In physical therapy, trained professionals evaluate and treat abnormal physical function related to certain disabilities, injuries, or other health conditions. Physical therapists are trained and licensed movement experts. They can diagnose and provide treatments for various injuries, disabilities, or other health-related conditions.
The main goal of a physical therapist is to improve the quality and range of movement of a person and prevent any injury or disability with physical therapy techniques. Licensed physical therapists work in various healthcare settings, including outpatient offices, hospitals, private practices, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health, sports and fitness settings, schools, government agencies, and research centers.
What is To Be Expected From A Physical Therapist?
A physical therapist can help take care of patients in all phases of healing, starting from the initial diagnosis to the restorative and preventive stages of recovery. Physical therapy can be the only option or may also become a supportive option for other treatments. Some patients are referred to a physical therapist by a doctor or a medical practitioner. But some may support other forms of treatment.
Physical therapists receive training that may help them to:
- Perform a physical exam and evaluate a person’s movement, flexibility, muscle, joint motion, and performance, along with finding out about their health history.
- Performing a clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and a plan of care along with certain short – and long-term goals.
- Performing physical therapy treatment and intervention.
- Giving self-management recommendations, including exercise that a person can do at home.
Along with physical manipulation, physical therapy treatment may involve:
- Iontophoresis – It uses an electrical current to deliver certain medications, such as topical steroids. It can decrease the presence of inflammation.
- Electrical stimulation – Electrical stimulation is usually of two types: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to reduce pain. By contrast, neuromuscular electrical stimulation stimulates muscular motor units to improve muscular engagement.
- Heat, moist, and cold therapy – Heat, moist, and cold therapy can provide many benefits, from treating pain to reducing inflammation after an injury.
- Light therapy – It involves using special lights and lasers to treat certain medical conditions.
Benefits Of Physical Therapy
Physical therapy has a lot of benefits. Let’s look at some benefits physical therapy can provide in keeping you healthy and fit.
- Personalized treatment tailored according to your needs – When you arrive for your first physical therapy treatment, your physical therapists will thoroughly evaluate your physical function and then prepare a specialized treatment plan based on your unique needs, condition, and goals. Physical therapists are usually skilled professionals in physical function and movement who can safely and gradually progress you from the state of your baseline and evaluation to greater strength, flexibility, and mobility.
- Maximizing your mobility – In case you struggle to walk, stand, and move easily, a trained physical therapist can be beneficial in treating the condition. Physical therapists are experts in treating movement dysfunction. An experienced and certified physical therapist will identify the underlying issues contributing to your mobility and train you in stretching and strengthening exercises to restore your ability to move, stand or walk without pain or discomfort.
- Reducing pain and avoiding opioids – With a prescription, opioids can be beneficial in treating certain conditions when properly dosed for medical treatment; the ongoing opioid crisis reveals one of the most dangerous side effects and the risk of addiction for those people using opioids. Physical therapy is always one of the safest and non-invasive ways of managing pain, especially chronic pain, that is useful for treating the source of the pain for long-lasting relief.
- Avoiding surgery – Before undergoing any extensive or invasive surgery, you can try physical therapy, which can be very helpful for addressing the pain and other musculoskeletal issues in a person. Physical therapy has proven effective in treating various conditions, such as knee osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tears, spinal stenosis, and back pain.
- Recover from stroke – A stroke can significantly impact your function, limit your ability to move, and require impaired limbs. A physical therapist has expertise in working with stroke survivors to strengthen your body’s weakened areas and may further improve your gait and balance. A physical therapist may also help you to relearn your daily activities to make you independent as much as possible post-stroke.
- Prevent or recover from sports-related injuries – Physical therapy can be beneficial for athletes in improving their strength, endurance, strength, and flexibility before or after any injury. Physical therapists are trained to help you safely rehabilitate after a sports injury and follow certain guidelines to heal from any injury and avoid any further injuries altogether.
- Prevent falls and improve your balance – A trained and experienced physical therapist often offers your fall risk screens for assessing your risk of falling. In case you are at higher risk of falling, a physical therapist can work with you to help you in improving your balance with the help of various balance training exercises. For example, the therapist may use vestibular rehabilitation to address your issues if you suffer from balance-related issues due to the vestibular system.
Conclusion
Physical therapy helps restore movement and function if you suffer from specific injuries, illnesses, or disabilities. Physical therapy is also very effective in helping you to reduce the risk of any injury or disease in the future. Finding a suitable physical therapist is essential as it involves several factors, including insurance acceptance, specialty, and the reasons for your treatment.
