What Are the Benefits of Physical Therapy?

It is well-known that physical therapy is heavily utilized for rehabilitation purposes, following an illness, injury, or surgery, but did you know physical therapy can be helpful for a wide range of conditions that even include headaches and incontinence? Physical therapy is arguably one of the most beneficial and least invasive ways to heal or improve a large variety of conditions and injuries. This amazing field of medicine provides an extensive range of benefits. Foremostly, it seeks to identify the why behind problematic symptom(s) for a holistic approach to healing. Read on to learn more about physical therapy and how it can benefit you!

What Is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is a form of healthcare that focuses on restoring movement and function to the body. It is often used to treat musculoskeletal injuries, such as sprains, strains, and fractures. Physical therapists use a variety of techniques to help patients recover from injury or illness. These techniques may include connective tissue mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release, functional trigger point dry needling, intramuscular manual therapy, visceral manipulation, joint mobilization, surface EMG, biofeedback, core stabilization, strengthening exercises, manual therapy, and massage, as well as therapeutic modalities like ultrasound, cupping, Gua Sha, electrical stimulation, cold laser therapy, and iontophoresis. A specialized treatment plan that includes a combination of one or several of the above methods of treatment will be developed to assist each patient with their unique problem, to heal the underlying issue and alleviate symptoms.

What Types of Conditions and Injuries Can Benefit from Physical Therapy?

When it comes to physical therapy, it can be used to treat standard back pain, restore function following an injury or surgery, or used to treat jaw pain, incontinence, and everything in between. Some of the conditions that are effectively treated by physical therapy are listed below: (This is not an all-inclusive list of potential conditions that can benefit from the expertise of a physical therapist.)

• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Joint pain
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Post-surgical rehabilitation
• Sports injuries
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Neurological disorders
• Balance issues
• Incontinence
• Headaches
• Fibromyalgia
• TMJ pain

Additionally, many physical therapy practices are now offering specialized treatment to women during the postnatal and prenatal period. They often provide golf physical therapy and pediatric physical therapy as well. Thus, while physical therapy, at one time, was used in a more limited capacity, today the sky is the limit. Physical therapy has quickly become the default option for healing to avoid more invasive treatments. When used correctly, it can often prevent the need for surgical intervention.

How Can Physical Therapy Help?

Physical therapy can help in a variety of ways. It can be used to reduce pain, improve mobility, restore function, and prevent further injury. Physical therapists use a combination of manual therapy techniques and therapeutic exercises, as well as patient education and a home exercise plan to help patients reach their goals. Manual therapy techniques are used to reduce pain and improve joint mobility, while therapeutic exercises are used to strengthen muscles, improve balance, and increase flexibility. Ultimately, physical therapy can help you get your life back!

Understanding The Benefits of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy offers a wide range of benefits for those suffering from an injury or illness. Here are some of the most common benefits:

• Pain relief: Physical therapy can help reduce pain and discomfort associated with an injury or illness. It can also help reduce inflammation and swelling, which can lead to further pain relief.
• Improved mobility: Physical therapy can help improve range of motion, flexibility, and strength. This can help you move more freely and with less pain, so you can get back to doing the things you love.
• Prevent injuries: Physical therapy can help improve balance and coordination, as well as strengthen muscles and joints which can reduce the risk of future falls or other accidents, protecting you from injury.
• Improved quality of life: Physical therapy can help improve overall quality of life by helping you move more freely, with less pain. Furthermore, it can help alleviate the often-embarrassing symptoms of incontinence.
• Mitigate the need for surgery: Physical therapy can often lead to the remediation of symptoms and the healing of chronic pain, mobility issues, and muscle weakness that commonly causes the onset of conditions like incontinence. Since physical therapy addresses the underlying cause to lend complete healing rather covering up the symptoms, it can often be used in lieu of surgical interventions and medications.
• Improved posture: Physical therapy can help improve posture by strengthening the muscles that support the spine and joints. This can reduce pain and discomfort associated with poor posture.
• Improved mental health: Physical therapy can also help improve mental health by reducing stress and anxiety associated with an injury or illness.
• Improved sleep: Physical therapy can help improve sleep quality by reducing pain and improving mobility.
• Improved sports performance: Physical therapy can help improve sports performance by increasing strength, power, and endurance. You can take your golf game to the next level with the improved range of motion offered by golf physical therapy.
• Avoid Opioid dependence: Far too often, when a patient is dealing with chronic pain, the first line of treatment is prescribing pain killers. Not only do drugs merely mask the symptoms of a deeper problem, but they also come with a host of unpleasant and concerning side effects. In the case of opioids, patients risk being dependent or addicted to the medication. With the right physical therapy plan, it is often possible to identify and heal the underlying problem causing the chronic pain, so you can say goodbye to dependance upon dangerous pain medications.
• Get rid of chronic migraines and tension headaches: Physical therapy can help reduce the frequency and intensity of chronic migraines and tension headaches. It can also help improve posture, which can reduce the strain on neck muscles that often lead to these types of headaches.

Overall, physical therapy can be a great way to help improve your health and your quality of life. It can help reduce pain, improve mobility, and even prevent future injuries. Physical therapists use a combination of manual therapy techniques and therapeutic exercises to help you reach your goals. If you’re suffering from an injury or illness, it’s worth considering physical therapy as the first line of treatment! After all, it might just restore your quality of life and save you the pain, expense, and hassle of surgery!