Contributions by Keelan Schmidley, Manager of Strategic Partnerships at PRN
Suffering from low back pain from sitting at a desk all day?
-A physical therapist can help with that!
Does vertigo have your world spinning in circles?
– A physical therapist can help with that!
Suffering from incontinence or postpartum pain?
– A physical therapist can help with that!
Shin pain while training for your next race?
– A physical therapist can help with that!
Recovering from a recent joint replacement surgery?
– A physical therapist can help with that!
Are you or someone you know recovering from a stroke?
– A physical therapist can help with that!
Experiencing knee pain from your arthritis each time you go down the stairs?
- A physical therapist can help with that too!
Alright, alright… you get the point. If there is something that hurts, feels a little stiff, or doesn’t quite work like it used to, there is a very good chance that a physical therapist can help!
That’s because physical therapists are movement experts who improve quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education. And when we say experts, we mean it! Before treating in a clinic, physical therapists must earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from an accredited program and pass certification and licensing exams. Most providers also go on to obtain additional fellowship training and specialization.
Physical therapists also work in a wide range of settings treating an even more comprehensive range of patients within many specialties. Although this article was not meant to be an exhaustive list of all the ways physical therapy can benefit you and your loved ones, we did want to highlight the importance of Physical Therapy as we celebrate national physical therapy month!
Performing physical therapy is an effective way to reduce pain and treat injury.
With musculoskeletal disorders affecting more than one out of every two persons in the United States age 18 and over and nearly three out of four age 65 and over, pretty much all of us will experience some form of pain or dysfunction at some point in our lives. The good news is that physical therapy has been shown time and again to be an incredibly effective, non-invasive and non-pharmacological means of alleviating pathology at the root of its dysfunction. Research on this topic has also demonstrated that other common approaches to care (surgery, imaging, injections, opioids) alone are not as effective in resolving many common pathologies such as back and joint pain.
Because physical therapists specialize in treating such a wide range of pathology, be it jaw pain, urinary incontinence, postoperative ACL repair, or vestibular and neurological conditions, it’s a good idea to have one of our local PTs on speed dial so you are ready to handle all that life throws your way.
Physical therapy's first approach to treatment is a more cost-effective form of treatment.
Early and adherent physical therapy care not only makes you feel better, but it has also been shown to be associated with decreased use of advanced imaging, additional physician visits, surgery, injections, and opioid prescriptions compared with delayed or no physical therapy treatment. These things all cost money, so the less we use, the more opportunity there is to save.
Furthermore, most states now allow direct access to physical therapists without the need of a physician’s referral to make an appointment, which helps all of us better access the care and expertise we need, when we need it.
Physical therapy’s role in supporting healthy and pain-free movement makes it a vital piece of the health care delivery continuum.
Physical therapy plays an important role in supporting healthy movement throughout our lifetime and as such, plays a key role in our overall health. Scientific literature routinely demonstrates the disproportionately large and positive impact that routine physical activity has on both our physical and psychological health.
An increasing body of evidence supports the beneficial impact of physical activity in the symptom suppression of numerous psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety. Add this to the long and well-studied positive impacts physical activity has on many of the chronic illnesses that burden our society such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, and you can begin to see what a profound impact regular physical activity can have on all areas of our health and well-being.
Physical therapists are highly educated practitioners whose goal is to keep us all moving. So, whether it’s getting you back on your feet following an acute injury or ensuring regular and pain-free movement, activity, and independence into old age, physical therapy helps all of us maintain both a positive health span and life span.
If you have questions on how physical therapy can help you, contact us here!