Community Physical Therapy is a therapist-owned practice, which means clinical decisions are made by the people actually treating you, not by administrators focused on patient volume. One of our most important commitments is that you see the same highly experienced therapist at every single visit. In many larger clinics, patients are passed between staff members, which slows progress and forces you to re-explain your history repeatedly. Here, your therapist builds a deep understanding of your condition over time, allowing for precise adjustments to your treatment plan and a faster path to recovery. We also integrate Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy under one roof, so your care addresses both physical strength and your ability to function in daily life.

We treat a wide range of conditions across ten service areas. These include chronic and acute pain such as back pain, arthritis, sports injuries, and TMJ; balance and vestibular problems like vertigo and BPPV; mobility challenges after stroke or joint replacement; work-related injuries; auto accident injuries including whiplash and traumatic brain injury; and pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation. We also offer dry needling for conditions like tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, and carpal tunnel, as well as specialized care for connective tissue disorders and sports performance. If you are unsure whether your condition fits one of these areas, reaching out to our team is the best first step.

In many cases, you may be able to begin physical therapy without a physician referral, depending on your insurance plan and the nature of your condition. Massachusetts does allow direct access to physical therapy, which means patients can often be evaluated and treated without waiting for a referral. That said, some insurance plans do require a referral before they will cover your visits. We recommend contacting our office before your first visit so we can help clarify your plan's requirements and make sure there are no surprises when it comes to coverage.

Physical Therapy focuses on restoring strength, mobility, range of motion, and reducing pain at the physical and biomechanical level. Occupational Therapy focuses on helping you return to the activities of daily life, such as dressing, cooking, driving, or returning to work. At Community Physical Therapy, our PT and OT team works together to treat the whole person. For example, after a stroke or joint replacement, your PT may work on walking and strength while your OT helps you regain the ability to perform tasks at home or at work. Not every patient requires both, but having both disciplines available under one roof means your care is fully coordinated from the start.

Dry needling is a technique where a thin filament needle is inserted into a trigger point, which is a tight, irritable knot within a muscle. The goal is to release that tension, reduce pain, and improve muscle function. It is commonly used at our clinic for conditions like TMJ, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, carpal tunnel, and neck and back pain. Most patients describe the sensation as a brief muscle twitch or mild ache, rather than sharp pain. Any discomfort typically passes quickly. Your therapist will explain the process fully before beginning and will check in with you throughout the session to make sure you are comfortable.

A Functional Capacity Evaluation, or FCE, is a structured assessment that measures a person's ability to perform physical job demands safely and reliably. It is commonly requested for workers' compensation cases, return-to-work decisions, or pre-employment screenings under ADA guidelines. At Community Physical Therapy, we offer two formats: a Modified FCE lasting one to two hours and a Full FCE lasting two to three hours. Both include musculoskeletal evaluation, aerobic testing, and strength assessments such as Jamar grip and lift testing. Employers, insurance carriers, and legal teams often rely on FCE results to make objective decisions about a worker's physical capabilities and safe job placement.

Prehabilitation, often called prehab, is a course of physical therapy completed before a scheduled surgery. The goal is to strengthen the muscles around the area being operated on, improve your overall conditioning, and teach you what to expect during recovery, including how to use a walker or crutches safely. Research consistently shows that patients who complete prehab tend to recover faster, experience less pain post-operatively, and regain function more quickly than those who go into surgery without preparation. At Community Physical Therapy in Hanover, MA, we work with patients preparing for joint replacements, fracture repairs, and elective surgeries of all kinds.

Your first visit is an evaluation appointment. Your therapist will take time to understand your medical history, your current symptoms, and your personal goals, whether that means returning to work, getting back on the sports field, or simply being able to move through daily life without pain. You will go through a physical assessment that may include range of motion testing, strength evaluation, and movement analysis. From there, your therapist will explain their clinical findings in plain language and outline a treatment plan built around your specific needs. You will leave with a clear picture of what your care will look like and what outcomes you can reasonably work toward.