Ten Reasons Why You Should See A Physical Therapist
Let’s face it, body aches and pains are a fact of life. If you’ve managed to avoid them thus far, congratulations! Unfortunately, however, the day is coming when you will hurt for one reason or another. We as humans are always “pulling something”, “feeling a pop”, and the classic “I don’t know what I did but now this hurts so bad”.
When pain comes, what do you do? Where do you turn? For most of us, our first line of defense is our primary care physician. But did you know that might not always be your best option? There may be a better alternative that can help you to get better faster, more completely, and at a decreased cost to you. Today here on the Fit Stop Blog I’m sharing 10 reasons why you should go see a physical therapist for your next injury. Here we go!
1. Physical therapists are musculoskeletal specialists. Physical therapists go to school for 7 years to learn all about the body including anatomy, movement patterns, mechanics, etc. When something goes wrong, there is no one better suited than a physical therapist to identify movement dysfunctions and then recommend a course of care for you.
2. Physical therapists treat pain AND mechanical dysfunction. Oftentimes when you go to a physician they will recommend treatments, such as medication, that primarily address your pain. In physical therapy, we understand the body. We understand that you’re in pain for a reason and those are the two things we treat. We treat the pain so you feel better and we treat the mechanics so the pain doesn’t ever return.
3. Physical therapy yields quicker recovery. The sooner you identify the cause of your pain and the best course of treatment available, you can start taking steps necessary to feel better. Physical therapists will get you on the right road a lot sooner than running through the “medical gamut” of imaging, further consultations, etc.
4. Physical therapy is less expensive. Did you know that people who go see a physical therapist first for an injury spend about one third the amount of money that those who go to their primary care physician spend?! Think of it! People who go their primary care physician typically get sent for x-rays, receive prescriptions, consult with other “specialists”, and may or may not eventually be referred to physical therapists. This can really add up – not only monetarily, but with your time, your pain, time away from work, etc.
5. Physical therapy works naturally with your body to help you feel better. There are no medications, injections, or other synthetic substances introduced into your body. Physical therapy is completely natural and can be an effective means of decreasing pain without medication.
6. Physical therapists are trained in exercise prescription. You physical therapist can instruct you in the proper performance of the right exercises to help decrease pain and increase function. Whether the best course of action is to increase the strength of your core or maximize the range of motion in your shoulder, your physical therapist will provide you the knowledge and skills you need to maximize your healing potential.
7. Physical therapy is cheaper than surgery. The body wants to heal. It wants to feel better. When the right combination of stretching and strengthening combine with hands on care and modalities amazing things can happen! Physical therapists can, in some instances, eliminate the need for painful and costly surgery.
8. Physical therapists can improve fitness and function. As experts in movement and mechanics your physical therapist can recommend exercises and exercise programs that will allow you not only decreased pain now, and a lifetime of healthy movement years from now. Your PT can give you exercise advice and recommendations so that you can enjoy life to the fullest for many years to come!
9. Physical therapy can help improve your condition now and forever. One of the primary elements of any successful physical therapy process is the home exercise program. This program is 4-5 exercises you do at home on a daily basis to increase strength and range of motion in key areas of your body to eliminate pain and promote healthy movement. These exercises are relevant not only while you’re in physical therapy, but long after you’ve completed your recommended plan of care. Your physical therapist can show you more exercises that will be valuable resources for you to maximize function for the rest of your life.
10. Fit Stop Physical Therapy offers FREE therapy assessments! If you’re hurting and don’t know where to turn, we do offer free physical therapy assessments. Come in and talk to one of our professionals who can give you valuable information about your condition. If your problem is something physical therapy can help we will get you on the schedule for a formal evaluation. If we think your problem is a little more complex we will be able to direct you towards the appropriate provider to give you the best possible outcomes as quickly as possible.
With regards to pain there are a couple of hard and fast truths. 1) Nobody likes it and 2) There are better options that exist in its treatment. We at Fit Stop would love to see you in one of our clinics to start on this journey towards eliminating your pain and getting you back to those activities you enjoy as quickly as possible.
If you have any questions we would love to hear from you! Click here to be taken to our contact page to set up an appointment or you can email us at FitStopPhysicalTherapy{at}gmail.com
Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT
Fit Stop, Farmington
By Fit Stop Physical Therapy