Could Physical Therapy Save You Money?
You’ve had shoulder pain for a few weeks.
Maybe your knee has been bothering you every time you go down the stairs.
Or your back “goes out” every few months.
You know you should do something about it, but then the questions start:
Should I call my doctor?
Will I need an MRI?
How much will this cost?
What surprises many people is that starting with physical therapy can actually be one of the most cost-effective decisions you make – not just because of the cost of therapy itself, but because it can often help you avoid additional healthcare expenses down the road.
Why Physical Therapy Often Costs Less Overall
Many people assume that physical therapy is just another expense.
But when you address a problem early, you can often avoid the cascade of additional healthcare costs that may include:
- Multiple physician visits
- Imaging that may not be necessary
- Prescription medications
- Injections
- Time away from work
- Surgery in some cases
You Don’t Always Need to See Your Doctor First
One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is:
“I need a referral before I can see a physical therapist.”
In Colorado, that’s not the case.
You can skip the visit to your primary MD and schedule directly with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. That means you can often get answers—and start treatment—days or even weeks sooner.
If your condition requires imaging, medication, or referral to another provider, we’ll tell you. But for many musculoskeletal conditions, physical therapy is an excellent place to start.
Not All Physical Therapy Is the Same
Many people still think PT means:
“They’ll just hand me a sheet of exercises; I can find exercises online.”
At Be You, we don’t just ask where it hurts—we ask what you’re trying to get back to. Whether that’s hiking your favorite trail, playing with your grandkids, training for your first 5K, or simply making it through a workday without pain, your goals shape your treatment plan.
We also look into why it hurts. We’ll evaluate your movement, strength, flexibility, joint mobility, and overall mechanics to identify what’s contributing to your symptoms and develop a treatment plan specific to you.
Because physical therapy shouldn’t just help you move better—it should help you get back to being you.
What If Physical Therapy Isn’t the Right Answer?
One of the biggest hesitations people have is:
“What if it’s something more serious?”
One reason I enjoy being a physical therapist is that my job isn’t simply to prescribe exercises.
It’s to determine whether physical therapy is the right treatment in the first place.
If your symptoms suggest that imaging or referral to another healthcare provider is appropriate, I’ll tell you. My goal is always to make sure you receive the right care—not simply more care.
The Research Supports Starting Early
Fortunately, the research backs this approach.
Research published in The Spine Journal found that people who began physical therapy within two weeks of developing low back pain spent approximately $2,700 less on healthcare costs than those who delayed treatment.
Other studies have shown that people who go directly to physical therapy often experience:
- Lower overall healthcare costs
- Fewer physician visits
- Less advanced imaging
- Fewer injections
- Lower opioid use
Sometimes the Best Way to Save Money Is to Prevent Bigger Problems
One of the biggest benefits of physical therapy isn’t simply treating pain—it’s preventing small problems from becoming large ones.
A minor ache that’s ignored for months often becomes harder (and more expensive) to treat. Addressing movement limitations early can help you stay active, avoid unnecessary healthcare visits, and continue doing the things you enjoy.
Physical Therapy Before Surgery Matters Too
Even when surgery is necessary, physical therapy still plays an important role.
Improving strength, reducing swelling, and restoring motion before surgery often leads to smoother recoveries afterward.
Research has shown that patients who participate in prehabilitation programs often experience lower overall healthcare costs and improved postoperative outcomes.
The Goal Isn’t Simply To Spend Less On Healthcare.
It’s to get the right care at the right time.
Sometimes that means avoiding unnecessary appointments, imaging, or medications. Other times, it means identifying when you do need additional testing or see another specialist.
Either way, getting answers early can save you time, money, and frustration—and most importantly, help you get back to the life you enjoy.
Whether your goal is hiking without knee pain, playing with your kids, returning to golf, or simply getting through the workday more comfortably, starting with physical therapy can often save you time, money, and frustration along the way.
If you’ve been putting off treating that nagging ache because you’re unsure where to start,let’s have a conversation. Together, we’ll determine the best next step for you and create a plan that helps you get back to being you.
Be Healthy, Be YOU
-Dr. Emily
Schedule Your Appointment Today
As prices continue to rise on everything from gas to groceries, a lot of us are looking for ways to save, but not many of us think of making changes to our approach to health care as a way of doing this.
Healthcare has a long-standing history of high prices and deductibles and copays seem to get higher each year. At the same time, it seems that you get less and less one-on-one time with your healthcare provider. What if I told you that going to the physical therapist could actually SAVE you money?!
Here in Colorado (and many other states), you can see a physical therapist without a prescription or referral from your physician. This means that you can see someone who is a specialist in the musculoskeletal system and movement as soon as you’re injured and skip the doctor’s visit where all they do is tell you to rest, ice, and take ibuprofen. Physical therapists, like those found at BE YOU, are doctors of physical therapy and are trained to evaluate your injury and determine a course of action, whether that be physical therapy, imaging, or a referral to a physician if warranted. They can also provide immediate interventions to help reduce or eliminate your pain or limitation.
A study in the Spine Journal found that people who were referred to PT within 14 days of when low back pain started, spent less on healthcare costs related to the low back pain than those who sought PT later or not at all. The average savings was $2,700! Another study showed that those who skipped the doctor’s office first and went straight to PT saved even more money!
Physical therapy has also been shown to not only lower costs, but also reduce the number of physician appointments, advanced imaging, and injections, as well as less opioid use. What would you do to avoid having to take opioids?
Even if you know surgery is in your future, having physical therapy before surgery has been correlated with lower costs following surgery as shown in a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Pre-hab as we like to call it can help reduce swelling and improve muscle activation before surgery, making your recovery go that much quicker.
So what would you do with a couple of thousand extra dollars in your pocket? All it takes is the next time you feel that nagging pain, don’t ignore it, and just hope it gets better – call your local physical therapist!
Interested in setting up an evaluation with a Doctor of Physical Therapy? Click here and answer just a few short questions to get you on your way to feeling like YOU again!
