Frequently Asked Questions

A physical therapist evaluates how your body moves — strength, mobility, balance, and mechanics — then treats the cause of pain and dysfunction with hands-on techniques, targeted exercise, and movement retraining. At First Rehabilitation that starts with a comprehensive one-on-one evaluation, and treatment usually begins the same day.

Usually not to get started — Florida's direct access law lets you begin a physical therapy evaluation without a physician referral in most cases. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage, and Medicare requires a physician to certify your therapy plan of care, so call 561-624-4263 and our front desk will confirm what your plan needs.

Physical therapy at our clinic treats back and neck pain, sciatica, shoulder, hip, knee, foot, and ankle pain, arthritis, sports and overuse injuries, balance problems and fall risk, headaches driven by the neck, and recovery after surgery — including joint replacements and spine procedures. If you're not sure your condition fits, call 561-624-4263 and we'll give you an honest answer.

The biggest difference is the emphasis on active recovery: physical therapy combines hands-on treatment with progressive exercise and movement retraining designed to correct the underlying problem, then discharges you with the tools to stay well. Chiropractic care centers on spinal adjustment. Many patients have benefited from both — but if your goal is lasting strength and independence, that's exactly what physical therapy is built for.

It shouldn't — the purpose of physical therapy is to reduce pain, though some soreness is normal when stiff joints and weak muscles start working again. Your therapist stays within your tolerance, tells you what each technique should feel like, and adapts the plan immediately based on your feedback.

It depends on your condition, its severity, and your goals — a recent ankle sprain and a total knee replacement follow very different timelines. After your first evaluation your therapist will recommend a visit frequency and set honest milestones, then re-assess continually so you're never attending sessions you don't need.

In many cases, yes — evidence supports skilled conservative care as the first step for many orthopedic conditions, and a good number of our patients improve enough that surgery is postponed or never needed. It depends on your diagnosis, and we'll always tell you the truth: if therapy isn't moving you forward, we'll coordinate with your physician about next steps.

Wear comfortable clothes you can move in — shorts for knee, hip, or ankle conditions, a loose shirt for shoulder problems — plus supportive sneakers. For your first visit, bring a photo ID, your insurance card, and any referral, prescription, or imaging reports from your physician.

Yes — medically necessary physical therapy is covered by Medicare and most major insurance plans. We accept Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Humana, Tricare, the VA Community Care Network, workers' compensation, and self-pay; call 561-624-4263 and our front desk will verify your exact physical therapy benefits before your first visit.

That timeline belongs to your surgeon — every procedure has its own protocol, and some begin therapy within days while others protect the repair longer. We follow your surgeon's protocol exactly and coordinate with their office throughout, so bring your post-op paperwork and we'll start you right on schedule.

No — your program progresses as you do. Exercises are advanced, swapped, and progressively loaded as your strength and mobility improve, and hands-on treatment evolves with each phase of healing. We re-evaluate constantly, because repeating the same routine forever is the sign of a plan that has stalled.

One-on-one, hands-on care from a family-owned clinic that has served the Palm Beaches since 1991 — with a 4.9-star Google rating to show for it. And because occupational therapy, certified hand therapy, and a wellness gym share our roof, your physical therapy plan can flow seamlessly into whatever your recovery needs next, including staying strong after discharge.

Occupational therapy helps you regain the ability to do the activities that occupy your daily life — dressing, bathing, cooking, writing, working, caring for your family. An occupational therapist rebuilds those skills by treating strength, coordination, and technique together, and adapts tasks or tools when needed so independence comes back faster.

Physical therapy restores how your body moves — strength, range of motion, balance, and pain-free mechanics. Occupational therapy restores what you can do with that movement: the real-world daily activities like dressing, cooking, and working. Put simply, PT helps you walk to the kitchen; OT helps you cook the meal once you're there. Many patients benefit from both, and at First Rehabilitation the two teams work side by side.

Occupational therapy helps with stroke recovery, hand and upper-extremity injuries, arthritis that interferes with daily tasks, coordination and cognitive changes, and returning to work after injury — including ergonomic guidance so the problem doesn't come back. If daily life has gotten harder to manage, OT is often the missing piece; call 561-624-4263 to talk it through.

Anyone whose injury, surgery, illness, or age-related changes are getting between them and everyday activities — from a retiree who wants to button a shirt without pain to a worker recovering from an injury who needs to lift confidently again. If a task that matters to you has become difficult, OT can help.

