Who is Physical Therapy Meant For?

If you’re looking for the easy answer, it’s just about everyone. According to a national health study conducted in 2019, 20.4 percent of adults reported suffering from chronic pain and 7.4 percent of adults had chronic pain that limited life or work activities.

But physical therapy isn’t just for those who suffer from chronic pain. Physical therapy has many benefits that can help a multitude of people with different issues. Here is a list of some of the most valuable benefits that regular physical therapy has to offer.

Top Benefits of Physical Therapy

  1. Building Strength - Oftentimes, physical therapy ends up being somewhat of a workout. The intent behind each exercise is to offer targeted training to help strengthen an area of your body that has been negatively affected or weakened. These targeted efforts can be somewhat difficult but they’re certainly worth it.
  2. Increase your overall mobility and flexibility. Through a varying array of hands-on, manual therapy techniques such as, joint mobilization, stretching, soft tissue release, and manipulation, Physical Therapy can make get your joints and muscles feeling good as new again.
  3. Gain an Understanding of How Your Body Works - We know that everything within our body is interconnected in some way shape or form but when we know how each piece is working together, or not, we get the opportunity to learn more about our physical selves. It is with this understanding that we can learn how to heal what physically ails us.
  4. Pain Relief - Depending on what you’re in physical therapy for, it can be a great tool for relieving pain. For example, those experiencing tendonitis in their knee can benefit from physical therapy with exercises that focus on building their glutes and quads. As strength is built in those muscles, the workload for the knee is diminished. Oftentimes, knee pain comes from strain and with support from other muscles in the leg and buttocks, that strain can be relieved, thus reducing knee pain. This is something that would be based on individual needs and would be something that your physical therapist would help you discover and create a treatment plan for you.
  5. It Can Work in Tandem with Other Treatments - Most notably is massage therapy. Using these two types of treatment can not only bring you relief but it’s great for your body. At times, physical therapy can cause soreness just like a workout would, but that’s normal - in fact that’s a good sign as it means your building strength! However, that soreness can be uncomfortable and massage therapy is a great way to relieve that. It can also reduce any tightness you’re experiencing which can lead to further issues as well.
  6. It Can Bring You Back to Life - Chronic pain and injuries can take away a lot from your quality of life. It can affect your moods and energy levels, preventing you from living your best life. With physical therapy, you can build the strength to combat chronic pain and heal from your injuries, improving both your mood and energy levels. It’s one of the best treatments you can offer yourself.

Do I Need a Referral/Prescription to See a Physical Therapist?

You do not. In fact, this is a common misconception that prevents a lot of people from seeking out a physical therapist. As we stated before, physical therapy can be for anyone, especially if you’ve been in some type of accident, suffered a sports injury, or have chronic pain.

If any of these sound like you, don’t hesitate to call our physical therapy office at (732) 920-0880 or click below to request an appointment!