A common question that many people ask before they have to attend their physical therapy appointment is “What is the appropriate attire?”
This is an important question to consider because you want your therapy to be effective, you want to facilitate the recovery or improvements and you want the clothing that will help you to reach your physical therapy objectives as quickly as possible.
Therefore, let us see what you should be wearing so you can turn up to your appointment feeling ready and as comfortable as possible.
Upper Body Attire
Let’s start at the top with your upper body. This generally includes anything and everything above your waistline. If your physical therapist is going to want to work on your neck, shoulders, arms, or back then you are likely going to need to wear something that provides good accessibility to those areas.
For example, let’s say that you are in rehab for a shoulder injury that you got during a sporting event. In such a case you may be requested to remove your shirt so that the therapist can better examine and access the injured area. However, if such an action would make you uncomfortable then this is something that you should think about beforehand so you can wear clothing that allows access to your shoulder without necessarily needing to remove the whole top.
If you have arm or wrist injuries try to wear something with loose-fitting sleeves that can easily be moved out of the way or rolled up. For back injuries, you may want to consider some clothing with elastic waistlines as the therapist may be required to examine your lower back and you don’t want anything below that to be visible and in the case of a woman, a sports bra may also be advisable for similar reasons.
Lower Body Attire
A lot of physical therapy for your lower body may involve a lot of movement and exercise. So whatever you wear needs to allow freedom of mobility and it should also be comfortable. During these movements and exercises, the clothing should also be thin enough or accessible enough for the physical therapist to examine the injured area whether your hips, legs or knees via touch if necessary.
For hip problems specifically, the therapist needs to be able to see your spine and both sides of your hips. In this case, it may be preferable to wear elastic shorts however they should not be anything too tight or that restricts your movement.
Likewise, for knee issues, shorts are essential as they need to be visually examined along with your lower legs and thighs.
Feet And Ankle Wear
Foot inflammations sprained ankles and other similar injuries are all too common. Now you might think that your overall attire should not be affected by a foot injury and in part that is correct. However, it is highly recommendable that you arrive at your physical therapy session in both shoes and socks.
This is because your therapist may wish to see you walk both with shoes and without them to examine your progress and to plan out your therapy treatments. Additionally, if you are asked to do any kind of activity, you will want something to absorb the sweat, and arriving barefoot just looks weird in most places.
The preferred type of shoes should be some sort of active sports or athletic type shoes so that you can best complete the required activities in moderate comfort. It should also go without saying that crocs, formal shoes, sandals, and high heels would not be appropriate for these sorts of sessions.
Bring some comfy sneakers and you will do great.
Other Things To Consider
It would be impossible to take into account every single condition and injury which could require physical therapy. Therefore, you will need to think carefully about your unique condition and what sorts of accessibility the therapist may require, and what sorts of activities you may need to complete.
Use this article as a guide to some of the general attire you may need but be thoughtful and take into account your unique circumstances, the likelihood of exercise, and that what you wear should be loose-fitting without being immodest and should also be comfortable.
If you are traveling to the physical therapy session from somewhere else and you haven’t had a chance to change, most therapy areas have a changing room where you can do so before your appointment. It is also a good idea to remove any sorts of jewelry or unnecessary accessories such as watches, medallions, etc.
By thinking ahead and planning out what you should wear you will make your sessions more enjoyable, more comfortable, and overall much more successful. If you are still not sure what to wear after reading this article, feel free to ask your therapist and they will certainly be happy to tell you what would be appropriate for your condition.