No — that's the most common misconception about OT. The occupation in occupational therapy means anything that occupies your time: dressing, cooking, hobbies, caring for grandkids, and yes, your job too. OT treats your ability to live your daily life, whether or not you're employed.

Yes — occupational therapy is a cornerstone of stroke recovery. OT retrains the affected arm and hand, rebuilds daily living skills like dressing and grooming, addresses coordination and cognitive changes, and teaches adaptive techniques that restore independence while recovery continues.

Absolutely. OT teaches joint-protection techniques, builds strength and dexterity, and adapts the way you do painful tasks — from opening jars to gripping tools — so arthritis stops dictating your day. Small changes in technique and equipment often make a dramatic difference.

Yes — recommending and training you on adaptive equipment is a normal part of occupational therapy here, from dressing aids and built-up grips to strategies that make home tasks safer. We only recommend what genuinely helps, and we teach you to use it properly rather than just handing you a catalog.

Yes — medically necessary occupational therapy is covered by Medicare and most major plans we accept, including Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Humana, Tricare, the VA Community Care Network, and workers' compensation. Call 561-624-4263 and our front desk will verify your occupational therapy benefits before you start.

It depends on your plan and situation — some insurance plans require a physician referral for occupational therapy coverage, while others don't. The fastest way to know is to call 561-624-4263; our front desk will check your plan's requirements and coordinate any needed referral with your doctor.

It varies with your condition and goals — some patients feel the difference in daily tasks within a few weeks, while recovery from a stroke or major surgery unfolds over months. Your occupational therapist sets specific functional goals at evaluation, measures progress against them, and adjusts the plan so every visit is earning its keep.

As one team under one roof — our founder is an occupational therapist, and our OTs, physical therapists, and Certified Hand Therapist coordinate assessments and treatment plans whenever your recovery needs more than one discipline. You don't carry information between separate clinics; we walk down the hall and talk to each other.

Hand therapy is specialized rehabilitation of the hand, wrist, and arm — the body's most intricate machinery, where dozens of small structures must glide and work together. It blends precise exercise, hands-on treatment, and custom splinting to restore function after injury, surgery, or conditions like arthritis and carpal tunnel.

A Certified Hand Therapist has completed thousands of hours of specialized upper-extremity practice plus a rigorous national exam — one of the most demanding credentials in rehabilitation. It matters because hand recovery is unforgiving: moving too soon can compromise a surgical repair, and moving too late costs motion. That's why area hand surgeons refer post-operative patients specifically to CHTs; ours is Laura Drumm, CHT, who leads the program.

Our hand therapy program treats carpal tunnel syndrome, tendon injuries and repairs, fractures of the hand and wrist, trigger finger, arthritis of the hands and thumbs, nerve conditions, and post-surgical swelling. Whether the cause is injury, surgery, or wear over time, treatment is matched precisely to the tissue that's healing.

Yes — custom splints and orthoses are fabricated right in our clinic by our hand therapy program. Each is molded to your hand for your specific condition, adjusted as healing progresses, and built to your surgeon's protocol when you're recovering from surgery.

Your surgeon sets that timeline, and it varies widely by procedure — some repairs begin protected motion within days, while others need a period of immobilization first. We work from your surgeon's protocol and coordinate with their office directly, so ideally get us your surgery details before or right after your procedure, and we'll have your plan and any needed splint ready on schedule.

Often, yes — especially when symptoms are caught early. Conservative care can include custom night splinting, nerve and tendon gliding exercises, activity and ergonomic changes, and symptom management. If your case turns out to need a surgical consult, we'll say so honestly and coordinate with your physician.

Yes — hand therapy is one of the most effective conservative treatments for hand and thumb arthritis. Joint-protection techniques, targeted strengthening, custom supportive splints, and smart activity modification can reduce pain and keep you doing the things arthritis threatens to take, from opening jars to gardening and golf.

We treat the full upper extremity — hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow. The arm works as one connected chain, and conditions like tennis elbow, wrist fractures, and nerve entrapments all fall within our certified hand therapy program's scope.

It depends on the condition and, after surgery, on the structure that's healing — tendon and nerve repairs follow strict tissue-healing timelines that can span weeks to months, while many non-surgical conditions improve faster. Your therapist will map the expected phases at your evaluation, pace treatment to the tissue rather than the calendar, and track your progress honestly.

Yes — hand therapy is covered like other medically necessary therapy services under Medicare and most major plans we accept, including Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Humana, Tricare, the VA Community Care Network, and workers' compensation. Call 561-624-4263 and our front desk will verify your specific benefits, including any coverage rules for custom splints.

