The health and wellness journey can come with many roadblocks along the way. You can sustain an unexpected injury or develop a medical condition that interferes with your body’s mobility and function. But the good news is that physical therapy can help you overcome those obstacles.
If you have an injury or medical condition that interferes with your quality of life, your health care provider may recommend that you schedule a physical therapy appointment. Physical therapy is a type of health care that helps people restore, improve and maintain their physical capabilities that have been impacted by injuries, medical conditions or surgery. Learning about the finer points of physical therapy can help you determine if it’s the right choice for you.
We’ll talk about the basics of physical therapy, the goals it can help you accomplish and what to expect when you start physical therapy.
The basics of physical therapy
Physiotherapy, commonly referred to as physical therapy, is a part of the health care industry that focuses on using techniques, treatments and modalities to help your body’s overall function. It focuses on pain management and improving your gross motor skills required to handle everyday physical tasks.
Physical therapy can benefit people who are struggling with:
- Reduced mobility.
- Chronic pain.
- Balance and gait disorders.
- Injury rehabilitation.
- Surgery recovery.
- Women’s health issues.
Physical therapy includes a variety of techniques, treatments and modalities to help patients, including:
- Manual therapy.
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization.
- Therapeutic exercises.
- Cupping.
- Dry needling.
The goals that physical therapy can help you achieve
It’s important to know about how a physical therapist can help you in many different facets of your health and wellness. They can help you set general and personal goals that can be achieved through personalized treatment.
The goals that you set for physical therapy should go beyond reducing your pain and improving your mobility. Physical therapy is designed to help you achieve general goals including:
- Determining the root cause of your issues.
- Restoring physical capabilities that have been impacted by an injury or medical condition.
- Learning lifestyle and habit changes that can provide long-term health benefits.
- Returning to sports or regular fitness routine.
- Improving your balance and coordination to reduce the risk of a fall.
- Learning new exercises to incorporate into your workout routine.
Some people will also set particular goals that they hope to achieve after completing physical therapy treatment. Examples of personal physical therapy goals include:
- Walking up stairs without assistance.
- Walking for a specific amount of time or distance without the need to rest.
- Lifting a specific amount of weight.
What to expect when you start physical therapy
Even though physical therapy is a huge step in your health and wellness journey, it can still be a bit intimidating if you’ve never had it before. Learning about what to expect when you start physical therapy treatment can help you feel prepared and actively engage in each session to maximize your positive results.
Here’s what to expect from your first physical therapy session:
- Insurance verification — It’s important that your chosen clinic verifies your insurance coverage with your carrier to determine what treatments are covered and any out-of-pocket costs you may have. For those without insurance, self-pay is an option.
- Background information — The first appointment with your physical therapist will start with answering questions about your injury or medical condition symptoms that you’re looking to treat. They’ll also ask you to share information about your medical history.
- Evaluation — The physical therapist will do an evaluation of your physical capabilities, including strength, flexibility and range of motion. They will use their observations of your movements and the severity of your symptoms to determine the cause of your issue.
- Recommendations — Your therapist will use the information that they gathered about your symptoms and physical capabilities to recommend treatments, techniques and modalities that will be the most effective for your issue.
- Start recovery — You’ll often start your treatment plan during your first appointment to help you begin the recovery process. Your physical therapist will probably walk you through low-intensity treatments before full treatment starts during the next session.
Alliance PTP is ready to help you find a caring partner for physical therapy treatment
Need a partner to help you start physical therapy? Alliance Physical Therapy Partners is here for you.
We can help you find the physical therapy that’s right for you, and even better, we’ll help you find a team of caring professionals who are ready to walk with you through your entire PT journey.
Find a location near you today to start getting the care you need.
Get Help at a Location Near You