Misconceptions About PT
SHOULDN’T PHYSICAL THERAPY MAKE ME SORE?
Perhaps you have tried physical therapy before and the activities they gave you were so basic it seemed like a waste of time. Wouldn’t a good physical therapy program be something that is really hard work that you would feel sore from afterward?
I can absolutely understand that feeling; I have asked similar questions during my education. However, over the years I discovered how productive small movements are in “re-wiring” the connection between your brain and your muscles. This is especially true when you are in pain and want to avoid exacerbating your symptoms. So if you can try to look at the activities with a new perspective, you might be surprised. Sometimes the first step to health is a very small one!
IT’S JUST A SMALL PAIN
I had a client once who was advised by a friend to go to physical therapy for a pain in her toe. Although it may seem insignificant to most people to go in for something that small, PT can often address issues that could cause other, bigger issues such as hip, knee and low back pain.
No pain is ridiculous! The way we move is highly dependent on our “kinetic chain” working together to create efficient movement. Everything in our body is connected and each component – no matter how small – serves a purpose. To get you to your optimal health, every part of your body needs to be in its optimal state. Pain in any location will likely force your body into compensating and that can cause bigger long term issues.
BUT I’M NOT IN PAIN
You may have seen some stuff from physical therapists that talks about physical therapy for prevention.
First: physical therapy can help you discover pain or limited mobility that you are not even aware of. Few, if any, of us are in our optimal physical state. Most people don’t know that their bodies are built to move more than they currently can. Surprisingly, even well-conditioned athletes have mobility and movement deficits that a skilled physical therapist (PT) can identify. There are over 600 muscles and 300 joints in the human body; we can all stand to gain more flexibility, mobility, and strength! Second: we are trying to get people to think ahead and incorporate habits into their lifestyle that will help them avoid diseases and surgeries in the future. If we look at it like that, then an Dr. Movement Physical administered by a professional PT can save your life!