In my professional opinion, physical therapy can almost always be appropriate. A common misconception is people have to be in either a lot of pain, had prolonged pain, or surgery to receive physical therapy. Yes, these all require treatment by us, movement specialists, but these are not the only cases where treatment is warranted.
I want to take a second to focus on the term “movement specialist,” before I continue. Physical therapists are truly just that. We are specialists in understanding and treating all the forms of movement the body produces. We address the body as the dynamic organism that it is. While you may have knee pain, we analyze the body as a whole to find the root cause. The knee pain could be a symptom of the ankle or hip dysfunction, or maybe it is the opposite leg causing the issue. The point is the body isn’t a singular joint or singular tissue. As movement specialists, we take into consideration the tissue type (muscle, cartilage, bone, nerve, etc.), the load/stress the tissue is under, how long it has been exposed to the load/stress, movement patterns, and so forth. The body is a dynamic machine and we approach it as such.
I say all that to get to the point of everyone can benefit from being analyzed or getting consultation from a physical therapist. Whether you are an elite athlete who wants to improve their game or age superior and having issues with walking or balance. Our understanding of the body and movement analysis can benefit everyone and the best part about it is, you don’t have to have an injury to see us. We can help you perform optimally in your everyday life before anything occurs. As physical therapists, we fully recognize the movement patterns you need and how to strengthen, improve coordination, and reduce the likelihood of injuries. For example, a runner wants to begin training for a half marathon, but in the past, they have been plagued with shin splints. To them it is inevitable, it’s just a matter of when it happens. It would be so advantageous to talk to a physical therapist to discuss their running plan and worries. We are just as dedicated to injury prevention as general rehabilitation. Another great example, an elderly man who wants to get outside more, but is concerned about uneven terrain and falling. He has no history of falling or current impairments, he is merely concerned because his friends report falling outside because they didn’t see a tree root or change in sidewalk elevation. He could come into the clinic for a consultation/evaluation to discuss how he can safely navigate any terrain he might encounter even begin a home program to improve balance and coordination. He becomes confident in his own abilities and safety while participating in life the way he wants to.
Physical Therapy can be utilized for so much more than what people realize and one of my missions is to bring that to light to the public. Physical therapy is so much more than massages and exercises. Talk to your DPT today, and see what they can do for you.
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