Insurance & Access:
What to expect at your first physical therapy visit
Your first visit is a 45–60 minute, one-on-one evaluation with a licensed physical therapist at our Lake Wales, Haines City or Winter Haven clinic. Here's what happens, step by step, and how to get ready.
Serving Lake Wales · Haines City · Winter Haven
Before you arrive: Before your first visit
Book by phone or with the request form. In Florida you don't need a referral. Before your visit, we check your insurance and whether your plan asks for a referral, so there are no surprises.
Plan to arrive about 10 minutes early to complete a short intake.
What to bring
Bring these to your first visit:
Photo ID and your insurance card.
A referral or prescription, if you have one, plus any imaging or reports.
A list of your current medications.
Comfortable clothing you can move in. Shorts help for a knee or hip problem, and a loose top for a shoulder or neck.
Don't have a referral? You don't need one to start in Florida.
Step by step: Your first visit, step by step
1. Talk it through. Your therapist asks what's bothering you, when it started, what makes it better or worse, your health history and what you want to get back to.
2. Movement and strength check. Your therapist looks at how you move, your strength, flexibility, balance and walking, and runs tests that fit your problem, such as positional tests for dizziness.
3. Results in plain language. Your therapist explains what they found and starts building your plan of care the same day.
"Will I get treatment at my first visit?"
Your plan of care starts the same day. Depending on what your therapist finds, that can include your first treatment and a few exercises to start at home.
"Will the evaluation hurt?"
It shouldn't make things much worse. Some tests briefly bring on your symptoms on purpose, so your therapist can see what triggers them, and you can stop whenever you need to.
One-on-one care: Time for your questions
Your evaluation is one-on-one with a licensed physical therapist, with time to ask questions. You're welcome to bring a family member or friend if that helps you feel more comfortable.
After your first visit: What happens after your first visit?
Your therapist recommends how often to come and for how long, based on your evaluation and your goals. Results differ from person to person, and your therapist will tell you what's realistic for you.
Follow-up visits are one-on-one, and your therapist adjusts your plan as you improve.
Between visits, you'll usually have a short home exercise program.
Past 30 days, if no doctor has assessed your problem, a doctor needs to review and sign your plan. How direct access works →
Need to reschedule? Call or text your clinic: Lake Wales 863-678-0705, Haines City 863-421-2000, Winter Haven 863-268-6523.
Getting started: You can start without a referral
In Florida, you don't need a physician's referral to begin physical therapy; you can come straight to us. Your insurance may have its own requirements, which is a separate question from state law, so it's worth checking both before your first visit.
Care people trust: Physical therapy Polk County has trusted since 2013
Independent, veteran- and physical-therapist-owned, with one-on-one physical therapy at all three Polk County clinics.
8,000+
patients treated since founding in 2013
200+
Google reviews across our three clinics
4.9–5.0★
average rating, Lake Wales · Haines City · Winter Haven
Core Rehabilitation has been very thorough and has challenged my abilities to progress on my path of recovery. I would highly recommend treatment at this facility.
Tina Lange
via Google
Common questions about your first visit
How long is the first physical therapy visit?
About 45 to 60 minutes. It's a one-on-one evaluation with a licensed physical therapist at Core Rehabilitation's Lake Wales, Haines City or Winter Haven clinic.
What should I bring to my first physical therapy visit?
A photo ID, your insurance card, a list of your current medications and comfortable clothing you can move in, plus a referral or prescription and any imaging or reports if you have them.
Will I get treatment at my first visit?
Your therapist explains what they found in plain language and starts building your plan of care the same day.
How often will I need physical therapy?
It depends on your problem and your goals. After your evaluation, your therapist recommends how often to come and for how long, and adjusts the plan as you improve.
Request an appointment
Tell us a little about you and your preferred location, and our team will reach out to schedule your visit. Prefer to talk? Call the clinic nearest you.
Lake Wales · 863-678-0705
Haines City · 863-421-2000
Winter Haven · 863-268-6523