Physical Therapy: What exactly is it?
Can you help me after a serious injury? If I’m feeling stiff or sore after a heavy workout, can you help? Do I need a referral from my MD to come see you? Can you help me learn ways to prevent future injuries? Do I have to go through my insurance to see you?
Today you will be learning the answers to all of these common questions.
Physical Therapists (PTs) now a days have gone through an extensive education to receive their Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. A physical therapist is not only able to help patients after serious health problems, they are also able to promote overall health and well-being. They are capable of carefully assessing and evaluating an individual in order to formulate a physical therapy diagnosis. With doing so, they are able to come up with a customized plan tailored to the patient, dependent on the patients needs.
As a physical therapist, we look at the body as a whole treating patients holistically and prescribing exercises as a form of “medication”. We also can refer patients to medical doctors if we feel as though physical therapy will not benefit them.
According to the American Physical Therapy association (APTA), 70% of people think a referral or prescription is required by a medical doctor in order to be seen by a physical therapist. However, a physicians referral is no longer required as we now have direct access.
A PT is capable of using various techniques in order to treat their patient. Whether its passive modalities such as joint mobilization, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, traction, myofascial decompression, and various cold and heat therapies. Different balance and movement disorders are also commonly treated through a technique known as neuromuscular re-education. With this method, PTs are also able to help those with posture and coordination impairments. As all of these techniques are often times used in a patient’s plan of care, exercises is commonly known to be used in nearly all cases. Which may include balance drills, muscle retraining, stretching, and strengthening exercises. A PT will use techniques that would work best based upon their knowledge. Most using clinical evidence as a source of information to base their treatment for the best outcome.
As some practices accept certain insurances, now a days more and more cash based practices are becoming known due to the limitations that insurance companies place on how physical therapists are able to treat a patient. This allows for less visits and much quicker and efficient treatments to getting their patients back to living a better quality of life with no pain and better movement.
Physical therapists do a lot more than just treat injuries. They are skilled at evaluating and diagnosing potential problems that may lead to something more serious and chronic with time.