If you have an injury and are curious whether or not you should make contact with a physical therapy provider to assist with your injury, you are not alone. Each year, millions of people experience this dilemma – to seek out a professional physical therapy professional, or not. The truth is, if you’re experiencing complications in moving around and completing standard, everyday tasks, you should seek the assistance of a professional physical therapy specialist. The ultimate goal with physical therapy is to make daily tasks and other activities easier. If you are injured and could benefit from a little help moving around and doing things that you typically do, you should contact and set up an appointment with a physical therapy provider in and/or around your area.
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy is a special type of treatment that many individuals require when health problems and/or injuries make it difficult to move around and/or complete everyday activities. Not only will physical therapy providers work to ensure that you are able to move better with less pain and discomfort, they will also assist in improving your basic level of physical function and physical fitness level. As stated previously, the goal of any physical therapy program is to make the activities that you perform on a daily basis easier for you to complete. Examples of these activities may include getting in and out of the bed, walking from one room to another, and/or going up and down stairs and/or steps. Physical therapy providers often assist with recovery after certain types of surgeries and may assist when a patient has a type of long-term health problem, such as arthritis. While physical therapy, alone, may be used as a treatment, many individuals experience physical therapy treatment in conjunction with other types of treatments.
The Roles and Responsibilities of a Professional Physical Therapy Provider
Professional physical therapy specialists have a wide array of roles and responsibilities. The first meeting with such a professional will typically result in a comprehensive physical examination and many questions pertaining to daily activities. A treatment plan will then be developed for your individual needs. The goals of any and all treatment plans include:
- Improving Joint Mobility
- Restore and Optimize Flexibility
- Strengthen the Body
- Increase Endurance Levels
- Improve Coordination
- Optimize Balance
The professional physical therapy specialist will determine if you have any underlying swelling. If so, they will work to reduce the swelling and eliminate any type of discomfort that you are experiencing. The therapist will then develop an exercise program that you may use that will typically involve walking, lifting weights, stretching, and other activities that will strengthen the body. Other activities may include the use of manual therapy, temperature therapy, and electrical stimulation. If you are injured or experiencing other types of physical discomforts that are limiting your ability to move and/or complete other activities, you should contact one of the physical therapy providers in and/or around your area to set up an appointment to see if you may benefit from the activities provided in therapy.