From sports injuries to car accidents, injuries can arise from many causes.
Various modalities are available to treat injuries depending on the type of damage sustained and the patient’s health. Physical therapy is frequently recommended for the effective treatment of a wide variety of injuries.
The exercises and stretches commonly used in physical therapy promote healthy body movement. Physical therapy’s ultimate objective is to strengthen and heal the body to relieve pain and prevent re-injury.
Why is physical therapy effective?
The process of physical therapy involves moving and strengthening the injured body part so mobility can be restored. If an injury restricts your movement and you don’t start correctly moving the affected body part again, it could become permanently immobile.
Pain is often the biggest culprit that keeps patients from fully recovering from injuries. It may hurt to move the injured body part, but it’s necessary to promote healing. Physical therapy helps you learn how to move correctly again.
How does physical therapy work?
With physical therapy, you get out of it what you put in. Discomfort holds many patients back from exerting themselves in treatment, but doing so is vital for healing and regaining your strength and mobility. Your physical therapist will create your treatment plan and is there to help you. But for optimal results—you—the patient, must put in the effort at the treatment center and at home.
What are the benefits of physical therapy?
There are many physical therapy benefits that can expedite and optimize your recovery, including:
Pain relief. Physical therapy can help you feel better if your injury is causing you acute or chronic discomfort. The stretches and exercises used in physical therapy aid in loosening the muscles and lubricating the joints to make movement easier and less painful.
Restored mobility. An injured body part, especially a joint, may be difficult to move due to pain and stiffness. With the aid of specialized equipment, physical therapy involves guided movement that can help you move comfortably without reinjuring yourself.
Effectively addressing the root cause. Physical therapy heals the damage rather than just covering up the symptoms. Individualized treatment directly addresses the affected muscle, joint, or body component.
Avoid pain medication. Painkillers are used to mask the symptoms of pain, but they offer only temporary relief and can be habit-forming. If you don’t directly address the injury itself, you could find yourself taking medication for the rest of your life to deal with an injury that never properly healed.
Prevent re-injury. You gain strength from physical therapy, which is another advantage. After physical therapy, the injured body part and the body parts that support it will be stronger, which lowers the risk of re-injury. And physical therapy can help you prevent further injury by learning proper body mechanics.
What’s the difference between chiropractic and physical therapy?
Chiropractic treatment differs significantly from physical therapy.
Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the musculoskeletal system and spinal alignment. It alters vertebral alignment with an emphasis on the back and neck. Physical therapy uses stretches and exercises, often with specialized equipment, to increase strength in the body’s joints and muscles to rehabilitate injuries.
Physical therapy is an excellent complement to chiropractic care, and the treatments can be combined for optimal results.
Kim Chiropractic & Rehab provides physical therapy services and chiropractic treatment in each of their locations to help their patients recover quickly and thoroughly from injuries. Have you experienced an injury? Contact them to schedule a consultation. They look forward to being a part of your recovery.