When should you go to Physical Therapy?

A question that I am asked very frequently is “Can physical therapy help me?” Typically when I am asked this question it is due to a lack of understanding of what Physical Therapy is and what a Physical Therapist can do.

A Physical Therapist is an expert in human movement. They have the expertise to diagnosis physical pathologies from a simple ankle sprain to more complex conditions of the spine. Research shows that for many physical conditions, a physical therapist is as accurate at diagnosing as imaging (X-ray, MRI, etc). Also it has been proven time and time again that there is a significant cost savings to initiating physical therapy treatment early. This occurs for 2 reasons. The first is that it saves you money by avoiding the cost of unnecessary imagining and physician visits. The second is that it saves you time by eliminating the lag between injury and treatment. Starting physical therapy soon after injury, or the start of pain, decreases the likelihood of pain becoming chronic thus decreasing the time it takes to recover. With the new direct access law in Texas it has never been easier of faster to start physical therapy.

When injury occurs your body immediately begins the process of healing. For some all they need to do is rest and allow the body to heal itself. However if during this healing phase you develop faulty movement patterns, weakness, or lose normal joint mobility a chronic problem can be created.

When you suffer a simple injury such as an ankle sprain, muscle pull, or have an unexplained pain following a workout, a rule of thumb you can use to help you decided if and when you should seek an evaluation is if your pain is low to moderate and remains unchanged after 2-3 days. Your initial course of action should be to rest the injured area and see if it begins to improve (decreased pain, decreased swelling, increased motion, etc). If no signs of improvement have occurred within this time you should follow up with a physical therapist.

If you suspect a more serious injury such as a rotator cuff tear or a ligamentous tear you should seek evaluation immediately. A physical therapist will be able to help you identify the what tissue is damaged and the extent of damage that has occurred. Once a diagnosis has been made they will be able to direct you to the next step of care, whether that is starting treatment or following up with a physician/surgeon.

But what about chronic pains such as low back pain, knee pain, or shoulder pain. Perhaps you believe that your pain is “normal” or that you “just have to deal with it”. Neither of these are true statements. You should not have to live in pain and you should be able to participate in the activities that bring you joy! The recommendation for when to see a physical therapist for the treatment of chronic pain is to initiate treatment as soon as possible. The sooner that you begin treatment the quicker your recovery will be and the sooner you will be back to the activities that you love.

If you are still unsure if you should see a physical therapist for your condition please reach out to us a info@chaseptwellness.com or by phone at (512)-650-8528. We would be happy to discuss your situation and give a personal recommendation.