FAQ
Do I need a referral?
No. Iowa is a direct access state, which means you can see a physical therapist without first getting a referral from a physician. If pain or an injury is keeping you from running, lifting, golfing, playing sports or simply staying active, you can schedule directly with Stewart Sport & Spine and start getting answers without waiting for another appointment.
Do you take insurance?
Yes. Stewart Sport & Spine is in-network with Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa. We also offer cash-pay and out-of-network insurance options for patients with other insurance plans for those who prefer to pay directly for their care. Insurance benefits and coverage can vary by plan, so if you’re unsure about your benefits, contact our office, and we’ll help you understand your options before getting started.
What if I've already tried physical therapy?
You’re not alone. Many patients come to us after already trying physical therapy, chiropractic care, injections, medications, or other treatments without getting the results they hoped for.
Rather than simply repeating what you’ve already tried, we start by understanding your history, what treatments you’ve received, how you responded, and what may have been overlooked. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes, a more detailed orthopedic evaluation, and a different approach can provide clarity when previous treatment hasn’t.
Our goal isn’t to give you “more PT.” It’s to better understand why you’re still having the problem and determine the most appropriate next step.
What makes your approach different?
We believe great physical therapy starts with understanding the problem—not simply treating where it hurts.
Every patient receives individualized, one-on-one care with a physical therapist. We take the time to listen to your story, perform a detailed orthopedic evaluation, and explain what we find in language that makes sense.
You’ll understand what we believe is contributing to your symptoms, why we’re recommending a particular approach, and what you can do to help yourself.
And we’re not interested in keeping you in physical therapy longer than necessary. If we believe we can help, we’ll explain how. If we don’t think physical therapy is the right solution, we’ll be honest about that too.
Honest Answers. Clear Direction. Confident Decisions.
How often will I need to come to physical therapy?
There is no one-size-fits-all schedule.
How often we recommend seeing you depends on your injury, how long you’ve been dealing with it, your goals, how you’re responding to treatment, and what you can successfully work on between visits.
Because our sessions are individualized and one-on-one, our goal is to make every appointment purposeful. We’ll recommend a plan based on what we believe you need—not an arbitrary number of visits or a standard schedule everyone receives.
What happens at my first visit?
Your first visit starts with a conversation. We want to understand what’s bothering you, how it started, what activities you’re having difficulty with, what you’ve already tried and—most importantly—what you want to get back to doing.
From there, your physical therapist will perform a detailed orthopedic evaluation based on your specific problem. We’ll look beyond just where you hurt to understand how your movement, strength, mobility and surrounding areas may be contributing to your symptoms.
Before you leave, we’ll explain what we found, answer your questions and give you a clear recommendation for what should happen next.
The goal is for you to leave your first visit with a better understanding of your problem and confidence in your next step.
Do I have to stop exercising or playing sports while I'm in physical therapy?
Not necessarily—and in many cases, we don’t want you to.
If running, lifting, golf, pickleball, recreational sports or another activity is important to you, our goal is to find ways to keep you as active as safely possible while addressing the problem.
That may mean temporarily modifying certain movements, adjusting training volume or changing how you’re performing an activity rather than stopping altogether. As you improve, we’ll progressively build your capacity so you can return to the activities you enjoy with greater confidence.
Physical therapy shouldn’t just be about getting you out of pain. It should prepare you to get back to doing what you love.
What if you don't think physical therapy is right for me?
We’ll tell you.
Part of providing good care is recognizing when physical therapy isn’t the appropriate next step. If your evaluation suggests that you may benefit from imaging, further medical evaluation, or another healthcare specialist, we’ll explain why and help point you in the appropriate direction.
We don’t believe every person who walks through our door needs to become a physical therapy patient.
Sometimes the most valuable thing we can provide is an honest answer about what you should do next.
How long are appointments?
Most appointments are approximately 40–60 minutes and are designed around individualized, one-on-one care.
Rather than bouncing between multiple patients or spending most of your appointment working independently, your time is focused on evaluating your progress, addressing what needs attention, and determining what you should work on between visits.
Our goal isn’t to fill an hour. It’s to make your time with us valuable and purposeful.
How do I get started?
Getting started is simple. You don’t need to wait for a physician referral or wonder whether physical therapy is the right next step.
Schedule an evaluation with Stewart Sport & Spine and tell us what’s keeping you from doing what you love. We’ll listen to your story, evaluate the problem, and help you understand your options.
If we believe we can help, we’ll explain what we’d recommend. If we don’t think we’re the right fit, we’ll tell you that too.
Start with answers. Then decide what comes next.