October is National Physical Therapy Month
As we celebrate this important month, we at INVIVO Wellness want to make everyone in our Milwaukee community more aware of physical therapy and its many helpful benefits.
Moving well is the key to living a healthy, active, and independent lifestyle. Physical therapy helps people of all ages and ability levels restore, regain, and recover movement capabilities – whether you sustained a significant injury, are coping with chronic pain, or are trying to navigate another type of movement issue affecting your daily life.
Physical therapists spend their professional lives identifying, diagnosing, and treating these movement issues. As movement experts, they help people of all walks improve movement and physical function, manage pain and chronic conditions, and recover from and prevent injuries. Through hands-on care, patient education, and prescribed movement, physical therapists can help you optimize your movement and ultimately improve your overall health and well-being.
With physical therapy top of mind this month, here are the top 10 reasons why so many of us can find it beneficial.
1. Maximize your movement.
Are you one of many people who experience pain while sitting, standing, walking, moving, or sleeping? Physical therapists can develop a plan of care to restore your regular function and help you live a happier, independent life.
2. Minimize or reduce pain.
Living with acute or chronic joint or muscle pain can be unbearable and physical therapy can help reduce or eliminate the need for pain medication through a variety of techniques and treatments that help relieve pain and restore muscle and joint function. Manual therapy may include joint and soft tissue mobilization to increase circulation. Exercise and movement training reinforce healthy movement patterns.
3. Reduce injury.
Regular movement and exercise allow you to participate in the activities you enjoy, such as running, hiking, or even walking your dog – without the risk of pain or injury. With a combination of stretching and movement techniques, physical therapists can craft a structured, customized exercise education program that will help reduce injury and prevent future injuries.
4. Regain stability.
For those living with conditions like Ehlers-Danlos (hEDS) or hypermobility syndrome (HMS), you may experience pain, sprains, joint and ligament injuries, loose joints, and dislocations. Physical therapy may include gentle mobilizations, re-education and behavior modifications, and therapeutic exercise programs that focus on strengthening and endurance building to improve postural support.
5. Avoid surgery.
In many cases, physical therapy may be used as an alternative to surgery. Following a physical therapy plan of care can help you eliminate pain, promote healing, and improve strength and flexibility. After treatment, surgery may not be needed. By avoiding surgery, health care costs and recovery time are reduced.
6. Improve performance.
Quality of movement matters in activities of daily living (ADLs) and sports performance. The repetitive nature of many activities like walking, running, cycling, racquet sports, basketball, baseball, and golf may cause undue stress on your muscles and joints. Your physical therapist will monitor your movement patterns and optimize your biomechanics to increase your range of motion, improve endurance, reduce pain, and minimize the risk of injury.
7. Improve your balance and gait to prevent falls.
If you have difficulty walking, experience reduced joint mobility, or suffered a fall, physical therapy can help you improve your balance and your gait so you are able to walk with ease. Your physical therapist can help treat your balance problems by identifying the causes and designing an individual treatment program to help improve your strength, stability, and mobility.
8. Improve posture.
Do you experience neck, back, shoulder, or hip pain while sitting, standing, or sleeping? The importance of proper posture cannot be overstated, including if you are among the millions of professionals now working remotely in a variety of home office setups. To combat the dangers of sitting and improper standing, your physical therapist can provide treatments and exercises to strengthen muscles, improve joint motion, and reinforce healthy postural alignment. Good posture can also improve your balance.
9. Help combat diabetes and heart disease.
If you have diabetes or heart disease, becoming more active can help lower your blood sugar levels. Physical therapy can help people with diabetes take part in safe, effective exercise programs that teach you how to protect painful areas to make them less sensitive to diabetic nerve pain (neuropathy). To prevent heart disease and heart failure, it is essential to be physically active, exercise, and choose healthy habits. Your physical therapist will work with you to create a treatment plan that includes a personalized exercise program and prescribed movements to improve your strength and endurance.
10. Manage age-related issues.
As you age, you may develop arthritis in your knees, hips, or spine. Physical therapy helps aging patients manage arthritic conditions or recover from joint replacement surgeries. Seek guidance from a physical therapist for proper movement techniques and muscle strengthening to help lessen the joint strain and prolong joint health.
If you would like to learn more or schedule an evaluation appointment with INVIVO Wellness physical therapy, please call 414-265-5606 or visit www.invivowellness.com. INVIVO’s physical therapists also offer a complimentary screening to see if physical therapy is the best option for you.
