Physical therapy is considered one of the best choices you can make when suffering from musculoskeletal pain or injury. It helps to make you feel stronger and better. Physical therapists help you by adequately evaluating your condition and providing the proper treatment for long-term relief.
Physical therapists commonly give at-home exercises to do between sessions. These exercises are designed to supplement the work you do during appointments. Performing the home workouts helps with consistency and repetition. It also allows the physical therapist to see how you progress on your own.
Common Conditions That Physical Therapy Can treat
A trained physical therapist helps a person in all phases of healing, starting from the initial diagnosis to the preventive stages of recovery.
It can either be a standalone option or support treatment and other kinds of treatments.
The common conditions that can be treated with physical therapy include the following:
- Cardiopulmonary conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Hand therapy for treating various conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger.
- Hand therapy for the treatment of specific conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger.
- Musculoskeletal dysfunction includes back pain, rotator cuffs, joint disorders, etc.
- Neurological conditions include spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s disease, vestibular dysfunction, traumatic brain injuries, etc.
Benefits Of Physical Therapy
Physical therapy has lots of benefits. Let’s have a look at a few major benefits of physical therapy.
- Rehab from sports-related injury – All sports-related injury doesn’t require surgery. But to prevent any further damage, it is important to make sure that you can decrease pain and strengthen the injured area to get back to playing sports. Physical therapy can be beneficial in this aspect as it can provide long-lasting relief from sports-related injuries.
- Pain reduction – Certain types of musculoskeletal pain can be cured with the help of physical therapy without using any medications. Physical therapy is effective in the treatment of both acute and chronic pain in a patient. Some physical therapy techniques for reducing acute or chronic pain in a patient include exercise, stretching, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, etc.
- Provide relief from neurological conditions – Physical therapy can be very helpful in supporting a variety of symptoms such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, etc. A trained and experienced physical therapist can help with symptom management, especially if you live with sclerosis.
- Reduce symptoms related to arthritis – Arthritis is a condition that can severely affect a person’s life. There are two most common types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Some debilitating symptoms caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis include joint inflammation, pain, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness. Physical therapy can be beneficial in reducing symptoms, boosting the quality of life, improving mobility, and restoring the affected joints’ use.
- Manage pain – Researchers have been exploring the link between physical therapy and a reduction in opioid use for patients managing chronic pain. A study examined people with new-onset chronic low back pain and found that early physical therapy interventions decreased opioid use in the short and long term.
Types Of Physical Therapy
There are various kinds of physical therapies which can treat different types of conditions. Some of them are as follows:
- Orthopedic Physical Therapy – It helps treat musculoskeletal injuries that involve muscle bones, ligaments, tendons, etc. It is suitable for various medical conditions such as fractures, sprains, tendonitis, chronic medical problems, and many more.
- Neurological Physical Therapy – It helps treat neurological disorders and some other conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
- Ergonomic Training – It is a type of training given to the employees and the workers working in a workplace. Ergonomic training helps make employees more comfortable working in their workplace. It increases the efficiency and productivity of the employees.
- Vestibular Therapy – Vestibular therapy helps treat the problems related to balance, which can happen from any inner ear condition. It involves various manual techniques that can be helpful for the patient to regain their average balance and muscle strength.
What Is To Be Expected?
A pain-free lifestyle is only sometimes effortless, especially for severe or chronic pain. Physical therapists are experts in treating pain and trying to improve the condition of the source of the pain. The therapist would try to find the areas of stiffness and weakness that may add extra stress to the injured areas.
Various stretching and pain relief exercises help in treating your core muscles. It helps in making your body stronger and more flexible.
Conclusion
Physical therapy can be beneficial for treating a variety of conditions. I help in treating certain musculoskeletal conditions without any surgery. It helps provide long-term relief to the people. Physical therapy techniques also help by educating you to avoid further injuries.
