Many people visit physical therapists to reduce symptoms of pain and stiffness, or to manage chronic health conditions. Others seek long-term physical therapy treatment to maintain optimal movement and function.
A physical therapist will examine your problem areas and then create a care plan to guide your sessions and treatments. These will likely include specific exercises to do during PT and at home, and education on ways to improve your movements. Contact Manhattan Physical Therapy for professional help.
Physical therapy is a health care profession that helps individuals of all ages and abilities to expand, restore, and maintain movement. It focuses on improving the body’s movement patterns to decrease pain, improve function and reduce the need for prescription medications and surgery.
Treatment techniques include manual techniques, therapeutic exercises and modalities such as heat, cold, electrical stimulation and hydrotherapy. Your therapist will customize your treatment plan to align with your personal goals and optimize your recovery.
The goal of physical therapy is to alleviate pain and dysfunction by restoring motion, increasing strength and coordination, reducing the need for prescription medications, and educating patients about managing their symptoms and preventing future injuries. This is done by assessing the patient’s problem, performing hands on care and designing a plan to treat the condition utilizing a variety of methods and techniques.
Your therapist will evaluate your condition by performing an exam and asking questions about the pain you have, the way you move, your daily activities and any other relevant information. They will then create a comprehensive treatment plan that includes your personal goals and how you can achieve them.
During your physical therapy sessions, the therapist will use hands on manual therapy techniques to help you get moving again. These include mobilization of soft tissue, joint manipulation and trigger point massage. These treatments work to improve muscle flexibility and relax your nerves. They can also be used to teach you self-mobilization skills so you can manage your problem in between PT sessions.
Other physiotherapy techniques can include balance and proprioceptive training to help prevent falls, as well as stretching to increase your range of motion. This can be combined with other modalities such as iontophoresis, which uses electrical stimulation to deliver medication through the skin into inflamed or injured tissues.
Depending on your health, physical therapists can also recommend assistive devices such as walkers or braces to support joints, shoe inserts to relieve foot stress, or hot and cold therapies to ease the pain of sore muscles. They can also teach you the correct posture for everyday movements to help with back pain and neck issues.
Exercises
There are many types of exercises used in Physical Therapy, and each one has a specific purpose. Some are designed to strengthen muscles, while others may increase balance and coordination. The exercises also help to improve the quality of a patient’s mobility. Generally, a physical therapist will recommend exercises that are safe to do at home and which fit with a person’s daily routine.
The types of exercise used during PT typically include stretching, strength training, cardiovascular (or aerobic) exercise, and movement reeducation or balance and coordination exercises. Muscle-strengthening exercises are helpful for people who have had injuries or illnesses that cause muscle weakness. Balance and coordination exercises are essential for people with balance disorders, which can lead to falls – one of the leading causes of injury among older adults.
Stretching exercises help to loosen muscles and alleviate tightness and stiffness. Physical therapists use static, dynamic, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching techniques to achieve these results. Regular stretching can also reduce risk of future aches and pains by helping to keep muscles loose.
Aerobic or cardiovascular exercises can be done through a variety of activities, including walking, stationary cycling, swimming, and using cardio machines like treadmills. These types of exercises can increase heart rate, boost circulation, and help to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Physical therapists can teach you how to perform these exercises safely and correctly, and they can show you which equipment is needed. In addition, a physical therapist can help you develop a home program so that you can continue to build strength and improve mobility after your treatment sessions have ended.
Some individuals with arthritis experience a lack of joint flexibility, which can result in pain and difficulty performing daily tasks. Joint-flexibility exercises are useful in addressing these issues, and they can be done at home with the aid of assistive devices such as canes or walkers. A physical therapist can also recommend specific exercises for knees, hips, lower back, and neck that can promote increased joint flexibility. They can also recommend passive range of motion exercises, which involve the physical therapist gently moving a joint through its full range of motion. These types of exercises can be done at a low intensity, and are especially effective in people with osteoarthritis in large joints such as the knee.
Education
The physical therapy career is full of opportunities for growth. To advance in the field, a physical therapist can pursue board certification. Board-certified physical therapists demonstrate expertise in a clinical specialty area and can offer additional benefits to their patients. They also may be eligible for loan forgiveness programs, which can help offset the costs of a physical therapy degree.
To become a physical therapist, you will need to complete a bachelor’s degree program and then a postgraduate professional degree. Most PT schools offer Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degrees, while a few provide Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) degrees. The first step is to choose a bachelor’s degree program that offers a robust science curriculum. Some graduate PT programs require specific science classes as prerequisites, so you should focus on taking these courses throughout your undergraduate education.
When choosing a major, consider your personal and professional goals. For example, if you are interested in working with athletes, consider a sports studies or biology major. You can also choose to major in health sciences, which will give you an extensive education in the laws and regulations of running a practice and healthcare systems. Finally, you can also pursue a major in health care administration, which will prepare you for the leadership role that many physical therapists take on.
During your undergraduate program, look for shadowing or volunteer opportunities to get an early taste of the work you’ll be doing as a physical therapist. These experiences will help you understand the responsibilities and challenges of the job and determine if it’s something that you want to do for a living.
In addition to gaining real-world experience, it’s important to network during your undergraduate and graduate school careers. This will help you find opportunities to build a strong clinical portfolio and gain access to mentors who can help you reach your professional goals.
If you need to borrow money to cover the cost of a PT degree, you should consider your repayment options carefully. For example, if you work for a government organization or nonprofit, you may be eligible for a public service loan forgiveness program. This can help reduce your monthly payments and allow you to devote more time to patient treatment.
Lifestyle changes
There are a number of lifestyle changes that you can make that will not only help your injury, but aid in prevention of long term disease. This includes changing your diet, starting an exercise routine, and making sure you get enough sleep. These are all things that your physical therapist can help you with.
These licensed health professionals engage in specific graduate training and earn their Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree after graduating from an accredited higher educational institution. They are also licensed by the state to provide physical therapy treatment and patient counseling.
The physical therapist’s unique role as an entry-point provider into the healthcare system provides them with a distinct opportunity to influence patients’ behavior and lifestyles. They often have protracted contact with their patients over a prolonged period of time, allowing for the building of rapport and trust. This enables physical therapists to provide education about the importance of lifestyle behaviors for health and wellness, as well as to facilitate patients’ efforts to implement change.
While the exact strategies used by physical therapists to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors vary, a recent study conducted by Frerichs et al concluded that a combination of health education approaches that actively involve the patient—such as discussions, role-playing, and quizzes—and self-monitoring through log books or diaries are more effective than information-only strategies—such as brochures and audiovisual materials (3).
Having a healthy and active lifestyle is something that everyone strives for, but it can be difficult to obtain when you are in pain. Physical therapy is an excellent way to relieve those aches and pains so you can live your life to the fullest again.
To become a physical therapist, you must complete a program of study at an accredited college or university and pass the national board examination. Upon graduation, you must complete a clinical experience to receive your license to practice. The minimum amount of clinical experience required varies by state, but is typically at least 3 months. During this time, you will learn the knowledge and skills that are necessary to assess and treat injuries and diseases of the body and mind.
