FAQs
General
What diagnoses do you work with?
Dr. Cari Sgroi has been a physical therapist since 2012 and has worked with a variety of diagnoses and can treat most orthopedic injuries or surgeries. She was trained and certified to use the Specific Functional Movement Scale (SFMA) and is a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist. Cari has also received extended training in vestibular therapy. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have concerning your specific needs.
How do I book an appointment?
You can book through this link, at the bottom of this page, or please call (704) 247–1676 to speak directly with our physical therapist to discuss your specific needs.
Do you take my insurance?
To provide the highest quality of care and one-on-one attention, we are not in-network with insurance companies. Patients are responsible for payment of services provided at the time of treatment. We will happily provide you with a superbill that includes all needed coding and information to submit to your insurance provider—if you wish. Your insurance provider will send you reimbursement based on your out-of-network benefits or apply the payment towards your deductible.
Why cash-based?
Cash-based physical therapy is an alternative business model to the traditional insurance-based physical therapy business model. Without the changing restrictions and productivity demands of insurance-based care, we focus on QUALITY over QUANTITY patient care.
In the cash-based practice model, physical therapists can avoid restrictions placed on services by third-party payers that interfere with the quality of our services. Patients will know their cost of treatment upfront and avoid any surprise bills. Additionally, there is no disruption in treatment due to a delay in authorization or documentation from your doctor.
In many cases, cash-based physical therapy costs less than traditional therapy offered at an in-network clinic! Coding for physical therapy services provided (CPT codes) is typically determined using a complex matrix of "timed codes" and "untimed codes." Which often results in confusing patient bills, as the amount billed to insurance will vary from visit to visit. For this reason, in-network clinics typically bill insurance $200-$300 for the initial evaluation alone. Unfortunately, if you have not met your deductible you will be responsible for the entire bill.
Multiple Sclerosis Specific FAQ
I have MS, do I need a physical therapist?
YES! Everyone would benefit from an evaluation and regular check-ins with physical therapy after initial diagnosis. Commonly, people have some deficits in vision and their vestibular system at initial diagnosis and could benefit from exercises to improve gaze stabilization and balance before they notice impairments in their gait or balance. With Multiple Sclerosis, specific muscle groups seem to be affected first. A trained specialist could set up a targeted stretching and strengthening program to avoid unnecessary weakness or compensatory strategies before they begin.
What should I look for in a physical therapist?
Someone with an MS specialist certification (MSCS) or someone who specializes in neurological conditions.
What can I expect from my initial assessment?
Thorough history and review of your medications and all symptoms related to MS.
Examination: the physical therapist will take measurements of your strength, range of motion, flexibility and check for any muscle spasticity. The physical therapist should also perform an oculomotor examination to screen for any visual or vestibular deficits.
Specific testing: depending on what you are coming in for, the physical therapist will administer outcome measures that relate most to your goals to determine a starting point for treatment and to allow the doctor to track your progress along the way. These tests may include the Berg Balance Test, Dynamic Gait Index, 25-foot walk test, Timed Up-and-Go test, or a sit-to-stand test.
Initiate a treatment plan and provide you with a home program to get you started. The physical therapist will discuss your goals, the plan for treatment, and visit frequency. I recommend patients come in for a month—once or twice a week—to establish a solid foundation and then monthly/bi-monthly check-ins to make sure you are maintaining progress and adjust your home program as needed.
Looking for more information? Check out this page
Dizziness Specific FAQ
Do I need someone to drive me to and from my appointments?
It is always a good idea to have someone else drive you to your appointment if you are experiencing dizziness. Most patients whose symptoms are provoked by specific movements and do not usually have difficulty driving, feel comfortable driving themselves home after treatment. We also offer concierge services—our Physical Therapist would come to your home, office or gym to perform treatment.
Will I be dizzy during my evaluation?
In many cases, we can eliminate dizziness within one to two visits. To effectively treat dizziness, it is necessary to provoke symptoms during your initial visit. The symptoms at this initial visit should be no worse than the general dizziness you are experiencing. It is normal to feel tired or lightheaded after your treatment.