It depends on your insurance plan, and post-surgical patients typically arrive with a referral and protocol from their surgeon. If you're coming on your own for something like carpal tunnel or arthritis, call 561-624-4263 — our front desk will check whether your plan requires a referral and help arrange one if needed.

Because the hand's margin for error is small: dozens of tendons, joints, and nerves work in tight quarters, and generic rehab can cost you motion or stress a repair. A Certified Hand Therapist is trained specifically in these structures and their healing timelines — it's why hand surgeons refer their patients to CHTs. At First Rehabilitation, that expertise comes from Laura Drumm, CHT, with custom in-clinic splinting and a full therapy team behind it.

Our wellness and gym program is an on-site fitness program inside our North Palm Beach clinic, built to keep you strong after formal therapy ends. It includes personal training, post-rehab exercise, group classes, senior functional fitness, and sports performance work — all guided by a team that knows your rehabilitation history.

The program is designed first as a continuation for our therapy patients, so the team guiding your training already knows your history. If you haven't been a patient with us and you're interested in joining, call 561-624-4263 — our front desk will walk you through the options.

Personal training, post-rehab exercise programs, group classes, senior functional fitness, and sports performance training — all inside our clinic's on-site gym. Your program is built around your goals and, if you've done therapy with us, your rehab history.

Yes — training is guided by the First Rehabilitation team in our on-site gym, not left to guesswork. That guidance is the whole point: form, progression, and safety are watched by people who understand how bodies recover and what yours has been through.

Every age and stage — from athletes working on performance to seniors focused on functional fitness and fall prevention. It's especially valuable if you've finished therapy and want to protect the progress you made.

The difference is who's watching: your training is guided by a rehabilitation team that knows your injury history, your surgical repairs, and your limits — a regular gym doesn't. You get the equipment and the coaching, plus therapists down the hall if a question comes up.

Call 561-624-4263 and our front desk will explain the current options and pricing and help you get started. We keep it simple — a conversation about your goals, then a program built for you.

Yes — that's exactly what our wellness and gym program is for. When you're discharged from therapy, you can continue training on-site with guidance from the same team that guided your rehab, so the strength you rebuilt doesn't fade when the visits end.

We offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, certified hand therapy, and an exclusive on-site wellness and gym program — a complete continuum of care under one roof. Family-owned since 1991, we treat everything from back pain and post-surgical recovery to hand injuries, work injuries, and auto accident rehabilitation, then help you stay strong after discharge through our wellness program.

Call us at 561-624-4263, or request an appointment through the contact page or the chat assistant on this site — our front desk will follow up promptly to verify your insurance and find a time that works. We're open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and Saturday, 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM, at 733 US Highway 1, Suite 2A in North Palm Beach. Free consultations are available — call to schedule one.

Your first visit is a comprehensive movement-based evaluation: an honest conversation about your history and goals, a hands-on assessment of strength, mobility, and movement patterns, and a proposed plan of care. Whenever appropriate, treatment begins that very first day — and you'll leave knowing what's going on, what the plan is, and what you can start doing at home.

Bring a photo ID, your insurance card, and any paperwork from your physician — a referral or prescription, imaging reports, or post-surgical protocols. If your visit relates to a work or auto injury, bring your claim information too. Our front desk verifies coverage before you arrive, so billing questions never ambush you.

Comfortable clothing you can move in, plus supportive shoes like sneakers. For lower-body conditions, shorts or loose pants are ideal; for shoulder, arm, or hand conditions, wear a shirt that gives easy access to the area being treated.

Plan on your initial evaluation running longer than a typical follow-up visit, since it includes your history, assessment, and plan of care. Exact visit length depends on your condition and treatment plan — when you schedule, our front desk will tell you how much time to set aside.

It genuinely varies — recovery depends on your condition, how long you've had it, your goals, and how your body responds. After your evaluation, your therapist will propose a plan with an expected visit frequency and honest milestones, then adjust it based on your actual progress rather than a cookie-cutter schedule.

We're a small, family-owned team, and we prioritize continuity — building your recovery on a relationship with a therapist who knows your history is part of how we work. When more than one of our clinicians is involved in your care, it's a coordinated team approach, never an anonymous hand-off.

Many patients notice meaningful change within the first few weeks, but the honest answer is that it varies with your condition, how long you've had it, and consistency with your home program. Your therapist will set realistic milestones at your evaluation and track your progress objectively, so you always know whether the plan is working.

