Source: https://communitycare.com/News/Health-Blog-Article?URLName=The-Benefits-of-Physical-Therapy
When people think of physical therapy, or PT, they usually associate it with someone who was injured. For example, someone who was in a bad car accident or suffered from a stroke, might use physical therapy to help them recover. But physical therapy isn’t just for those who suffer from physical injuries. PT can be used by anyone looking to improve their mobility, manage pain and chronic conditions, recover from injury, and prevent future injury and chronic disease.
Physical therapy is performed by a physical therapist (PT), sometimes with the help of a physical therapist assistant (PTA). PTs and PTAs are experts in movement in the body who can improve a patient’s quality of life through exercise regimens, hands-on care, and education. They will assess your current ability and review your goals in order to create a treatment plan to meet your needs. PTs can be found in hospital or out-patient settings, health care practices (as is the case of CCP’s physical therapy services), fitness facilities, nursing homes, and so on. This makes it easy to access their services from almost anywhere. PTs and PTAs are able to work collaboratively with the rest of your health care team to ensure you are receiving the best care. Your primary care practitioner may refer you to a physical therapist for several different reasons.
Substitute for Surgery
One common reason someone may use physical therapy is to avoid surgery. Since surgery is oftentimes expensive and invasive, many patients would prefer to avoid it if possible. For example, if you were injured or are suffering from conditions like meniscal tears, spinal stenosis, and degenerative dish disease, physical therapy has actually been found to be as effective as surgery.
Pain Management
Physical therapy is also being used more and more in cases of pain management over prescribing opioids. This is because the CDC is encouraging health care practitioners to recommend safer alternatives for their patients. Opioids can cause depression, addiction, withdrawal symptoms, and, in some cases, overdose which can cause death. Physical therapy is one of the safer alternatives recommended by the CDC to help patients manage long-term pain since it may actually work better and has fewer risks and side effects.
Recovery and Injury Prevention
Physical therapy can also be recommended for those who are recovering from an injury and need to strengthen their movements. This can include anyone who has suffered from an accident or condition that has caused mobility issues that impact their daily lives. PT can also be used on a more long-term basis if a patient is considered to be at high risk of re-injuring themselves. People who play sports or have physically demanding jobs may be some of the patients who would utilize this service.
General Mobility Concerns
Patients who are older or who are suffering from health conditions that affect their daily movement can also benefit from seeing a physical therapist. Fall prevention is important as these falls can cause injury, loss of independence and, in extreme cases, even death. PTs can also help with general mobility concerns, especially when the mobility issues are affecting a patient’s quality of life.
If you suffer from mobility issues, you should have a conversation with your primary care practitioner to determine whether you could benefit from seeing a physical therapist. If you are in need of PT services, then consider using Community Care Physical Therapy. Our office gives patients an alternative to the hospitals and big rehabilitation centers and our physical therapists are known for their professionalism, expertise and personal attention to patients. We help patients make positive changes in their lifestyle and regain control over their bodies.
Community Care Physical Therapy has three convenient locations in Clifton Park, Delmar, and Latham. For more information, visit their website.
Sources
https://www.choosept.com/Benefits/Default.aspx
https://www.apta.org/nptm/
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/patients/options.html
https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/stories/routine.html