The goal of physical therapy is to promote the patient’s ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. Physical therapy is an essential element of patient care. Therapeutic exercise and functional training are the cornerstones of physical therapy treatments.
By implementing fitness and wellness-oriented programs under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist, the physical therapist assistant can help to prevent loss of mobility and to attain or regain the ability to walk and carry out daily life. Physical therapy helps people of all ages who have medical conditions, illnesses or injuries that limit their regular ability to move and function.
Why physical therapy?
- Reduce or eliminate pain
Therapeutic exercises and manual therapy techniques such as joint and soft tissue mobilization or taping can help relieve pain and restore muscle and joint function to reduce pain. - Avoid surgery
If physical therapy helps you eliminate pain or heal from an injury, surgery may not be needed. And even if surgery is required, you may benefit from pre-surgery physical therapy. If you are going into a surgery stronger and in better shape, you will recover faster afterwards in many cases. Also, by avoiding surgery, health care costs are reduced. - Improve mobility
If you’re having trouble standing, walking or moving—no matter your age—physical therapy can help. Stretching and strengthening exercises help restore your ability to move. Each care plan will be customized to the patient’s needs. Whatever activity that is important to an individual’s life can be practiced and adapted to ensure maximal performance and safety. - Recover from a stroke
It’s common to lose some degree of function and movement after stroke. Physical therapy helps strengthen weakened parts of the body and improve gait and balance. Physical therapists can also improve stroke patients’ ability to transfer and move around in bed so that they can be more independent around the home, and reduce their burden of care for toileting, bathing, dressing and other activities of daily living. - Recover from or prevent a sports injury
Physical therapists understand how different sports can increase your risk for specific types of injuries. They can design appropriate recovery or prevention exercise programs for you to ensure a safe return to your sport. - Improve your balance and prevent falls
If you’re at high risk for falls, therapists will provide exercises that safely and carefully challenge your balance as a way to imitate real-life situations. Therapists also help you with exercises to improve coordination and assistive devices to help with safer walking if needed. - Manage heart and lung disease
While patients may complete cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack or procedure, you also may receive physical therapy if your daily functioning is affected. For pulmonary problems, physical therapy can improve quality of life through strengthening, conditioning and breathing exercises, and help patients clear fluid in the lungs.
To find out how physical therapy can help your recovery process call us today to schedule a free consultation.