Elbow, wrist and hand pain treatment in Flagstaff.

Usually not, and it’s rarely the first step. Most elbow, wrist and hand pain gets better without imaging. Plenty of people with no pain at all have wear and tear on their scans, so a picture doesn’t always name the cause. We start with a hands-on evaluation to find what’s actually driving your symptoms, and if imaging turns out to be necessary, we’ll help you get there. One more thing worth knowing: in Arizona you don’t need a physician referral to start physical therapy. Medicare, Medicaid, and a few other plans do require one, and we’ll tell you straight if yours is one of them.

In most cases yes, and loading it well usually helps more than resting it. Hurt doesn’t always mean harm. A brace and total rest tend to leave a tendon weaker than it was, which sets up the next flare-up. The trick is dosing the right load for your arm specifically. That’s what a licensed physical therapist sorts out at your evaluation, then progresses as you get stronger.

You’ll get an honest answer at your evaluation, once someone has actually examined your arm. What we won’t do is leave it open-ended. Your plan runs through four phases, Pain, Prime, Perform, and Prevent, and each one has a job and a way to know you’ve earned the next. You’ll always know which phase you’re in and what’s left. That’s a plan with an endpoint, not an open tab of appointments.