Everyone wants to live a fulfilling, healthy life. Many opt for exercise and diet, but a critical component—physical therapy—is often overlooked. A physical therapist is seen as a person who helps with injuries and mobility after surgery or an accident. Yet, the physical therapist can do much more to contribute to your wellness journey. This article will explore why everyone should incorporate physical therapy into their wellness journey.

Proactive care

Physical therapists are trained and licensed movement experts who aim to improve a person’s range of movements and quality of life. A physical therapist can:

• Conduct a physical exam and evaluate a person’s movement, flexibility, muscle and joint motion, and performance.
• Give a clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and care plan with long- and short-term goals.
• Perform physical therapy treatment and intervention.
• Give self-management recommendations, including exercises to improve a person’s health and mobility.

A physical therapist can comprehensively assess your physical condition, mobility, weak areas, lifestyle, and goals at any stage of your life. This in-depth evaluation forms the foundation of a personalized plan specifically designed to address your unique needs. This tailored approach enhances the effectiveness of the therapy and treatment and empowers you, putting you in the driver’s seat of your health. With physical therapy, you can take charge of your overall well-being journey.

Preventative care

Physical therapists focus on musculoskeletal conditions and build coordination, sensory awareness, and core strength to improve muscular balance. They don’t just address issues; they prevent them from escalating into serious injuries. A physical therapist’s thorough evaluation and assessment give them an idea of which areas of your body to strengthen and exercise to restore its proprioception – the body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location. The proprioceptive sense is crucial, particularly for older people, as it naturally deteriorates with age and can lead to falls with many detrimental consequences. With physical therapy, you can feel secure and protected, as it improves your mobility, helping to avoid the degradation of many body systems and preventing complications and injuries.

Injury prevention is a cornerstone of physical therapy. The help of a physical therapist who prescribes specific exercises and stretches to strengthen the muscles around problem areas helps mitigate the risk of injuries. Athletes are prone to injuries, from sprains to strains, ACL tears, and concussions, which are part of sports. Physical therapy is essential for athletes to manage and prevent injuries. A physical therapist can develop a customized plan to improve strength, flexibility, balance, and techniques to help athletes avoid injuries and manage pain. Some of the strategies that a physical therapist would suggest include the following:

• Warm-up and cool-down: Before starting an activity, an athlete needs to perform a dynamic warm-up that includes stretches, cardio, and movements related to their sport. Cooling down after the activity helps reduce soreness and relax muscles.
• Strength training: Strength exercises can build and strengthen the muscles most used in a sport, improving overall function without risk of injury.
• Flexibility training: Flexibility training, which a physical therapist prescribes for a specific sport and targets the areas where strength is needed, can improve range of motion.
• Proper technique: Proper form is essential to prevent injury and achieve the best results in your sport. Coaches and trainers can help with this, but a physical therapist can best assist with correct movements to prevent injury and boost correct motion.

Movement optimization

Physical therapy can help people with various conditions, such as neurological diseases, post-surgery pain, and traumatic injuries, move more efficiently and reduce pain. It also optimizes recovery and educates people on optimizing their movement patterns. Strengthening and stretching exercises can restore movement in people of all ages.

Muscle weakness, loss of strength, or atrophy are other factors debilitating movement after hospitalization. Physical therapists can help individuals through specialized exercises catering to their level of function and goals. Movement optimization is about enhancing performance, and a physical therapist can provide the necessary support and guidance.

Common conditions physical therapy helps

Here are some of the most common conditions that physical therapy can help:

• Sports injuries: Physical therapy can treat sports injuries such as sprains, stress fractures, ligament tears, and muscle strains.
• Lymphedema: Swelling occurs in the arms or legs due to fluid buildup, which can be relieved with physical therapy.
• Muscular dystrophy: Mobility exercises can address the progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass.
• Neck and back pain: Physical therapy can ease neck and back pain that lasts for months and improve mobility in this area.
• Osteoporosis: Physical therapy can help with osteoporosis, which causes brittle, weakened, and thin bones and results in fractures. It lessens bone loss and helps with balance to avoid falls.
• Headaches: Physical therapy can help people suffering from headaches by exercising the neck, shoulders, and back muscles.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome: Commonly causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the hands and arms. Physical therapy and arm stretches and exercises can relieve stress injuries.
• Joint replacement: Surgery requires movement rehabilitation afterward. Physical therapy can restore movement, reduce pain and discomfort, and restore mobility.
• Parkinson’s disease: Requires strength, balance, increased mobility, and guidance with movement to improve independence.

Personalized plans

Patients must have a personalized plan according to their condition and recovery. It is important to have an expert on your healthcare team who knows your weaknesses and takes a holistic approach to wellness. They consider factors like mental health, age, nutrition, previous injuries, goals, and lifestyle to address your treatment in a personalized plan, enhancing the therapy’s effectiveness.

Success

Several patients followed through with physical therapy and restored their ultimate movement and a fulfilling life. Pro athlete RJ Alaniz received treatment after surgery. He recovered 100% within three months and returned to his baseball games.

Emmanuel Lopez, an Ironman triathlete, visited XO because of inflammation. Physical therapists use muscular balance and strengthening exercises in a personalized therapy plan to prevent injury in the future. He said, “ [The goal from the physical therapist at XO] was to educate me on how to treat the body and how to strengthen the body to never go through such injury again.”

RGV Physical Therapy

In the Rio Grande Valley, XO Physical Therapy provides experienced physical therapy and rehabilitation services. With the latest technology, specialized services, and personalized treatment plans, they can assist you on your wellness journey to ensure the best quality of life. Don’t wait for an injury or surgery. Make an appointment at your earliest convenience to improve your well-being for optimum life with a team of experts on your side.