How Physical Therapy Can Help Reduce Pain and Improve Quality of Life
It is commonly believed that physical therapy is only required for people suffering from sports injuries or recovering from serious bodily trauma. However, the reach of physical therapy is far wider, encompassing everything from chronic soreness to Alzheimer’s disease. At its core, what physical therapy offers is a series of practices and treatments designed to build strength in the body, manage things like chronic pain and allow patients to live happier, fuller lives.
3 Types of Accidents that Require Physical Therapy
A lot of people do not realize that they may be candidates for physical therapy treatments. This may be due to misconceptions about what kind of injuries require this type of treatment, or simply a lack of knowledge about its availability. To help you understand whether or not you might be a candidate for PT, we have explained three of the most common injuries or accidents which typically require this kind of therapy:
- Athletic: Athletic injuries are the type most commonly associated with physical therapy and with good reason. Athletes are far more likely to suffer accidents either in training or practice, which can lead to chronic pain, muscle damage or other issues. These types of injuries are not only reserved for professional athletes. If you go for runs, work out at the gym or golf on weekends, you can potentially suffer from an athletic injury which will impact your ability to function normally. This is where physical therapy comes in, restoring strength in damaged muscles and ligaments, working to alleviate pain, and providing exercises which patients can practice on their own to recover over time.
- Cognitive: It’s easy and quite common to forget that a big part of how we train the brain is through physical movement. PT can be used for people who have suffered strokes, are experiencing the symptoms of Parkinson’s or other diseases which impact neurological function. Exercises can be as simple as basic balancing or more complex hand-eye-coordination practices designed to restore certain pathways which may have become damaged. These treatments may help to restore degraded cognitive systems and retrain parts of the brain in order to allow people to return to a better, and desired level of functionality.
- Immune: Millions of people in North America suffer from some form of autoimmune disease which impacts their body’s ability to function properly in day-to-day life. Not only does this make them more predisposed to getting sick, but it can also impact other factors of their life such as mental wellness, physical strength and cardio endurance. Developed with the help of a physical therapist, a custom treatment program can help patients manage their autoimmune issues through a dietary plan and exercise routines specifically catered to their needs and abilities. Not only do these help to reduce the impact of autoimmune issues, but they can also help to strengthen the immune system overall.
Physical therapy offers an incredible range of treatments for different physical, neurological and immune issues faced by patients. While medications and other more immediate solutions may provide a patient with some relief, physical therapy helps to build long-term physical and mental strength. For over 40 years, the Medical Rehabilitation Centers of Pennsylvania’s team of licensed therapists has been providing patients with rigorous, custom-designed physical therapy programs designed around making their lives better. We take pride in helping our patients reduce their recovery times and reclaim their lives from their injuries, going on to live healthier, better lives.
To learn more about our physical therapy services or to book your appointment, contact us at the location of your choice, or complete our online form and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.