[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ever wondered whether a working with a physical therapist could help you feel and move better? Here’s what to know about physical therapy and why you might want to consider making an appointment with a physical therapist.
What is physical therapy?
Physical therapy is a type of healthcare focusing on alleviating pain and restoring
mobility through movement, mobilization techniques or other treatment methods rather than with surgery or drugs.
The umbrella term physical therapy encompasses many different types of treatment, referred to as ‘modalities.’ While some modalities focus primarily on strengthening weak muscles and stretching tight ones through exercise, others incorporate more bodywork or ‘manual therapy,’ which uses a variety of hands-on techniques to release tension in muscles and
fascia and improve joint mobility. Other modalities include thermotherapy, ultrasound and electrical stimulation (e-stim).
Dave Wieber, a manual physical therapist with expertise in sports performance who has been practicing for over three decades, notes that while it has become more difficult to find physical therapists who practice manual therapy, many techniques that used to be the sole province of the PT are now practiced by many massage therapists. So if you’re interested in getting deep-tissue work or
myofascial release, you might have better luck finding a
massage therapist trained in these techniques.
Physical therapists work in many settings, including nursing homes, hospitals, fitness centers and independent practices focusing entirely on physical therapy. Different practices may have specialized areas of focus, for example sports medicine, or they may have a diverse staff specializing in numerous areas such as neurologic therapy, geriatric issues or women’s health. Physical therapists can also help address ergonomic issues, from computer work station set-up to optimizing bicycle settings for competitive cyclists.
Many practices include an occupational therapist (OT) who may specialize in injuries related to job-related repetitive motion, including carpal tunnel syndrome, a common complaint for those in office jobs. You can find licensed physical therapists with relevant specialties in your area using the American Physical Therapy Association’s
searchable database.
Your physical therapist may draw on techniques from multiple modalities. Some physical therapists focus on one or two common modalities, while others may incorporate several to help their patients regain function. It’s common for physical therapists to use methods that release tension or address
range of motion issues during your visit and also prescribe exercises for you to do at home.
Who could benefit from physical therapy
Through our activities (or lack of activity) most of us have accumulated various imbalances in strength or flexibility that can lead to tension, pain or injury. Modern life, with all its electronic devices and
enticements to sit means a lot of us have
developed bad posture, which often provoke pain. If your days tend to be pretty sedentary, it’s likely you could benefit from working with a physical therapist.
Whether you’ve pulled or sprained something playing sports, have
neck and shoulder pain from too much time
hunched over your computer or you need help recovering after an accident or surgery, physical therapists can help you feel better more quickly and prevent future injuries.
While many common aches and pains will clear themselves up with time, Wieber advises, “If you have pain that you can’t get rid of with movement that lasts more than two weeks,” it’s wise to call a physical therapy practice to see about getting help. He notes that “statistically, people get better quickest with exercise prescription and mobilization.”
Wieber suggests anyone considering surgery see a physical therapist beforehand. Some insurance companies may require candidates for surgery to get evaluated by a physical therapist, as often invasive and costly surgery can be avoided if the issue is treatable with physical therapy instead. Wieber also recommends pregnant women see a physical therapist to help set them up for an easier delivery and quicker recovery postpartum.
Older individuals and those with neurologic conditions can benefit from physical therapy to help them
improve balance and prevent falls.
What to expect at a physical therapy appointment
Some practices and insurance companies will require a referral from a doctor, while others allow patients to refer themselves for physical therapy treatment.
Most initial visits to a physical therapist involve an evaluation where the therapist examines your movement, flexibility, strength and joint mobility and listens to you describe the problems you’re experiencing. If a specific pain or injury has brought you in, the therapist will likely start there and try to determine where precisely the pain comes from.
A physical therapist may want to watch how you walk or observe how you move when you bend over to help them understand what’s causing your pain. If manual therapy is part of their practice, they may have you lie on a table and perform release or mobilization techniques. Some may use ultrasound or other tools like to help promote healthier function of joints, muscles and tendons.
If part of the issue is an imbalance in strength or limited flexibility, your physical therapist may teach you exercises that can help you compensate for the strain of long hours at a desk or weakness in your back, for example. They may also give you stretching exercises to
loosen tight muscles. They will tell you how many repetitions to do and how often to perform these exercises for best results. Doing prescribed exercises regularly is important if you want to see improvement.
Most physical therapy treatments require multiple visits to address injuries or longstanding problems. The therapist will likely repeat some techniques to relieve tension or pain, and they may try new ones. They will also go over exercises to check you’re doing them correctly and answer any questions you have.
If you’ve got nagging
back or
knee pain or could use some help improving your balance, it may be time to see what a physical therapist can do for you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="171725" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1703782030120{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/penetrex-joint-muscle-therapy-cream"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="171724" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1703782055008{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/medinatura-t-relief-natural-arthritis-pain-relief-arnica-12-cream"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="171726" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1703782082112{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/dr-kings-natural-acute-pain-relief-topical"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
