Physical Therapy Can Help You Get Back to Doing the Activities You Love
Chronic pain, stiffness, and injury can draw strict lines that govern what you can and cannot do.
Taking pain management drugs offer little more than a temporary solution, while major surgery might actually set you back further.
Luckily, you have another option that can help you get back to the activities you love: physical therapy.
Is pain causing you to limit your activity?
The top reason most people give for not staying active is because they are in pain. According to the National Institute of Health, most Americans experience chronic pain on a daily basis.
Nearly 40 million adults report suffering from moderate to severe pain, which is pretty concerning and also points to underlying health issues.
There is good news though! Physical therapy is an effective and easy way to get rid of a majority of your pain.
Manual therapy from a licensed physical therapist, or ultrasound treatments can drastically improve a person’s condition, help alleviate pain, and restore joint and muscle function.
Discover how you can achieve pain-free movement with physical therapy
A lot of people don’t get enough physical activity every day because they’re dealing with chronic pain that can make it difficult, uncomfortable, and sometimes unsafe to move.
One of the biggest benefits of working with a physical therapist is that he or she can provide services that alleviate your pain, improve your balance, function, and strength, and increase your confidence and self-efficacy so daily exercise is manageable.
Physical therapy makes a natural first line of care for anyone looking to regain lost strength, dexterity, or range of motion. Many people turn to physical therapy to take away the limits imposed by chronic pain or injuries so that they can return to their favorite activities.
Our physical therapist makes a point of going beyond physical exams and symptom evaluations to speak with you about your specific frustrations, limitations, goals, and hopes for relief. We can then arrange a detailed, personalized physical therapy plan that targets those ailments and objectives.
Physical therapy uses a variety of tools and strategies that work together to achieve a desired result. For example:
- Orthotic shoe inserts can help you come back from plantar fasciitis.
- Walking, cycling or swimming can improve the pain-free range of motion in your weight-bearing joints.
- Strength training, chiropractic treatment, and corrective exercises may be recommended to soothe pain and prevent further injury in the neck or back.
- A combination of massage therapy, stretches, heat therapy and cold therapy can ease pain in your hands and wrists.
Does this sound like you?
The human body is capable of an extraordinary range of physical actions, thanks to the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints that make motion possible.
Unfortunately, this amazing structure can run into problems – problems that restrict your range of motion, making even small actions too painful to contemplate.
Let’s look at how issues affecting different body parts can limit your lifestyle:
- Lower extremities – Any physical activity that involves running, jumping, or even standing still can become impossible if your hips, knees, or feet hurt. Osteoarthritis commonly afflicts weight-bearing joints. You could also be struggling with runner’s knee, sciatica, or plantar fasciitis.
- Neck and back – Does your favorite activity require you to crane your neck or twist your back constantly? You may not be able to do either if you’re suffering from a herniated disc, a strained back, overstressed neck muscles, or degenerative spinal joint issues.
- Elbows and shoulders – Athletes regularly struggle with repetitive motion injuries, bursitis, or tendinitis in the elbows or shoulders. Two classic examples include golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow, two similar forms of chronic tendon damage and inflammation.
- Hands – It’s hard to think of any artistic endeavor that doesn’t require limber hands and fingers. Arthritis can stiffen your digits until you can’t play an instrument, draw, or create handicrafts. Carpal tunnel syndrome makes even holding a pen an agonizing experience.
Reclaim your life today!
Don’t settle for being a spectator when it comes to your favorite activities. Jump back into the fun by contacting our physical therapist for treatment services!
Sources:
- http://www.apta.org/scopeofpractice/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/chronic-pain/wrist-and-hand-stretches
- https://www.blog.ohmyarthritis.com/what-is-the-difference-between-tennis-elbow-and-golfers-elbow/
- https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/bones-joints-and-muscles/overuse-and-repetitive-motion-injuries.html
- https://www.whyiexercise.com/physical-therapy-exercises.html
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/in-depth/arthritis/art-20047971
Tags: physical therapy, nutrition, aches and pains, natural pain relief, natural treatment, physical activity, rehabilitation, physical therapists, chronic pain, opioids, physical health, Joint pain
