Physical Therapy – Importance and Benefits

Posted on: Sep 15, 2022 | | Written by:

Physical Therapy – Importance and Benefits

Published on September 13, 2022. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes

Unless you suffer from some debilitating form of illness that interferes with your everyday functions, you probably move around throughout the day. However, you might sometimes feel minor aches or discomfort while walking briskly or bending at a certain angle. That could be a sign that you need a physical therapist. Different types of medical conditions, illnesses, or injuries can limit your ability to move freely and function well. This is when a physical therapy program can help you get back to your prior level of functioning. As we celebrate World Physical Therapy Day on September 8, let’s learn more about the benefits of physical therapy. Also make sure you have the best health insurance plan possible, to take care of any medical emergencies.

What to Expect?

The first step is evaluation. A physical therapist will conduct a physical examination and evaluate your functional mobility such as flexibility, muscle and joint movement, strength, balance, pain, cardiovascular performance, etc. Then, they will give a clinical diagnosis, discuss your goals for therapy and develop the exercise regime. During every visit, it is important to discuss with your therapist about any pains that you experience and its severity, what are the activities that cause pain, and if you have been feeling any better with the exercises. This will help your physical therapist to modify the treatment plan if required. Your therapist will also teach you how to do the exercises at home.

Benefits of Physical Therapy

Here are the top benefits of going for physical therapy. And in case your condition aggravates, or a serious condition is diagnosed, make sure you have health insurance to deal with the situation.

1. Reduces or eliminates pain:

To help reduce pain and restore muscle and joint function, therapists recommend soft joint and tissue mobilisation or treatments like taping, ultrasound or electrical stimulation. These therapies and exercises also prevent recurrence of pain.

2. Helps prevent surgery:

When any pain becomes unbearable, the first option that comes to the mind is surgery. However, in many cases, physical therapy has been found to be effective in relieving the pain and preventing surgery altogether. So, before going under the knife, approach a physical therapist. Even if surgery is unavoidable, getting therapy before surgery will helpyou recover faster. Just remember to keep your health insurance plan active so that you are financially covered.

3. Helps recover from injury or trauma:

Sports-related injuries like stress fractures for distance runners can be traumatic. A physical therapist can design appropriate recovery or prevention exercise programs,so you can recover well and resume your sport.

4. Helps recover from stroke:

After a stroke, there are chances of losing some degree of movement and mobility. As a result, patients often become dependent on others for their daily activities such as bathing, dressing and even for their toilet needs. Physical therapy can help in strengthening the weakened parts of the body though and improve the patient’s ability to do things independently.

5. Improves mobility:

Strengthening exercises and stretching can help improve your mobility if you have problems walking, moving or even standing. Depending on your condition, the physical therapist may prescribe crutches, cane or any other assistive device. And in case you need any invasive procedure, a comprehensive health insurance policy can help you.

6. Manages age-related issues:

With age, many people develop arthritis or osteoporosis and may need joint replacement to prevent further damage. In case you are someone like that, therapy can helpyou recover fast from joint replacement and manage the condition conservatively.

7. Improves balance and prevents falls:

If you are at risk of losing balance, a therapist can help you with exercises that improve coordination and assistive devices to prevent falls while walking. If the imbalance or dizziness is due to a problem in the vestibular system, the therapist can perform specific exercises to restore proper vestibular functioning. They will also work towards eliminating the symptoms of vertigo or dizziness.

8. Manages pain and avoids opioids:

Opioids can only mask pain and give you short-term relief. Opioids can also lead to depression and withdrawal symptoms after you stop their use. Physical therapy,on the other hand, can help manage pain without the risk of opioids.

Who Can Benefit?

Physical therapy can prove to be highly beneficial if you suffer from chronic pain, disabilities, restricted mobility due to injuries or trauma or any other health conditions, sports-related injuries, joint pains, cancer survivors, etc. But remember to keep your health insurance handy as well, in case any hospitalisation is required.

Common Conditions that Can Be Treated with Physical Therapy

Here are some common conditions which are treated with physical therapy:

• Sports injuries

• Back and neck pain

• Foot & Ankle injuries

• Hip, knee and shoulder conditions

• Joint Replacement

• Muscular dystrophy

• Vertigo

• Lymphedema

• Osteoporosis & arthritis

• Parkinson’s Disease

• Sciatica

• Postoperative cancer care

Conclusion

Physical therapy is effective in treating a wide range of bone-related conditions, sports injuries, and other health conditions. The treatment, however, depends on your specific condition as each person responds differently to therapy. Hence, before starting the therapeutic procedures, the therapist will assessyour condition and recommend treatments which will work best for you. Also, make sure you have a health insurance plan and check with your insurer if it covers physical therapy. If you don’t have health insurance, buy one at the earliest to stay prepared for any medical emergencies.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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