Try: When should i consider getting physical therapy we often take simple movements like raising an arm or bending a knee for granted however if you have injured one of your body parts and no longer able to move it freely or developed a chronic ailment that makes movement painful you realize just how precious mobility is physical therapy can help you regain most or all of the capability you have lost what exactly is physical therapy and why should i get it physical therapy is a medical specialty that focuses on evaluating and treating problems that occur within the musculoskeletal system this system is made up of the muscles tendons ligaments bones and joints that allow the body to move the primary objective of physical therapy is to restore the patient patient’s freedom of movement as much as possible what kind of training do physical therapists get physical therapists are trained in how the body functions and how the muscles within the body interact the therapist uses this knowledge to diagnose the cause for the mobility loss and to develop a customized treatment plan to restore it why can’t i just do it myself most people think of physical therapy as just a series of exercises many of which can be performed anywhere this common misconception often leads people to believe they don’t really need the services of a therapist but nothing can be further from the truth a well designed therapy program goes beyond mere exercise because the therapist is usually working to accomplish several goals in addition to regaining range of motion therapy also plays an important role in relieving pain increasing flexibility and balance and restoring postural alignment and coordination these different goals require the therapist to use a variety of techniques such as massage heat and electrical stimulation in addition to the exercise regimen how long will it take for physical therapy since therapy involves a process many patients want to know how long it will take there is no simple answer to this question the extent of the damage is a major factor in addition each individual heals at a different rate these factors affect the amount of therapy needed and the duration what can i do to expedite my healing while it is important to the success of the therapy program to give yourself whatever time necessary to get well there are some things you can do to stay motivated and expedite healing the first is to comply with the program your therapist has designed there are times when it may seem as though it is impossible to perform a task but remember the therapist is aware of your difficulty in movement and the pain associated with it the therapist would not ask you to do anything you are incapable of doing you must also stick with the program meaning not only showing up for all of your appointments but also following through with your home exercise program exercising at home lessens recovery time how can i stay on track with the therapy keep up your interest in the program by establishing a series of goals each time you achieve one of those goals give yourself a reward breaking up your therapy program into a series of smaller programs by setting goals may make the time commitment seem less than it actually is
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Categories: Medical Physical, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Fully Aware, Somewhat Aware
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*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed