Physical therapy can help treat injuries or illnesses that result in pain, physical impairment, or loss of function and mobility. Physical therapists are familiar with treating a wide range of patients ranging from children to athletes and the elderly.
Regardless of your age or situation, if you are suffering from an injury and need help in your recovery process, a physical therapist may be able to help.
What Conditions Can Physical Therapy Treat?
Physical therapy can be extremely versatile in the conditions and injuries it can treat.
Some of the most common ailments treated include:
- Sports Injuries: Whether it involves pulled muscles, tennis or golf elbow, torn ligaments, or runner’s knee, your physical therapist has most likely seen and treated your type of sports injury.
At times, a physical therapist may be able to help a patient avoid surgery by strengthening the injured area. While other times, they may be able to help a patient heal and regain mobility from surgery due to a sports injury (such as a torn knee ligament).
- Cognitive Injuries: Whether caused by an accident, sport, or natural occurrence within the body, physical therapy can assist individuals suffering from brain or cognitive injuries. Because movement within the body is highly influenced by signals in the brain, physical therapists may help retrain the brain through physical movement itself. Even further, in conditions such as cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s disease, a physical therapist may be able to help facilitate treatment that helps prevent future injury.
- Autoimmune Conditions: Many autoimmune diseases, such as Lupus, cause pain and tenderness in the joints. In these cases, a physical therapist may combine a diet and exercise plan tailored to the needs of this specific patient in order to garner the best results.
They may also consider the strain on the patient’s joints in these circumstances and choose to incorporate other means of treatment such as aqua or pool therapy.
What to Expect
On your first physical therapy visit, your therapist will evaluate your overall condition and gather information about your situation or injury.
The impairments typically measured are dependent on your individual injury or condition and may include:
- Pain
- Strength
- Range of motion
- Flexibility
- Balance
- Joint mobility
- Neurological function
- Cardiac function
- Pulmonary function
After your therapist has gathered information about your condition, he or she will give you a prognosis and come up with a plan to help you move better and feel better. Typically, this management plan will include a combination of exercises (often completed both in the clinic and at home), strategies, and treatments to help you recover and achieve your health goals.
Some of the treatments your therapist may incorporate depending on your individual situation may include aqua therapy, Kinesio taping, and manual adjustments. While physical therapy may be a stand-alone option for your pain management and recovery goals, our multifaceted medical center may also suggest it be a part of a dynamic healing plan as well.
Contact Us Today
If you are seeking physical therapy to assist you in recovering from an injury, do not hesitate to contact us to schedule a consultation at 661-587-0700. We look forward to assisting you!