Why Physical Therapy Gets Overlooked
We live in a generation where almost everything is available instantly, food, transportation, even beauty services. That expectation of speed is one of the reasons not everyone welcomes the idea of physical therapy. People who suffer chronic pain or immobility often choose surgery over therapy, believing it's the faster, more effective solution, even though most primary care doctors wouldn't recommend surgery as a first option given how intrusive it is.
Beyond treating chronic pain and injuries, physical therapy helps all of us understand how our unique bodies developed from childhood into adulthood, and how to work with our body's adaptations and needs. Having an in-depth understanding of how we move is a valuable tool for pursuing fitness and well-being, and it's worth asking where we are, functionally, right now, before deciding where we want our bodies to go.
Physical Therapy Manages Pain at the Source
Pain, no matter how small or intermittent, is still impacting your life. It signals that something isn't working well, and while over-the-counter medication may help temporarily, the relief is usually short-lived. Physical therapy helps manage both the pain and its cause, a physical therapist works directly with a patient over time to achieve lasting results without unnecessary drug prescriptions, expensive imaging, or invasive tests.
This is especially valuable for chronic pain, which is usually caused by repetitive injuries or traumas that didn't heal properly. Physical therapy uses techniques and exercises that de-stress the muscles, joints, nerves, and tissue. It may take longer to take effect than pain medication, but the relief tends to last longer because the healing begins at the source of the pain.
Physical Therapy Saves Money in the Long Run
Any health condition can become expensive, treatments, medications, and procedures add up quickly. Physical therapy is a great way to avoid spending thousands on ongoing medical treatment for chronic pain. It heals injuries through a conservative, evidence-based approach, making it less likely that the problem returns, which reduces the need for pain management medications, relief treatments, and even surgery down the line.
Physical Therapy Helps Manage Overall Health
As we age, one of the most important parts of life, our health, begins to decline. Physical therapy helps manage health better and avoid age-related issues such as osteoporosis or arthritis. It can also help manage diabetes, and heart and lung diseases, since the right exercise helps control blood sugar and pulmonary function while conditioning the body and its organs.
Physical therapy provides real benefit at every age, from a growing teenager to an aging adult. It's a safer, more conservative approach than most alternatives, and it delivers strong results.
Preventing Recurring Injuries and Supporting Wellness
4. Prevent recurring injuries. Injuries from physical activity often go untreated, especially minor ones, which is what often leads to chronic pain and recurring injuries. Pain medications don't cure an injury, they mask the pain while the tissue remains damaged. Returning to normal activity before an injury has fully healed puts you at greater risk for the same, or a more complicated, injury. Physical therapists are trained to determine and target the actual source of the problem.
5. Overall wellness improvement. Achieving high-level wellness, in reference to the illness-wellness continuum, requires independence, awareness, education, and growth. Physical therapists are highly qualified movement specialists who can contribute to this goal, alongside a wellness coach, a nutritionist or registered dietitian for intuitive eating, or a psychologist or psychotherapist for mindfulness and mental health.
Let Tribeca Physical Therapy assist you with lowering your resting heart rate. Tribeca Physical Therapy is open for in-person physical therapy sessions and continues to offer Telehealth PT, or Virtual PT. Call us at (212) 406-8080 or message us to schedule your first session.