Why physical therapy?

Better question. Why not Physical Therapy?

I’ve heard the statements and questions so many times before… “I don’t know if this is right for me.” or “I was told I had to be here.” or “You can do that??” or “Will this even help/what’s the point?” or even “I’ve tried this before and it didn’t work.”

I get it. It’s hard to wrap your head around something that seems to be so poorly defined. For so long Physical Therapists had limited autonomy and had to no choice but to market themselves to Physicians and Surgeons as an adjunct to their treatment, meaning primarily working on post-op patients therefore performing a lot of ranging and strengthening, at least initially. And while yes this is definitely something that Physical Therapists still do but it is such a small piece of the pie that we have to offer.

We have been defined for too long by the stigma of those who stretch and strengthen and need to begin being defined more by the knowledge we possess of the human body and how it functions as a whole, not just in parts that have been imaged or cut into.

And that’s where the question of “Why Physical Therapy?” really comes into focus. Our current typical healthcare model presents this never-ending cycle of referrals where you are must see your PCP or GP to be told to rest and ice and use NSAIDs and then a possible referral to a specialist. It then takes 2 weeks to see the specialist and they will want to perform imaging which then takes a week to receive and then you need another appointment to discuss results and then options be it surgical or not. Then you may receive a referral for Physical Therapy and by now it has been at least a month since the initial injury or your decision to seek help and no real treatment has even been provided yet.

Not gonna lie that was exhausting just to type much less to think about the stress of the unknown through that entire process. How about instead you start that process by seeing someone who is trained specifically in treating musculoskeletal disorders. AKA those aches and pains and joint/muscle issues you’ve been dealing with whether short or long term. That’s exactly what we are here for. And the great news is you no longer have to have a referral to see us, especially if seeing a cash-based practitioner.

And before you dismiss that thought saying, “Why would you not take insurance?” Consider for a second how much you are having to pay for each of those doctor visits listed above while trying to meet a deductible. It adds up quickly, especially when any imaging comes into the picture. Then you have the lost value of the time it took to make all that happen just to end up back at that physical therapy clinic where you see a PT for 25% of the time and the rest is you being led through exercises by a tech that does not understand the complexities of movement in any way.

Now imagine this scenario. You have an injury (sprained ankle, twisted knee, pulled your back, etc.) or have a nagging joint that you finally want to get checked out. You contact a Physical Therapist you can see in the next few days, knowing that you will have their undivided attention for at least an hour per visit and that the entire body will be assessed, not just the area of concern. An individualized plan is made between you and the PT as to how you are going to improve your current movement strategies to allow for a much quicker recovery. And rather than having to see said PT 2x/wk for 6wks (look/sound familiar), you see them once every 2-3 weeks. Less sessions with greater detail and focus on the true issue at hand. Sounds like a solid picture to me.

Now as to the bigger Physical Therapy picture. The ultimate goal, regardless of who you see or where you go is to allow you to take control of your body and hopefully decrease if not eliminate your reliance on painkillers and surgeries to address every issue but rather gain a better understanding of what your body is and does and how you have the ability to modify and change it yourself to decrease how often you have to think about your pain throughout the day and instead allow you to appreciate how much you are now able to do and accomplish each and every day.

If that doesn’t sound like something you’re interested in, then I’m not sure I can help you. But if any of this resonates with you even slightly, please to do not hesitate to reach out to me or a local practitioner so we can determine how to best begin your journey of self-improvement.

And so again I ask… Why not Physical Therapy?

-Jay