About physical therapy

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy is a treatment method that provides individuals to treat a variety of disabilities and injuries, with the goal of restoring movement and function, relieving pain, and preventing further injury. This includes providing treatment in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, disease or environmental factors. Physical Therapy is a distinct form of care which can be performed both in isolation and in conjunction with other types of medical management. When used in conjunction with certain medical, surgical techniques or chiropractic manipulation, physical therapy can complement these techniques to help provide a speedy and complication-free return to normal activity.

Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation and rehabilitation. This encompasses physical, psychological, emotional, and social well being. It involves the interaction between physical therapist, other health professionals, patients/clients, families, care givers, and communities in a process where movement potential is assessed and goals are agreed upon, using knowledge and skills unique to physical therapists.
If your ability to move and function has been compromised by injury or disease, physical therapy may be what you need to return to health and normal functioning. Physical therapy is used to treat a variety of conditions, including

• orthopedic conditions such as neck pain and low back pain

• injuries to bones and connective tissue, including fractures, dislocations, and sprains

• workplace injuries such as repetitive stress disorders

• sports injuries

In many cases, physical therapy is an effective, low-cost, low-risk, and non-invasive alternative to surgery. Another advantage of physical therapy, as opposed to surgery and drugs, is that it seeks to address the underlying causes of conditions (poor posture, for example) and to help the patient manage the condition through simple exercises and changes in lifestyle.