Six Reasons Physical Therapy is Important

 Physical therapy can help increase your mobility, alleviate pain, as well as prevent disability and future injury. A physical therapist will have a multidisciplinary approach that includes exercise therapy, manual therapy, mechanical force and movements, and more. While you can opt for surgery to treat your conditions, wisconsin physical therapy is effective and less invasive. Here’s why physical therapy is important:

Alleviate or Eliminate Pain

If you are suffering from excruciating joint pain, manual therapy techniques such as soft tissue mobilization can relieve the pain. Your physical therapist may also use other techniques such as taping, ultrasound, or electrical stimulation to improve blood circulation, promote quicker healing, and prevent recurrent pain. Physical therapy targets the source of the pain to alleviate pain completely instead of just masking the problem. 

Improve Mobility

Do you have difficulty walking, moving, or standing? If so, physical therapy can help improve your mobility. The therapy involves performing muscle and joint strengthening and stretching exercises. Your therapist will develop a personalized care plan and help you pick the most effective assistive device like crutches or a walking stick you may need for increased mobility.

Improve Stroke Recovery

When you suffer a stroke, you can have a reduced or diminished ability to move or function your limbs. Physical therapy can increase body strength and help regain your balance. By engaging in therapy exercises your therapist may recommend, you can regain independence and perform simple tasks at home. This will minimize your burden of care for bathing, toileting, dressing, and other activities of daily living. 

Prevent Sports Injuries

If you are an athlete, you can work with a physical therapist to prevent injury and improve your performance. Your therapist will assess your body movements and muscle strength to tailor programs to you and your sport.

Prevent Falls

When you start physical therapy, your therapist will screen you for fall risk. If you are at high risk for falls, your therapist will introduce exercise that carefully and safely challenge your balance to mimic real-life situations. Also, they will recommend exercises to improve coordination and assistive devices to help you walk fast. If an issue in your vestibular system causes the balance problem, your therapist can perform specific maneuvers to restore proper vestibular functioning and minimize or eliminate symptoms of vertigo or dizziness. 

Avoid Surgery

Although surgery is sometimes inevitable, physical therapy can help avoid surgery for others. As the therapy eliminates pain, assists with healing, and improves physical health, it can help heal injured tissue and facilitate mobility. As result, you may not need to undergo a surgical procedure.