Benefits of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can be beneficial to people of all ages who suffer from various medical conditions, illnesses and injuries that limit their ability to move around and function as normal. It’s not just about masking pain or offering temporary solutions to pain and mobility issues though – it’s quite often a cure for a myriad of conditions that limit the lives of sufferers of both long-term and short-term ailments and injuries. So, what exactly can physical pain do for you if you’re suffering? 

Better Mobility

If moving, standing, or walking is an issue, physical therapy might just be for you. By doing stretching and strengthening exercises, you’ll improve your ability to move around and function normally – slowly but surely. Also, a physical therapists can provide you with properly fitted canes, crutches or other devices that are designed to help you get around. 

Cure or Reduce Pain 

Therapeutic exercises and physical therapy techniques can help to mobilize joints and aid soft tissue use and repair. Other treatments like electrical stimulation, ultrasound or taping can also help relieve pain whilst at the same time restoring joint and muscle functions – which not only reduces pain, but also improves joint function. These kinds of treatments are also ideal because they can prevent pain further from recurring. 

Alternative to Surgery

Having physical therapy might remove the need for surgery if therapy is successful and pain goes away. This can be a less stressful – and often cheaper – benefit for many sufferers of illnesses and injuries. Even if surgery is required, having physical therapy before and afterwards will really help – you’ll be stronger and in better shape to have surgery, and you can also recover faster. 

Recover from Sports Injuries 

It’s no secret that sports are risky business in terms of injury. Even the best sportsmen suffer injuries, and, more often than not, need time and physical therapy to recover. Should you be injured during sport, a physical therapist can identify and diagnose your specific kind of injury and design a tailored therapy regime for your exact problem – whilst also taking into account your body, age, weight, other pre-existing conditions and other limitations – so that you can get back on track quicker.

Stroke Recovery

Stroke is a fairly common ailment, and it’s not abnormal to lose some degree of movement and functioning afterwards. Committing to a physical therapy program – that will be designed specifically for you by a professional – will help you to regain movement and physical bodily functions through strengthening weakened body parts, and recovering gait and balance. This kind of therapy can also improve your ability to be independent again, allowing you to take yourself to bed or to the bathroom, dress, eat, and complete other simple daily activities that can become extremely difficult after a stroke.

Improved Balance and Fall Prevention

Physical therapy involves assessing your fall risk and being monitored for falls. Your regime will be adapted appropriately depending on your risk level, and you’ll be given exercises that emulate real-life situations in order to improve your balance.

Manage Age-Related Conditions

Aging people can find themselves with conditions like osteoporosis, arthritis, or may even need a joint replacement at some point in their lives. Physical therapists are highly trained and skilled in getting patients back to normal after a joint replacement, as well as helping them to manage arthritis and osteoporosis. 

Manage Diabetes and Vascular Conditions 

Physical therapy can combine with a diabetes management plan to control blood sugar. It can also assist diabetes patients who suffer from foot and leg problems. Diabetes sufferers who undertake physical therapy are taught proper foot and leg care – not just to treat the issue – but also to prevent further problems down the line. 

Physical therapy boasts a wide range of benefits, and is very adaptable. It can help with a wealth of different illnesses and injuries – from age-related conditions, strokes, and sports injuries, to diabetes management, pain reduction, mobility recovery and more, physical therapy offers so many incredible advantages to people of all ages. Should you find yourself suffering, don’t pass up the opportunity to get your body – and your life – back by getting a tailored physical therapy regime, and sticking to it.