If you are recovering from a sports-related injury and are still experiencing pain or have compromised physical functioning, physical therapy can help restore movements such as walking and moving different body parts. Working with your New Brunswick physical therapy specialist after an injury comes with numerous benefits. Below are some main reasons why physical therapy after an injury is vital.
Manage your pain
Pain is one of the common symptoms following an injury, which can significantly affect your productivity and overall life quality. Fortunately, physical therapy can reduce or eliminate pain after an injury. Your provider guides you through therapeutic exercises and manual therapy techniques to help you recover from an injury. Whether the pain stems from a fracture, whiplash, a herniated disc, or any other injury, your physical therapist can help you alleviate the discomfort and build strength. As a result, you do not rely on pain medications during your recovery period.
Lower risk of a future injury
Physical therapy builds your strength and increases your flexibility, making it less likely for you to face an injury in the future. Your physical therapist can help build strength in body areas with muscular and skeletal weaknesses through specific exercises. They can also determine how susceptible to injuries and the areas likely to be affected. During a physical therapy session, your specialist guides you through exercises to strengthen areas of your joints, muscles, and body parts that are more likely to get injured.
Speeds up recovery
Individuals who work with physical therapy after an injury recover faster than those who do not. Physical therapy shortens the time you need to recover, allowing you to return to your old self sooner. The exercises and guidance of a specialist during the sessions will help you learn better movements to avoid further injuries. Besides shortening the recovery time, you will also have a better range of motion and more muscle strength after your therapy sessions.
Improves mobility
One of physical therapy aims is to restore or improve mobility after an injury. Your provider will help you with exercises that will stretch and strengthen your muscles, allowing you to stand, walk, and perform other movements. Sometimes one may need assistive devices like crutches or a cane – your therapist can help with this too.
Minimizes the need for surgery
Although conservative treatments like medications, immobilization, and rest can help treat injuries, sometimes surgery is necessary. However, the benefits you gain from physical therapy may sometimes eliminate the need for surgery. While surgery is sometimes the preferred treatment, it comes with several risks. Additionally, surgery involves a lengthy recovery process, so it is best to avoid this invasive treatment if possible. Even if you can’t avoid surgery altogether, physical therapy can be useful pre-surgery, allowing you to undergo the procedure when healthier and stronger. Going into surgery in good shape leads to a faster recovery afterward.
You owe it to yourself to try physical therapy if you are recovering from an injury. Call Pain & Anesthesia Care to discuss how you can benefit from physical therapy with your specialist.
