What can Physical Therapy do for you?
- Posted on: Oct 10 2017
There are quite a few misconceptions out in the general public about what physical therapy is. Do therapists just give massages? Or tell patients to do exercises and stretch? Or that they are in pain and can’t come to PT but rather must see a doctor. Well, although physical therapists are trained and do perform massage techniques and create individual strengthening and flexibility programs, physical therapists do so much more. In fact, it would come as a surprise to most people to learn that our physical therapists are indeed doctors. Also, it is New Jersey law that you can see a physical therapist for treatment without a referral from a physician. Another common misconception is that physical therapy
is only for patients who are recovering from surgery.
Although physical therapy is certainly indicated for patients who have had a surgery, physical therapy can be a viable and recommended alternative to surgery in some cases. For example, an injury such as a herniated disk or rotator cuff tear can often be treated conservatively with physical therapy as opposed to undergoing surgery. By going the PT route instead of surgery, all the unpleasant aspects of preparing for and recovering from surgery can be avoided. From a financial standpoint, most patients can continue to work as well instead of taking weeks or months off during their post-operative recovery.
A true success story of a patient taking the PT route and alleviating pain without “having to go under the knife” can be illustrated through the testament of a patient Advanced Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Ann B. “It’s truly amazing how much better I feel since I started coming here. I really thought I was going to need surgery but now it doesn’t even cross my mind,” Ann states. Ann had come to APMR with a longstanding history of chronic back pain and a herniated disc in her Lumbar spine that was leading to pain and weakness in her core and leg. Through PT Ann’s pain has almost completely gone away and her functional ability has greatly improved. “I was never able to move around without pain and I would wake up in pain at night, but I haven’t experienced any of those problems recently.”
As Ann’s testimony demonstrates, physical therapy is a viable option in the treatment of injuries and pain as an alternative to surgery. At AOSMI, our team of Doctors of Physical Therapy will create a comprehensive and individualized plan of care to treat your needs and dysfunction based on your symptoms and presentation. Whether you are suffering from a long-standing issue, or have an acute injury, the doctors at APMR can get you back on the road to recovery utilizing state of the art hands-on techniques, as well as corrective exercise. If you have questions about whether physical therapy can help your current dysfunction, call one of our offices conveniently located in Brick, Red Bank, Belmar, Manalapan, Morganville and Edison, and one of our doctors of physical therapy will be happy to speak to you.
Posted in: Physical Therapy
