Why Less PT Is Better
One PT visit that changes your mindset is worth more than five where you’re given exercises and passive treatment.
I believe most providers genuinely want to help their patients — but the system they work in often prevents them from delivering care that truly helps. I’ve heard it so many times:
“I only saw the doctor for five minutes, and they just told me to go to therapy.” Or something similar.
What’s the point of going if no one takes the time to explain what’s wrong or what to do about it?
Then in therapy, you’re handed a list of exercises… but there’s often no real conversation about how to adjust your training. No guidance on how to keep running or maintain fitness without making things worse.
That’s what runners need most: a way to keep moving forward while they recover. Too often, it’s completely missing.
The Problem With More PT Visits
In most physical therapy models, more visits are seen as better. The assumptions go something like this:
More therapy = faster healing
You come in at least once per week
You require supervision, constant exercise tweaks, and hands-on care to make progress
But in reality, more visits often just mean more of the same.
Here’s what that usually looks like:
Passive treatments that feel good in the moment, but leave you dependent on the therapist
A list of exercises, but no real plan for how to train, stay fit, or keep running safely
Doing the same things in therapy you did last week
Minimal strategy around your return to running or long-term management
Of course, some patients do benefit from regular supervision — like those who are anxious, high performers, recovering from surgery, or people just learning how to exercise for the first time. But for most runners, more visits just take up more of your time.
Why Less Makes More Sense
Runners are doers
They’re motivated, they follow plans very well, and they crave context. Most don’t want hand holding, they want to know what’s wrong and how to get better.
Recovery takes time and visits need space between them to work
When your plan revolves around progressive load (which it should), you need time between visits to let things unfold. Weekly check-ins often interrupt the process rather than help it.
It respects your time and reinforces your independence
No one I know wants to be injured and spending their valuable free time in a therapy clinic.
What That Looks Like in Practice
In my practice, most runners check in every 2 to 4 weeks, unless they clearly need or want more structured help. We meet when something is ready to change. Each visit is built around a few core goals:
Clarifying your pain and injury — what it is, what it isn’t, and how to work with it
Zooming out from exercises to the bigger-picture framework of your rehab
Designing a running progression that fits your injury, your training, and your goals
Building your confidence in a plan you can actually follow
In between visits, you’re moving forward with momentum, and you have support when you need it.
Is This Model Right for Everyone? No.
Some people do need more frequent support — especially after surgery, with complex pain, or if they’re new to exercise. And that’s completely valid. But many runners I work with aren’t looking for weekly appointments or constant supervision — they’re looking for clarity, a roadmap, and the freedom to move forward on their own. If that sounds like you, this model probably fits.
