Services
Telehealth
Some of physical therapy needs hands. A lot of it does not: teaching you the exercise, watching you do it, progressing it, and talking through what is and is not working. That part works over video — and for follow-up visits, for people who cannot travel, and for programs built around home exercise, the research says it works about as well as coming in.
Why SportsCare
Why patients use SportsCare telehealth
Your own therapist, on screen
Telehealth visits are with SportsCare physical therapists — often the same one who sees you in the clinic — not a call center.
Secure and simple
Visits run on Zoom's HIPAA-compliant healthcare platform. A computer, tablet or phone with a camera is all you need, and we help with the setup.
Honest about the limits
If you need hands-on treatment, an in-person examination, or something we cannot assess safely on video, we say so and book you into a clinic.
What telehealth works well for
Follow-up visits where the work is progressing your exercise program. Post-surgical rehabilitation once the early hands-on phase is done — a randomized trial after knee replacement found in-home telerehabilitation was not inferior to in-person visits. Back and neck pain programs built around movement and exercise. Check-ins between in-person visits, so a plan stays on track without a drive. Patients who cannot travel — after surgery, without transport, caring for someone at home, or living far from a clinic.
What it is not the right tool for
A first visit for a new injury, where a hands-on examination matters. Acute injuries with any of the warning signs on our Conditions pages. Treatment that is mainly manual — dry needling, joint mobilization, hand therapy splinting. Balance problems severe enough that exercising alone at home is unsafe. In each case we would rather see you in person, and we will tell you so when you book.
How it works
Request a visit
Book online through our scheduling portal or call any clinic and ask for telehealth. No prescription is needed to start.
Get your link
You receive an email or call confirming the time, with the meeting ID and link.
Set up the space
A quiet, well-lit room; reliable internet; clothes you can move in; enough floor space to lie down; the device propped where the camera can see your whole body.
The visit
Your therapist takes you through your program, watches how you move, corrects and progresses it, and answers questions — the same conversation as in the clinic, without the drive.
Insurance and access
Most insurance plans cover telehealth physical therapy; the clinic verifies your coverage before the first visit as it would for any appointment. Telehealth is available to new and existing patients in New Jersey, New York and Florida — your therapist must be licensed in the state you are in during the visit. Dedicated telehealth options are available for older adults and for pediatric patients with a parent present.
FAQ
Common questions
- Is telehealth physical therapy as effective as in-person?
- For exercise-based care and follow-up it can be. A randomized noninferiority trial after total knee replacement found in-home telerehabilitation produced outcomes equivalent to face-to-face rehabilitation. For hands-on treatment and initial examinations, in-person is better, and we will say so.
- What do I need for a telehealth visit?
- A computer, tablet or smartphone with a camera and microphone, a reliable internet connection, and a quiet space with room to move. Download the Zoom app beforehand on a phone or tablet. Our team can help you test the setup before your first visit.
- Do I need a prescription?
- No. New Jersey, New York and Florida allow direct access to physical therapy, including by telehealth. Some insurance plans require a referral for coverage; the clinic checks this when verifying your benefits.
- Can my child have telehealth therapy?
- Yes, with a parent or guardian present for the visit. Pediatric telehealth works well for home-program coaching and parent education.
Sources
The clinical claims on this page are drawn from the following. Where the evidence is limited, we say so above rather than round it up.
- 1.In-Home Telerehabilitation Compared with Face-to-Face Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Noninferiority Randomized Controlled Trial — Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 2015
- 2.Zoom for Healthcare — Zoom Video Communications
Talk to a therapist about telehealth
Availability varies by clinic. Call the location nearest you and the front desk will tell you whether it is offered there and whether it suits your condition — or reach our East Hanover office at (973) 887-0115.
64 clinics across New Jersey, New York and Florida.