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COVID-19 and Advanced Sports Therapy's Response

Updated: November 22, 2020

DisclaimerDue to the rapidly changing situation, the information below may not be complete, accurate, and/or may have changed without notice.  Please see List of Resources below for more information.

What has our practice done to make your appointments as safe as possible?

  1. Cleaning and disinfecting regularly. We have intensified our cleaning and disinfecting procedures of frequently touched surfaces, exercise machines and equipment.
  2. Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  Our staff and patients are required to wear PPE throughout your treatment.
  3. Altering our scheduling and physical spacing within the clinic.  We are actively maintaining appropriate clinic volume regarding staff and patient schedules, while also moving office furniture and exercise equipment to allow for easier social distancing.
  4. Following Social Distancing practices.  We are conscious of patient spacing within our clinic whether they are exercising on a treatment table, riding a stationary bicycle or performing exercises in the "gym" area.
  5. Requiring our patients and staff use hand sanitizer and/or wash their hands:
    • Before each treatment,
    • After handling paperwork and/or touching any surfaces and/or therapy equipment, and
    • Upon leaving our facility.
  6. Placing signage throughout clinic.  We have placed educational signage in high-traffice areas to enhance patient awareness to infection control, social distancing and hand washing.
  7. Educating our staff about COVID-19. We regularly share with our staff information from trusted sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
  8. Installing plexiglass shields at reception desk.  We have installed "germ shields" at our reception desk and other areas where social distancing is physically unreasonable.
  9. Enhancing staff and patient screening methods.  We are now using handheld, digital forehead thermometers to take staff and patient temperatures on a daily and per session basis. 
  10. Improving payment and credit card processing.  Utilizing a new credit card vendor to allow for touchless in-clinic and easy online payment methods.
  11. Joining with DocuSign.  We have created an associate agreement with DocuSign to provide patients with an efficient online registration process while minimizing touch-points.
  12. Providing Telehealth Physical Therapy appointments.  BetterPT, our online patient registration partner, provides an easy-to-use, patient-friendly platform for AST physical therapists to interact with their patients via videoconferencing.

If I have shortness of breath, a cough, or a recent fever, should I come in for my regularly scheduled therapy session?

No, stay home if you are experiencing a cough, fever or shortness of breath. Please notify your primary care physician as soon as possible.  Any cancellation fee will be waived if you are unable to contact us within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment with us.

If you have had a fever, please wait 48-hours from the time your fever ended to attend a therapy treatment session at our office.

What should I do if I think I am sick?

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

Fever over 100.4 degrees Muscle or body aches
New loss of taste or smell New onset of headaches
Persistent cough or sore throat Nausea or vomiting
Congestion or runny nose Diarrhea
Shortenss of breath Fatigue
  • Stay home
  • Avoid public areas and public transportation
  • Practice social distancing
  • Limit contact with pets & animals
  • Call ahead before visiting your doctor
  • Wear a facemask
  • Cover your coughs & sneezes
  • Clean your hands often
  • Avoid sharing personal household items
  • Clean all high-touch surfaces
  • Monitor your symptoms

What can I do to protect myself and my family?

  1. Cover your coughs and sneezes - Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
  2. Clean your hands often - Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
  3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  4. Avoid sharing personal household items - You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home. After using these items, they should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.
  5. Clean all “high-touch” surfaces everyday - High touch surfaces include counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Travel Order (effective 8/1/2020)

Per Commonwealth of MA website, www.mass.gov/covid, all visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, who do not meet an exemption, are required to:

  • Complete the MA Travel Form prior to arrival, unless you are visiting from a lower-risk state (currently only Vermont and Hawaii are considered lower-risk).
  • Quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.
  • Exemptions include:  travel from a lower-risk state (Vermont and Hawaii), transitory travel, persons commuting for work/school, patients seeking/receiving specialized medical treatment, military personnel, or workers providing critical infrastructure services.

If your COVID-19 test result has not been received prior to arrival, visitors, and residents must quarantine until they receive a negative test result.

All AST staff and patients are expected to follow the Commonwealth of MA's Travel Order.  If you are unable to satisfy the requirements of the Travel Order, please contact our office and we can transition your physical therapy session(s) to telehealth visits until the Travel Order requirements are completed.

List of Resources

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