Have you ever heard of physical therapy? If you’re in need of it, there are tons of ways your body may be trying to tell you!
Physical therapy isn’t just for rehabilitation or athletes in training. There are many reasons why a person might need the assistance of a physical therapist.
There are five basic indicators that you need to visit a physical therapist. We outline them in this blog, but you can give us a call at Hands-On Physical Therapy to schedule an appointment as well!
1. You might need PT if you can’t do your normal activities without pain.
You may not be suffering from any specific ailment or pain, but you’ve realized it’s becoming more difficult to accomplish the things you enjoy.
Physical therapy can help you get back to the activities you enjoy, whether it’s due to a chronic ailment like arthritis or general wear and tear on your joints and muscles.
2. You might need PT if you have been sustaining more injuries than usual
Working with a physical therapist would certainly be beneficial if you’re pulling muscles or falling more regularly than you should be! And let’s be real, you really shouldn’t be falling on a regular basis.
Exercises to improve your balance and overall stability can be taught by a skilled physical therapist.
To avoid pulling a muscle or tendon, you may need to learn new strategies to warm up and cool down after your favorite activities.
3. You might need PT if you have sustained an injury from repetitive use
You could be one of the millions of people who spend hours upon hours in the same position, doing the same job.
Even if you’re standing and moving around, repetitive injuries can occur if you lift or pull something in the same way every time. Carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow are both caused by repetitive movements.
A physical therapist can teach simple exercises to treat the problem. A therapist can also educate you how to perform repetitive tasks in a way that avoids future injuries.
4. You might need PT if you’ve just undergone a surgical procedure
Even modest surgery causes your body to struggle to heal and return to its previous state. Physical therapy, regardless of the type of surgery you’ve had, can help you restore strength and flexibility more rapidly.
If you have spent or will spend a large amount of time in a hospital bed, physical therapy is very crucial. During the healing process, it’s critical to keep muscles and joints as flexible as possible.
A physical therapist can also devise a plan to limit the amount of scar tissue that develops following surgery. Physical therapy can assist you in getting back to your normal routine as soon as possible.
5. You might need PT if you have been noticing sharp pain in any areas
Sharp pain, especially if it’s ongoing, may be a sign of a serious injury. It could be a pulled muscle or possibly a stress fracture. The sooner an injury is treated the more likely it will heal quickly.
There is also the chance that an injury will get worse if it is not treated in a timely manner. A physical therapist can do an evaluation and get you started on a treatment program to treat the root cause of your pain.
Choose PT states that a physical therapist may use a variety of methods to treat pain including manual therapy, exercise, and education.
Reducing and eliminating any type of ongoing pain will enable you to more fully participate and enjoy your daily activities.
The benefits of physical therapy
A physical therapist is a movement specialist, educated in analyzing mobility issues with walking, running, jumping, bending, stretching, and almost every other form of physical activity. Our physical therapist can pinpoint problem areas and create a customized treatment plan aimed at improving those areas.
Through in-office sessions and at-home exercises, patients strengthen their muscles and joints, improve their balance, build endurance, and experience pain relief, all without the unwanted harmful risks of drugs or surgery.
According to the American Physical Therapy Association, physical therapy can help not only with overall wellness, but also prevention.
The purpose of physical therapy remains the same, no matter what you are seeking its services for. Perhaps you are still suffering from the lingering pain of an injury. Perhaps you are recovering from a surgery and trying to get your range of motion back.
Perhaps your joints simply aren’t what they used to be, and you are looking for relief. Whatever the case may be, physical therapists are dedicated to relieving your pain and getting you back to your peak level of physical health.
Call our physical therapy clinic today
Everything from injuries and surgery to repetitive use and even aging may require physical therapy to get you moving as efficiently as possible.
An individualized physical therapy program can also reduce or even eliminate pain. Physical therapy can help people of all ages live healthier, more active lives.
