Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Q4 Physical Therapy:
Do you take insurance?
The short answer is No.
The longer answer with the why, begins with the opinion that you should be at the front of your care. I believe in being direct, honest, and transparent.
It is the goal of Q4 Physical Therapy to provide elite level care which is highly personalized and well communicated. I am here to listen to you and help guide you to the best of your ability without taking you out of your activities. This model bypasses unnecessary medical appointments and accelerates your return to sport, pain free activity, and improved function. Our main focus becomes your health and goals, not insurance paperwork. If I am not the right PTs for you, I will use my network to get you in front of the right person, and not just the next one.
The current system of insurance creates barriers to care including high patient volume, decreased overall physical therapy experience, increased appointments within the medical system, decreased ability for 1 on 1 care, inability to treat multiple body regions at one time, and low reimbursement to the provider. These pressures on providers may result in double booking appointments, decreased time for communication with other practitioners in your care team, and the administration of non-skilled treatment when it is not necessary. You should leave each session with your PT feeling accomplished and moving forward. Not having done the same exercises as always or feeling ignored.
When requested, I will provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance agency for potential out of network reimbursement. It is recommended you call your insurance agency to ask about out of network benefits. The out of network worksheet may be found here.
Massachusetts is a direct access state, meaning that you do not require a referral from a doctor to receive physical therapy services. However, most insurance companies require a referral for reimbursement. Often, this creates additional co-pays and delays in the beginning of treatment. A skilled physical therapist will refer you to your physician if necessary.
Why did you start Q4 Physical Therapy?
Short answer: I almost died.
Long answer: I experienced a ruptured ectopic pregnancy in 2017 that hemorrhaged about 80% of my blood into my abdominal cavity and resulted in the loss of a large part of my uterus and my right fallopian tube as well as my ability to ever carry another child again.
After that, and in the years following, I realized that I wasn’t really listened to during that experience. I realized that often we aren’t actually listened to and cared for in health care. It should be the norm and not the exception that you’re listened to, believed, and truly cared for in your health journey.
I didn’t want to spend more time chasing down symptoms and putting band aids on it or answering to people who had a vested interest in drawing money out of a system. I wanted to be part of the solution for long term health and wellness. I wanted to create resiliency in my patients so they can live their best life. Enter Q4, which stands for 4th Quarter. Gone are the days of putting band aids on things. Here to stay are the days of pouring more concrete, not wasting any time, building more capacity between where you are and injury, and providing the highest level of care I’m capable of. Always.
What is the difference between TMD and TMJ?
It’s semantics! Technically TMJ means temporomandibular joint, which is the actual anatomical space, where TMD means temporomandibular dysfunction, which is a problem with the space referring to the joint or soft tissue.
TMD can take on many forms including headaches, jaw pain, difficulty with swallowing, and neck pain!
Feet and Jaws? Do those two things even go together?
There is a well known connection between jaw muscle activation and postural control. There’s also an emerging link between pressure distribution in the feet and jaw muscle activity. The jaw is a window into how your handling stress, how your heart is working, and how you are adapting to the world around you. Your feet are what touch the ground, your jaw is where you fuel to keep those feet going. Often my patients with jaw pain have a foot issue, or vica versa. How you’re walking or running affects your posture which affects where your head is in space and how you use it. To me, the two couldn’t be more related.
What is TMD Physical Therapy like?
Yes, I’ll be putting my (gloved!) hand in your mouth. I take a thorough history, examine the jaw, neck, and shoulder, and put everything together to help solve the puzzle of what you’re experiencing your symptoms. I will likely speak with your dentist or referring practitioner and you’ll get a plan of what’s going on, how we’re going to solve it, and your successory work (The work that you’ll do at home to make you successful!).
How can I tell chronic pain from normal aches and pains?
Chronic is anything lasting over 6 weeks. A lot of normal aches and pains will get better with a few targeted things over 2 weeks. Chronic pain is a change in the chemical signaling from your body to your brain and back again.
How can I tell if my shoes fit?
Measuring your feet then adding ½” is the basic rule of thumb here, you also want to measure top to bottom to see the volume of your foot. A basic way to tell is if you stand on your insole your whole foot sits on the insole. For volume, if you can tie your shoes comfortably that is a good indication they fit!
What is the benefit of toe yoga?
Improving the neural connection between your brain and your body, waking up your foot awareness and control, and it starts to build strength! You stand or move on your feet all day! They need to know where they are in space so you know where you are in space. This helps you move better, fall less, and decrease pain in some people because the foot is doing the work it should be!
Check out our blog on toe yoga for a beginners look at some of the things you can do!
What usually happens in a session?
During the evaluation, I will discuss your history, perform a movement screen, and identify the areas you’d like to become stronger in. Together we will create a clear path forward.
Please wear comfortable clothing you can move in and bring any footwear, mouthwear, or assistive devices you are currently using.
How do I book a session with Martha?
My favorite question!
- You can book some time with me here for a complimentary 20-minute “No Pain, All Gain” call. This is your chance to spill the beans on what’s been ailing you, and get all your aches and pains off your chest.
We’ll chat about what’s been working (or not!) and you can grill me on how I can get you back in the game.
We’ll book out a number of sessions to get you on the fast track to feeling better.
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Looking to log into your account? You can do so here through PTEverywhere’s website! Any documents that need to be completed are found under the documents tab. Looking for payment or superbill information? Click the Payment tab once your logged in.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
My question isn't here... What do I do?
Let’s set up some time on my schedule to chat! I offer a free 20 min call to talk with you about your health concerns, and to see if I would be a good fit for you. My thoughts are it can’t hurt to chat if you’re on the fence, because even if I’m not the right person for you, with my contacts I can absolutely point you in the right direction to someone who can help.