Pain: The most common and the most obvious reason. We are the movement experts and if you are having pain in your back, knees, shoulder, elbow etc… PT should be one of the most important avenues to pursue for pain relief. As Doctors of Physical Therapy, we are able to determine what is causing your pain and help to alleviate it; but we can also help to determine the underlying cause.
Prevention: A frequent question we get asked from patients after they are feeling better is how do they prevent the issues from returning. There are obviously situations that we do not have any control over. Accidents and injuries happen; we can not control everything. However, working on imbalances can help our bodies move more effectively and efficiently. This can decrease the likelihood of injury due to abnormal mechanics. Body tissues are designed to work in certain positions and angles, if we do not move in correct planes, breakdown tends to occur more rapidly. Addressing imbalances and asymmetries on a preventative basis can help to decrease risk of injuries, degeneration and help to maintain your capabilities for years
Performance: It is a myth that physical therapists do not have expertise in performance training! We are actually able to provide performance training with the inclusion of injury prevention and rehab principles in a way that others cannot. This is important because you can not get better and progress toward your goals if you are battling pain or getting injured.
Wellness: This is a really common trend and topic right now. Having goals is not equivalent to a training objective. Incorporating a few basic exercises, working out, and maintenance routines are all very important. This can be done in many different ways depending on an individual’s needs, desires, goals and preferences. PT can help blend a lot of these things together to give it the feel that you want; low intensity, higher/moderate intensity, warm up/cool down, etc.
Education: Understanding your needs, your body, why you are doing things and how it works is important. Having more knowledge about how the body moves and works together can help you to become more aware of the things you do on a regular basis that effect you-both in the short time and gradually over time.
If it involves movement of the human body, a good PT can probably be involved
and helpful in many ways. Our skills and knowledge extend far beyond the basics
of traditional rehab and what many in the community believe.
If you think we may be able to help, please reach out to us to get scheduled for an evaluation.
Greg Hollenbeck PT, DPT, OCS, SFMA, CF-L1,
Certified Sportsmetrics, Certified Functional
Dry Needling L2, PN1-NC
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