FAQ — twelve straight answers
Asked constantly, answered in writing
Everything athletes ask before booking, answered the way we'd answer on the phone — including the questions where the honest answer is 'it depends, and here's on what'.
Do I need a referral to start?
No — Oregon has direct access, so you can book an evaluation without a physician referral. The exception is post-surgical rehab: there we work from your surgeon's protocol and their clearance governs every phase change.
Do you take my insurance?
We're cash-based and out-of-network with all insurers. You pay us directly and we give you a superbill after each visit to submit for out-of-network reimbursement — many PPO plans reimburse a meaningful share. Priya can walk you through checking your out-of-network benefits before your first visit.
Why cash-based? Isn't that more expensive?
Sometimes, and sometimes not: you get 60 one-on-one minutes with the same doctor of physical therapy every visit, so plans typically need fewer total visits than a 3-visits-a-week clinic where much of the hour is aides and hot packs. The honest answer is that it depends on your benefits — we publish every price so you can do the math.
What should I wear or bring?
Clothes you can move in, the shoes you play or run in, and any imaging or operative reports you have. Runners: bring your watch data or training log — it's usually more useful than the MRI.
How many visits will I need?
It depends on the tissue and the goal, and we'll tell you our best estimate at the evaluation. Rough shapes: tendinopathy 6–10 visits over 2–3 months; bone stress injuries 6–12 visits over 2–4 months; post-op ACL 20+ visits over 9–12 months, spaced further apart as you progress.
Is the readiness quiz a return-to-sport clearance?
No — and nothing online is. The quiz is educational: it maps where you probably sit in a return-to-sport arc and what a real assessment would measure. Clearance comes from testing (strength symmetry, hop battery, readiness scoring) and, post-op, from your surgeon.
Can you work with my surgeon?
Yes — that's the default, not an add-on. We follow the operative protocol, send progress reports at each phase, and never advance a post-op athlete past a protocol gate without the surgical team's sign-off.
I'm not injured. Can I still come in?
Yes. Gait analysis and the return-to-sport test battery are open to healthy athletes who want a baseline, and Return to Strength blocks suit athletes with a nagging asymmetry that hasn't become an injury yet.
What does a typical week at Pivot look like?
Most athletes are in once or twice a week early on, then every other week as the program shifts toward the clinic gym and their own training. You always have written work between visits — the plan is what you do the other six days.
Do you treat non-athletes?
We treat people who want to get back to a physical life — that includes hikers, weekend skiers, and parents who lift kids all day. What we're not is a general outpatient mill: if your goal isn't movement- or sport-shaped, we'll happily point you to clinics better set up for it.
What if I'm not making progress?
The retests catch it early — that's what they're for. First we change the program (load, frequency, sleep, fueling). If the curve still won't move, we say so and refer: imaging, a physician visit, or a different specialty. Paying for months of drift is the thing we built this clinic against.
Do you offer telehealth?
For program check-ins, training-log reviews, and some running consults, yes. Evaluations, manual work, and testing days are in person — you can't measure a hop over video.
Question answered?
Then the next step takes two minutes — the readiness quiz if you're curious, the booking form if you're ready.