What Physical Therapists Do?
Physical therapists are movement experts who help people live better by prescribing exercise, providing hands-on care, and educating patients.
Physical therapists diagnose and treat people of all ages, from newborns to the elderly. Many patients have injuries, disabilities, or other health issues that must be addressed. However, PTs also help people who want to get healthier and avoid future problems.
Physical therapists examine each individual and create a treatment plan to help them move better, reduce or manage pain, restore function, and prevent disability.
Physical therapists can make a significant difference in people’s lives. They assist people in achieving fitness goals, regaining or maintaining independence, and leading active lives.
Benefits of Physical Therapy
1. Reduce or eliminate pain. Therapeutic exercises and manual therapy techniques such as joint and soft tissue mobilization or treatments such as ultrasound, taping, or electrical stimulation can help relieve pain and restore muscle and joint function to reduce pain. Such therapies can also prevent pain from returning.
2. Avoid surgery. Surgery may not be needed if physical therapy helps you eliminate pain or heal from an injury. And even if surgery is required, you may benefit from pre-surgery physical therapy. If you are going into surgery more robust and in better shape, you will recover faster afterward. Also, by avoiding surgery, healthcare costs are reduced.
3. Increase your mobility. Physical therapy can help if you have difficulty standing, walking, or moving, regardless of age. Stretching and strengthening exercises can help you regain your mobility. Physical therapists can fit people for canes, crutches, or any other assistive device and assess for orthotic prescription. Whatever activity is essential in an individual’s life can be practiced and adapted to ensure maximum performance and safety by customizing an individual care plan.
4. Heal from a stroke. Following a stroke, it is common to lose some function and movement. Physical therapy aids in the strengthening of weakened body parts as well as the improvement of gait and balance.Â
5. Recover from or avoid a sporting injury. Physical therapists understand how various sports can increase your risk of certain types of injuries (such as stress fractures for distance runners). They can help you create appropriate recovery or prevention exercise programs to ensure a safe return to your sport.
6. Improve your balance and avoid falling. You will be screened for fall risk when you begin physical therapy. If you are at a high risk of falling, therapists will provide exercises that safely and carefully challenge your balance to simulate real-life situations. Therapists can also assist you with activities to improve coordination and assistive devices to help you walk more safely.
7. Control diabetes and vascular disease. Exercise, when combined with a diabetes management plan, can help effectively control blood sugar. Diabetes patients may also experience problems with sensation in their feet and legs. Physical therapists can assist in providing and educating these patients on proper foot care to avoid future problems.
8. Take care of age-related issues. Individuals may develop arthritis or osteoporosis as they age or require a joint replacement. Physical therapists are experts at assisting patients in their recovery from joint replacement and in the conservative management of arthritic or osteoporotic conditions.
9. Take care of heart and lung disease. While patients may complete cardiac rehabilitation following a heart attack or procedure, they may also receive physical therapy if their daily functioning is compromised. Physical therapy can help patients with pulmonary problems improve their quality of life by strengthening, conditioning, and breathing exercises, as well as assisting them in clearing fluid in their lungs.Â
What to expect?
A physical therapist assists patients in all stages of healing, from the initial diagnosis to restorative and preventive care. Physical therapy can be used alone or in conjunction with other treatments.
Some patients are referred to a physical therapist by their doctor, while others seek treatment independently.
According to the studies, physical therapist receives training that enables them to:Â
- Conduct a physical exam and evaluation of a person’s movement,muscle and joint motion, and performance, as well as learn about their medical history.
- Provide a clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan with short- and long-term objectives.
- Provide recommendations for self-management, including exercises that can be done at home.
Common symptoms Physical therapy may be beneficial.
Depending on their specialty, physical therapists can provide additional treatment for various medical conditions.
Although physical therapists do not directly and independently treat medical conditions other than pure musculoskeletal conditions, they work to improve recovery or educate people on improving their movement patterns.
Types of Physical Therapy
1. Orthopedic physical therapy treats injuries to the muscles, bones, ligaments, fascia, and tendons. It can help with fractures, sprains, tendinitis, bursitis, chronic health issues, and rehabilitation or recovery from orthopedic surgery. Joint mobilization, manual therapy, strength training, mobility training, and other modalities may be used to treat patients.
2. Geriatric physical therapy can help older adults with mobility and physical function issues, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, hip, and joint replacement, balance disorders, and incontinence. This intervention seeks to restore mobility, alleviate pain, and improve physical fitness.
People with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke can benefit from neurological physical therapy. Treatment may improve limb responsiveness, movement patterns, tone management, trusted Source, strength, and balance.
Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation can help people with certain cardiopulmonary conditions or surgical procedures. Treatment has been shown to improve muscular and cardiovascular endurance and stamina.
3. Wound care therapy: Improved circulation can help ensure that a healing wound receives enough oxygen and blood. Manual treatments, e-stim, compression therapy, and wound care may all be used in physical therapy.
People who have specific injuries, disabilities, or other health conditions can benefit from physical therapy. Please get in touch with our expert physical therapist for more information on the benefits of physical therapy.
