5 Frequently Asked Questions About Physical Therapy

Physical activity is an essential part of your daily life. It keeps your body strong and healthy. For this reason, people go to gyms, swimming pools, and group fitness classes. However, some people with injuries or chronic health issues may require a specific set of exercises to improve their health and relieve discomfort. Physical therapy is one of the most effective techniques of physical rehabilitation accessible that offer personalized treatment for your unique case.

Below are 5 frequently asked questions about physical therapy that you might like to know.

1. What is physical therapy?
Physical therapy aids in the recovery of patients following surgery, an accident, or an injury. It improves the function of a person's body when it cannot normally work. This often happens after a heart attack, stroke, or fall. Besides physical therapy can help you cope with age-related neurological conditions or other conditions that affect the way your body functions. A physical therapist assesses a person based on their mobility, balance, and strength.

2. What happens during a physical therapy session?
In the beginning, the therapist reviews your medical history and asks you to undergo a physical examination. The examination usually includes special testing procedures to evaluate your posture, flexibility, and the performance of muscles and joints. After an examination, you will receive a diagnosis and a treatment strategy with a prognosis and long-term goals of treatment.

Depending on your diagnosis, the doctor may recommend a variety of exercises and lifestyle changes to improve your condition. Physical therapy may also include self-management recommendations and exercises that should be done at home.

3. Who needs physical therapy?
A physical therapist can help you recover from an accident or disease that causes pain, physical disability, or limit your movements. Physical therapists work with patients of all ages. Many physical therapists specialize in treating certain groups of people like children, the elderly, or athletes. If you experience reduced mobility a physical therapist can develop a personalized treatment strategy to improve function.

You may need physical therapy to:
- Improve the range of motions
- Ease pain and discomfort
- Recover from sports injuries
- Prevent surgery
- Manage conditions like arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease
- Manage bowel and bladder issues
- Learn to use special assistive devices
- Rehab after a childbirth
- Recover from surgery, accident, or stroke
- Adapt to an artificial limb
- Decrease the risk of disability
- Manage neurological conditions
- Improve pulmonary and cardiac function

A sports therapist can assist an athlete in improving their performance by strengthening certain body parts and using muscles in new ways.

4. Are there different types of physical therapy?
There are several different types of physical therapy that therapists can implement depending on your needs:
- Orthopedic physical therapy is used to treat musculoskeletal issues like fractures, sprains, tendonitis, bursitis, and recover from orthopedic surgery
- Neurological physical therapy aids in the treatment of neurological conditions Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and other
- Pediatric physical therapy treats diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system of infants, children, and adolescents
- Vestibular therapy treats problems with balance of different origins
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation helps improve the stamina and endurance of people with cardiopulmonary conditions
- Pelvic floor rehabilitation aids in recovery from urinary or fecal incontinence and pelvic pain
- Decongestive therapy helps treat health conditions that involve the fluid accumulation

Physical therapists usually use physical manipulations to address the cause of pain and discomfort. But sometimes the doctor may suggest additional procedures like ultrasound, phonophoresis, electrical stimulation, heat or cold therapy, and light therapy.

5. Do physical therapists have specialist certifications?
Physical therapists are professionals licensed by the state in which they provide physical therapy services. Physical therapists should have a master's degree or a clinical doctoral degree from an approved institution. Before providing services, the physical therapist must pass a licensing exam.

Physical therapists are certificated to evaluate your condition and assist you in regaining maximum mobility and independence. They can offer a wide variety of personalized techniques and procedures to help you move and feel better.