Can Physical Therapy Help Me?

A few questions that are commonly asked a therapist include the following: ·What is Physical Therapy? ·What can a Physical Therapy program do for me that I cannot do on my own? ·How long is it going to take? ·Who benefits from Physical Therapy? ·What will I have to do in my therapy? Each question is answered and expanded upon below.

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical Therapy (PT) is considered a conservative treatment method addressing the treatment, healing, and prevention of injuries and disabilities. Physical therapists focus primarily, but not solely, on relieving pain, promoting healing, restoring function and movement, and facilitation and adaptation associated with injury. Therapy also focuses on ergonomics or body mechanic training, fitness and wellness and, especially education. This area of physical therapy includes posture, stabilization and building strength in the weakened area, and to prevent additional injury.

What can a PT program do for me that I cannot do on my own?

Many patients may think that they know how to properly exercise, manage their pain and rehabilitate themselves. Patients commonly give therapists reasons why they do not need therapy - for example, "I have had this before and I know what works for me" or, "I know what is causing this because my neighbor had the same thing, so I will just do what she did" and attempt to self-manage their condition.

A Physical Therapist is a specialist specifically educated and skilled in proper rehabilitation. Physical therapists are continually educated as to management for different dysfunctions, differentiation of one dysfunction/injury from another and work closely with the referring physician in the development of a rehabilitation program specifically designed for each individual patient.

The other important aspect to remember with physical therapy is that each individual is different. We all have different types of bodies, different patterns of movement, different alignments and different habits. A physical therapist, along with trained staff, monitor each individual and attempt to correct improper habits, alignments and movement patterns.

Most important with therapy is education. Due to healthcare guidelines and reimbursement changes, your physician may not have the time needed to explain exactly what your injury/dysfunction/disability is and why/how it occurred. Your therapist specializes in this and many times will be the one to educate you on the specifics of your problem and what the course of action will be to correct it and hopefully prevent it from reoccurring. PT focuses on education, correction, and prevention.

How long is it going to take?

This is a popular question. Everyone has other priorities in their day and life. Exercise and therapy can sometimes seem an imposition. The patient has to remember that recovery from injury can be much more time consuming than prevention. Each person's degree of injury is different and will experience a different rate of recovery. In most cases, your therapist will have an idea as to your personal rate of healing within two weeks. Other factors that play into healing progression and rate of recovery are patient compliance and dedication. Therapists are healers and teachers. However, if the lessons, which we teach, are not practiced and learned, the rate of healing or re-injury is affected.

Who benefits from PT?

Many and all can benefit from therapy. As an active therapist, I work out and am always observing others. I very rarely come across individuals with perfect body mechanics, training techniques, or movement patterns. This is where wellness comes into play. Typically the most appropriate patients are those who have been in accidents (work-related, automobile, or falls), athletes with overstress injuries, arthritic patients, pre and post-operative patients, and those with general deconditioning, or strains.

Posture is an area that always seems to be overlooked. Patients who make simple changes throughout their daily habits can change their potential for injuries and alleviate current ones.

Standing
When standing, think about what is comfortable. Think about what your mother used to say, "Stand up straight and don't slouch!" Good standing posture involves upright positioning; shoulders back, chin neutral, abdominal muscles tight, arms in line with your body and one foot slightly in front of the other, with knees slightly bent. This is called active posture. It requires muscles to work with the skeletal system for energy conservation and bone and joint protection.

Sitting
When sitting, eyes should be level and in a position such that the neck is neither bent forward or backward. Shoulders should be level and relaxed (with out being slumped forward) with appropriate support throughout the spine. A chair should maintain all natural curvatures. Hips and knees should be level with each other and ankles should be vertical to the knees.

Lying
Proper lying positions are those in which the joints are in neutral positions (neither bent excessively forward or backward). The muscles should be supported yet relaxed. Elbows, wrists, hips, and knees should be slightly bent. Too many pillows can be bad. Often too many pillows cause the neck to "hyperflex," which applies too much pressure to the brain's blood supply.

Results of Poor Posture may include the following: forward head, rounded shoulders, excessive lordosis (lor-doe-sis, envision a Dowager's Hump or posture associated with chronic cane dependants), tight and weak back muscles, tight and weak leg muscles, which can all lead to joint pain.

What will I have to do in PT?

Therapy generally encompasses pain relief, strength and flexibility training, proper postural alignment, regaining movement or range of motion, improving and correcting posture, endurance training, relaxation and stress relieving techniques, balance and coordination training, proper walking, education, safety awareness, and development, and implementation of a home exercise program.

PT is Worth Your Effort
Remember that each individual is different. Your rehabilitation or PT experience will be individual. Be patient with yourself, your physician and your physical therapy staff. Healing takes time, diligence and compliance. If you think you may be a candidate for physical therapy, speak to your physician or therapist.

This article is an excerpt from a book titled Save Your Aching Back and Neck, A Patient's Guide (Second Edition, May 2002, completely revised).