Physical therapy: 4 benefits that go beyond better mobility

Posted October 11, 2021 by Ronda Beery, P.T., M.A, CERT. MDT

Pain relief

PT has been shown to be an effective treatment method to reducing or even eliminating pain — both acute and chronic — without surgery or the need for opioids.

Physical therapy uses a variety of therapeutic exercises, and therapeutic interventions such as soft tissue and joint mobilization to help reduce pain, improve range of motion and strength. Patients are educated on proper exercises and many benefit from continuing these exercises long after their program is complete to help avoid pain or injury in the future.

Increase mobility and balance

For patients who lost mobility due to an accident, stroke, prolonged illness or surgery, PT can help them maintain or restore as much function as possible.

A physical therapist will incorporate strengthening and stretching exercises to help improve their mobility. In addition, a therapist can fit them with medical devices, such as crutches or a cane, to help them move safer and more easily, if necessary.

Physical therapist can also develop an individualized plan to get patients back to a specific activity, whether that’s returning to a sport, jogging, gardening or climbing the stairs. The activity can be practiced and adapted, if necessary, to ensure their safety once they’re back at it.

Avoid surgery

Although in some cases surgery is unavoidable, PT can be effective in helping patients avoid surgery by eliminating pain or healing from an injury. In fact, experts believe giving PT a try in a wide variety of musculoskeletal injuries can be the secret to avoiding unnecessary surgeries.

What’s more, even if PT does not prevent surgery, studies show therapy prior to surgery can improve patient outcomes. When patients go into surgery stronger and healthier, it’s likely they will recover better and faster.

Prevent injury

Most people use PT to recover from an injury or reduce pain. But, PT also can play a major role in preventing future injury and pain. Physical therapists can screen patients for areas of muscle weakness or tightness, balance deficits that may make a patient vulnerable to injury. They can create a therapeutic regimen to target those areas and reduce a patient’s risk.

For example, falls for the elderly are common. Physical therapists can help prevent falls with an evaluation and development of custom treatment plans that include exercises to improve strength, coordination and balance. They also can educate patients and their loved ones on how to reduce the fall risk at home.

Hip and knee injuries are common in athletes.  Physical therapist can screen athletes for muscle imbalances and poor mechanics to help prevent a sports injury.

People of all ages and walks of life can benefit from physical therapy.  

Contact one of Summa Health’s 10 outpatient physical therapy locations for more information about our Physical Therapy services.