It's a short, targeted set of exercises your therapist designs for you to do between visits — and yes, it genuinely matters, because the work you do at home reinforces and accelerates everything we do in the clinic. We keep it realistic for your schedule and update it as you progress.

We accept most major plans: Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Humana, Tricare, the VA Community Care Network (VACCN), workers' compensation, and self-pay. Coverage details differ plan to plan, so call 561-624-4263 and our front desk will verify your specific benefits before your first visit.

Yes — we accept both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, and we've cared for Medicare patients since 1991. Medicare covers medically necessary outpatient physical and occupational therapy; our team handles the required physician plan-of-care paperwork with your doctor, and the front desk will explain your benefits before you start.

Yes, we welcome self-pay patients. Rates depend on the type of care you need, so call 561-624-4263 for current self-pay pricing — our front desk will walk you through the cost up front so there are no surprises.

Yes, always. Before your first appointment our front desk verifies your coverage and explains what your plan pays for, whether you have a copay or deductible, and whether your plan needs a referral — so you know exactly where you stand before treatment begins.

A copay is a fixed amount your insurance plan asks you to pay at each visit — the amount is set by your plan, not by the clinic, and some plans have none for therapy. Whether you'll have one depends entirely on your specific coverage, which is exactly what our front desk checks when they verify your benefits — call 561-624-4263 and we'll tell you before your first visit.

Yes — we've handled workers' compensation rehabilitation for decades. Treatment is built around the physical demands of your actual job, and we provide the objective progress documentation your case requires while coordinating with your physician, adjuster, and case manager for a safe return to work.

Yes. Even a minor collision can leave lasting pain, and symptoms often surface days later, so early evaluation matters. We provide comprehensive rehabilitation from whiplash to complex multi-area injuries, document your recovery objectively, and communicate with your physician and representatives as your claim requires.

We're at 733 US Highway 1, Suite 2A, North Palm Beach, FL 33408 — convenient to North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Juno Beach, Jupiter, and West Palm Beach. Call 561-624-4263 before your first visit and our front desk will point you right to the door, including where to park.

We're open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM; we're closed on Sunday. You can reach the front desk at 561-624-4263 during those hours, or send a request through this site anytime.

Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM, plus Saturday mornings from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM. If those hours are tight for your schedule, call 561-624-4263 — our front desk will work with you to find the most workable time.

If you can't make a visit, call us at 561-624-4263 as early as you can and we'll reschedule you — consistent attendance is one of the biggest drivers of a good outcome, so we'll always help you find another time. Our front desk will go over scheduling and cancellation details when you book your first appointment.

Click the Portal link in the menu at the top of this site — it takes you to our patient portal, powered by SPRY. If you have any trouble logging in, call the front desk at 561-624-4263 and we'll get you set up.

Just call us at 561-624-4263 — the front desk will get your question to your therapist, so you're never stuck guessing between visits. Bring the question to your next appointment too, and your therapist will review your form in person.

We've been serving the Palm Beaches since 1991 — more than three decades of family-owned, independent care under the same name and philosophy. Founder Dave Kashuba, Ph.D., an occupational therapist, has personally guided the care of more than 80,000 patients over his career.

First Rehabilitation is family-owned and operated, founded in 1991 by Dave Kashuba, Ph.D., a practicing occupational therapist. He leads a close-knit team of physical and occupational therapists — including Laura Drumm, CHT, our Certified Hand Therapist — whom you can meet on our About page.

We're family-owned and operated since 1991, with one-on-one, hands-on care, a 4.9-star Google rating, and a rare combination under one roof: physical therapy, occupational therapy, certified hand therapy, and a wellness gym to keep you strong after discharge. Our motto says it best — our people make the difference.

Pain 2 Power is our podcast, hosted by founder Dr. Dave Kashuba with co-host Mike McGann, covering the world of physical rehab and wellness with some of the sharpest minds in medicine. New episodes air Saturdays at 8:30 AM on 100.3 Legends Radio — you can listen live at legendsradio.com — and every episode streams on Spotify or right on our Podcast page.

From our North Palm Beach clinic we serve the greater Palm Beaches: North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Juno Beach, and West Palm Beach. We're centrally located at 733 US Highway 1, Suite 2A, right on US Highway 1.

Yes — we're welcoming new patients now. Call 561-624-4263 or request an appointment through this site, and our front desk will verify your insurance and get you scheduled promptly.