Many people believe that physical therapy is only for those who need to recover from surgery. Actually, physical therapy can help with any musculoskeletal pain from the head to the toes. For many people, chronic pain in the back, shoulder and other joints is due to osteoarthritis, or degeneration in the joints that include wear and tear. It is becoming more common as baby boomers age. For others, past injuries and surgeries may cause residual, chronic pain and dysfunction. Improper body mechanics, stiff joints, weak or tight muscles can contribute to and cause exacerbations that can be resolved with physical therapy.
Why Try PT as a First Intervention? It Works, it’s Safe and Saves Money!
Physical therapy can be considered diagnostic—patients should make significant improvement in 2 – 4 weeks; patients always heal faster because the underlying CAUSE of a patient’s problem is addressed.
As healthcare providers streamline their approach to treatment, patients get relief faster and health care costs are reduced. Early intervention that promotes healing, with few side-effects, is essential. There is no need to wait with pain, suffering and the loss of mobility while waiting for expensive tests. In most cases, we can tell what’s going on without the patient having to wait for an MRI, which can save over two thousand dollars, let alone unnecessary surgery. If a specialist such as a neurologist or orthopedist is consulted, they will always want to know what the outcome of the physical therapy treatment is before expensive tests are prescribed. Conservative care should always include physical therapy.
Drugs can have serious side effects and many people are more informed to look at safe alternatives to reduce pain. The painkiller Ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin) has been linked to a 24 percent higher risk of heart attack, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen double a woman’s risk of developing high blood pressure, according to research reported in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association. Other pain relief and anti-inflammatory drugs have been taken off the market due to frightening side effects.
Here are some of the many types of conditions we treat effectively at SOL:
Back + Neck Pain
Sports + Work Injuries
Auto Injuries
Arthritis
Knee Pain
Ankle/Foot + Shoulder Pain
Post Surgical Rehab
Below are 3 common misconceptions when deciding if PT is right for you:
“PT hurts a lot” -Although there is work involved, physical therapy should not be a painful experience and in time should bring relief to your pain.
“I’m too busy”-We realize our clients have busy schedules so we try to accommodate with appointments that include early mornings, evenings and Saturdays.
“Physical Therapy is just exercises and won’t help”-Physical Therapy is skilled intervention that can include manual therapy and movement based activities to get you functioning better. After 4-6 weeks of Physical Therapy, we surveyed our patients and over 81% reported little to no pain, were extremely satisfied with the results, and did not need surgery or drugs.
Give us a call today. We are here to help!
