Orthopedic physical therapy in Polk County, FL
Orthopedic physical therapy is one-on-one care for pain, stiffness and weakness in your joints, muscles and spine, from a sore back or neck to a stiff shoulder or knee. We offer it at all three Core Rehabilitation clinics, in Lake Wales, Haines City and Winter Haven, and you can start without a referral.
Reviewed by Joe Koloc, PT, MSPT, MBA, founder of Core Rehabilitation. Last reviewed: October 16, 2026
At a glance
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Helps with: Back, neck and shoulder pain, plus hip, knee, ankle, elbow and wrist problems
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Referral: Not needed to start in Florida
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Where: All 3 clinics: Lake Wales, Haines City and Winter Haven
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Your visits: One-on-one with the same licensed physical therapist, start to finish
Overview
What is orthopedic physical therapy?
Orthopedic physical therapy treats problems in your bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and spine. A licensed physical therapist works out what's driving your pain or stiffness, then uses exercise, hands-on techniques and practical advice to help you move better and get back to work, family and the things you enjoy.
Orthopedic problems come in a few familiar shapes: a sudden injury such as a sprain or pulled muscle, wear and tear such as arthritis, overuse such as tendonitis, and pain that builds from long hours at a desk, behind the wheel or in a physically demanding job. They often change how you sleep, work and move long before they feel serious.
Back, neck and shoulder pain are the most common reasons people come to us. They're also the focus of our founder, Joe Koloc, PT, MSPT, MBA, who has more than 25 years of clinical experience. If you've recently had an operation, post-surgical rehabilitation covers that recovery. Athletes working toward a return to their sport have a dedicated sports physical therapy program.
Is it for you?
Signs it's time to see a physical therapist
Aches come and go. These are signs a problem is worth having checked rather than waiting out.
Back, neck or shoulder pain that hasn't settled after a couple of weeks
Stiffness that makes it hard to turn your head, reach overhead or bend down
Pain that flares when you sit, stand, walk or lift for long
Numbness, tingling or pain that runs down an arm or a leg
A joint that clicks, catches or feels like it might give way
A sprain or strain that's slow to heal
Trouble with stairs, getting out of a chair or carrying groceries
Pain that keeps coming back, or that you manage by avoiding things you enjoy
See a doctor first if you have: back pain with a fever, unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer; new weakness in a leg or foot; numbness around the groin or a loss of bladder or bowel control; or severe pain and swelling after a fall or accident. Call 911 for chest pain or shortness of breath with arm or shoulder pain.
What it treats
Conditions orthopedic physical therapy commonly helps
Your plan targets the cause behind the pain, so care for a stiff shoulder looks different from care for sciatica.
Back and neck
Low back pain, sciatica, disc problems, spinal stenosis, neck pain and stiffness, and pain after a car accident such as whiplash.
Low back pain
Herniated disc
Sciatica
Spinal stenosis
Neck pain
Whiplash
Hip, knee and ankle
Arthritis, hip and knee pain, ankle sprains, tendon problems and heel pain that make walking, stairs or standing harder than they should be.
Knee arthritis
Hip pain
Plantar fasciitis
Ankle sprain
Shoulder
Rotator cuff problems, shoulder impingement, frozen shoulder, tendonitis and the stiffness that makes reaching overhead or behind your back hard.
Rotator cuff
Shoulder tendonitis
Impingement
Frozen shoulder
Elbow, wrist and hand
Tennis and golfer's elbow, carpal tunnel symptoms, wrist sprains and tendon pain from repetitive work.
Tennis elbow
Golfer's elbow
Carpal tunnel
Tendonitis
Your care
What's included in orthopedic physical therapy
Every plan is built from your evaluation, and most include a mix of the following.
A full evaluation. Your history, how you move, strength, flexibility and the positions that ease or worsen your symptoms, plus screening for anything that needs a doctor.
Hands-on therapy. Joint and soft-tissue mobilization to ease stiffness and pain, always paired with exercise so the change lasts.
