise and Well presented by Community Memorial Healthcare. I'm your host, Maggie McKay. Joining me to discuss National Physical Therapy Month is Brian Murphy, Associate Director of Rehabilitation Services and Physical Therapist Gabby Dobbs. Thank you both for joining us.

Gabrielle Dobbs, DPT: Hi, Maggie. Thank you.

Brian Murphy, DPT: Thanks for having us.

Host: Of course. Gabby, let's start with you. October is National Physical Therapy Month. How do you see your role as a movement expert in helping the community, especially during this month of awareness?

Gabrielle Dobbs, DPT: Well with any month of awareness, it's nice to kind of highlight what we do, and it's a great reminder of the vital work we do in promoting health and mobility. As a movement expert, I see my role in helping the community extending far beyond just this month, it's a year round commitment. Once people learn, I'm a physical therapist, they inevitably start asking about their aches and pains or old injuries. So that's always something that comes up on family dinners or out in public.

Our biggest contribution is educating folks on how to move their bodies effectively, especially as they age. Too often people abandon activities they love because they feel too old for them. And this can lead to issues down the line. We stop moving consistently, our capacity diminishes, and then a sudden burst of activity, whether it's a weekend hike or yard work, catches us off guard.

For us to be impactful, we have to serve the community by leading with action and living by example, and educating people on the joys of movement in their life and how they can foster healthier and more active lifestyles. One step at a time.

Host: Brian, can you explain the difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy? How do these two disciplines compliment each other in a patient's rehabilitation journey?

Brian Murphy, DPT: So physical therapy focuses on restoring strength, mobility, balance, and the ability to move efficiently; think walking, climbing stairs, or getting in and out of a car. Occupational therapy focuses on helping people perform daily activities and meaningful tasks such as dressing, cooking, returning to work, or adapting a home environment.

So together they maximize recovery. PT gets the body moving well, and OT makes sure the person can safely and independently return to the life they want to live.

Host: Gabby, Community Memorial's physical therapists treat a wide variety of conditions from low back pain to total joint replacements. What is a typical first step in your process when a new patient comes in for an evaluation?

Gabrielle Dobbs, DPT: Yeah, so seeing a variety of conditions can seem overwhelming and kind of time consuming, but it is really simple and my approach, I kind of treat everyone the same. You know, it always starts with a thorough chart review or learning about the background of a patient that's coming in, and really then communicating and talking with the patient of why they feel like they're there and what they want out of the experience. And then from there it can be tailored to the condition itself.

Host: And Brian, what are some of the most common conditions you treat in an outpatient setting, and what are the benefits of outpatient therapy for those diagnoses?

Brian Murphy, DPT: So common cases include low back and neck pain, knee and hip replacements, shoulder problems, and sports or work injuries. Outpatient therapy helps people recover faster, avoid unnecessary tests or procedures, reduce pain and return to work and hobbies sooner. The biggest benefit of outpatient therapy is each patient receives a personalized plan that they can implement at home to further their progress and reach their the PT goals.

Outpatient therapy can help restore movement and reduce pain, but it also teaches patients how to make sustainable improvements in how they move that carry over into daily life.

Host: Gabby, most physical therapy services require a physician's referral. What's your advice for someone who is experiencing pain but isn't sure if physical therapy is right for them?

Gabrielle Dobbs, DPT: Something that I want to educate people on is that most physical therapy practices allow something called direct access. This allows patients to seek evaluation and treatment from a licensed physical therapist without a physician's referral so you can promote quicker access to care and then reducing those barriers to rehabilitation you can start physical therapy directly and with the direct access, the physical therapist is able to see within their scope, if the patient's appropriate. And if the PT finds that a patient might have symptoms that are not within our scope of practice, we refer them back to a doctor.

So that can take away that, oh no, I need to get to a physician before I see the PT. In California, we offer provisional direct access, meaning the treatment without referral is limited to 45 calendar days or 12 visits, whichever comes first. And then after that period, if continued PT is required, then a physician must be seen and may ensure that the proper medical oversight is going on.

So I would say if someone is unsure, they just should come into a PT office for evaluation, and see if they can be helped and at least, if not, maybe put into the right hands so they can achieve what they want out of their life.

Host: Gabby, you have a great tool on your website called Find a Physician. Can you explain how to use that?

Gabrielle Dobbs, DPT: So you can just go to the mycmh.org homepage and there's a button right on the homepage where you can find a physician and you can type in a specific name or specialty and it gives you a list of all the doctors. So if you need a new primary care or orthopedic doctor, that's a really easy tool if you're unsure of who to go to.

Host: That's a great idea. And Brian, what's one key takeaway you would like the community to understand about the importance of physical therapy for both rehabilitation and long-term health?

Brian Murphy, DPT: So physical therapy is about getting back your independence. Physical therapists are not just fixing pain for a day, but they're teaching you how to move smarter for life. Investing in movement now can prevent future injury, keep you active longer, and save time and medical costs down the road. So you know if something's limiting your life, don't wait. We can help.

Host: All right, great. Well, thank you so much, both of you for your time and sharing your expertise. This has been very helpful.

Brian Murphy, DPT: Thank you.

Gabrielle Dobbs, DPT: Thank you.

Host: To learn more, please visit mycmh.org. Again, that's Brian Murphy and Gabby Dobbs. If you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out our entire podcast library for topics of interest to you. I'm Maggie McKay. Thanks for listening to Wise and Well presented by Community Memorial Healthcare.