A plan for flare-ups. What to do when pain spikes, so a bad day doesn't undo your progress.
Targeted exercise. Strength, mobility and control exercises chosen for your problem, progressed at each visit as you improve.
Movement and posture coaching. Safer ways to lift, sit, sleep and work, built around your job and daily routine.
A home program you'll actually do. A short routine, adjusted at each visit, so you keep improving between sessions.
Do I need a referral for orthopedic physical therapy?
No. In Florida you can start physical therapy without a physician's referral. Florida Statute §486.021 allows a physical therapist to treat you for up to 30 days without one.
What happens at your first orthopedic PT visit?
Your first visit starts with a conversation about your pain, your health history and what you want to get back to. A first visit usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes.
Some insurance plans set their own referral rules, so our front desk checks your plan before your first visit and tells you if anything else is needed.
Talk it through. Where it hurts, when it started and what makes it better or worse.
Movement and strength check. How the problem area moves, and how the joints above and below it are helping or adding to it.
Your findings, explained. What's likely driving your symptoms, in plain language.
Your plan. How often to come in, plus one or two exercises to start at home.
One therapist, start to finish
You see the same licensed physical therapist from your first visit to your last, so the person adjusting your plan is the one who knows your history. Every session is one-on-one.
Insurance
Does insurance cover orthopedic physical therapy?
Orthopedic physical therapy is billed as physical therapy, so it's often covered when your plan includes physical therapy benefits. Core Rehabilitation accepts more than 200 insurance plans, including Medicare, and we verify your benefits before your first visit.
Where to find it
Orthopedic physical therapy at all three of our clinics
Looking for orthopedic physical therapy near you? It's part of the full service menu at every Core Rehabilitation clinic in Polk County, with the same approach at each one.
Lake Wales
Orthopedic physical therapy in Lake Wales
2031 State Rd 60 East, Lake Wales, FL 33898
Mon–Fri 8:00–12:00 & 1:00–5:00
Haines City
Orthopedic physical therapy in Haines City
50 Maxcy Plaza Circle, Haines City, FL 33844
Mon–Fri 8:00–12:00 & 1:00–5:00
Winter Haven
Orthopedic physical therapy in Winter Haven
3017 Cypress Gardens Rd, Winter Haven, FL 33884
Mon–Fri 9:00–12:00 & 1:00–5:00
Why it works
Why physical therapy is a sensible first step
For common back, neck and knee problems, major guidelines recommend exercise-based care, the core of physical therapy, as an early treatment, and it's low risk.
The American College of Physicians advises starting with non-drug treatments for most low back pain, and lists exercise among the recommended options for back pain that has lasted longer than 12 weeks. The neck pain guideline from the American Physical Therapy Association's orthopaedic section recommends combining exercise with manual therapy for many types of neck pain. For mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons strongly recommends exercise, supervised or on your own, to improve pain and function.
Results differ from person to person, and progress usually takes weeks of regular practice. Your therapist will tell you what's realistic after your evaluation, and will send you back to your doctor if something needs medical attention.
Sources: Qaseem A, et al. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2017 (American College of Physicians low back pain guideline); Blanpied PR, et al. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2017 (neck pain clinical practice guideline); American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee (Non-Arthroplasty), 2021; Chou R, et al. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2011 (imaging for low back pain).
Keep exploring
Related care and next steps
Post-surgical rehabilitation
Recovery after joint replacement and other surgery.
Back pain and sciatica
Causes, care and what recovery looks like.
Neck and shoulder pain
Stiff necks, rotator cuff problems and more.
Start without a referral
Florida direct access, insurance and your first visit.
Frequently asked questions
Book your visit
Start with a one-on-one evaluation
Tell us which clinic suits you and when you're free. We'll call to set up your first visit and check your insurance.
Lake Wales · 863-678-0705
Haines City · 863-421-2000
Winter Haven · 863-268-6523