Whether you are recovering from an injury, managing a chronic condition or looking to improve your athletic performance, physical therapy is a valuable tool.
From passive modalities like heat to electrical stimulation and even massage, it’s common for physical therapy treatment plans to include add on therapies. Using these techniques can increase efficiency and accuracy in documentation while providing better patient outcomes. Contact Physical Therapy Monmouth County for professional help.
Physical Therapy is a common treatment for injuries and health conditions that affect movement. It involves a lot of hard (and sometimes sweaty) work to manage symptoms like pain, stiffness and instability. PT isn’t just used for surgery rehab, though: it’s also an effective tool for preventative care and improving daily life.
If you’re thinking about becoming a physical therapist, it’s important to start working towards your goals early on. Excelling in school is great, but you should also start getting involved in your community through clubs, societies, events, volunteer work and research opportunities. These activities will help you develop the skills necessary for a successful career and can add a strong component to your graduate application.
Observing or interning with a physical therapist is also a great way to get exposure to the field. Some programs require that you log a certain number of hours with a licensed therapist, so be sure to ask about this when you start observing or volunteering. Some therapists may be able to give you letters of recommendation, so be sure to ask for these early on as well.
It’s also a good idea to find a mentor who can give you guidance on your journey. They can help you with your research, recommend you to a DPT program and provide valuable insight into the field. This is a particularly important step if you’re interested in a particular subset of physical therapy, like orthopedics or geriatrics.
If you’re serious about a career in physical therapy, consider applying to DPT schools as soon as you’re eligible. It can be tempting to wait until you’ve finished all of your pre-requisites, but this can end up costing you both time and money in the long run. You can use CollegeVine’s chancing calculator to see what your chances are of getting into a program, and you should always apply to schools that match your GPA, GRE score and observation hours. Getting accepted into a DPT program will give you the best chance of making your dream a reality.
Stay Active
A physical therapist will tell you that one of the best things you can do for your pain is to move around often. Even when you’re in agony and would rather curl up into a fetal position, forcing yourself to stand or walk around for a few minutes every hour will help reduce your discomfort and give you an extra boost of energy.
Staying healthy requires making a lot of small choices in all aspects of your life, from what you eat (it’s hard to resist sweets, right?) to how much you move around. And for many people who are living with pain, it’s not easy to fit in the recommended daily activity level of 30 minutes of moderate exercise.
In fact, for some patients, the thought of getting active is so daunting that they just give up on their health goals completely. They instead turn to pain-relieving medications and lose out on the health benefits that come with a regular exercise routine.
Fortunately, there are several ways that physical therapists and their patients can get more movement into their day-to-day lives. These hacks can help anyone – from athletes and weekend warriors to patients in need of a physical therapy plan for chronic pain – feel more energized. For example, using a pedometer (an inexpensive and simple tool that counts steps) is a great way to track how much you’re moving throughout the day. It’s also helpful to find a walking buddy to keep you accountable on the days you don’t feel like exercising.
Be Prepared
A physical therapist’s job is to help patients maintain, improve, or restore mobility. But they don’t do it alone, patients play a significant role in their recovery and rehabilitation journey as well. Preparing for your first visit with a physical therapist is an important step toward your recovery. By compiling relevant information, communicating openly and arriving with a positive mindset, you’ll set yourself up for a productive session that will get you on the road to healing and reclaiming your physical health.
Be Prepared to Move
You’ll likely be moving a lot during your physical therapy appointment, even if it is just an initial evaluation, so be sure you wear comfortable clothing that will allow you to move and will allow the therapist to easily access the area that needs treatment. Clothing such as shorts or sweatpants that can be easily moved in and athletic shoes are usually recommended. Tight clothes, dress/work clothes or pants that are difficult to roll up should be avoided, as this may impede the therapist’s ability to assess your problem areas or provide effective treatments.
Make a List of Questions
Before your first appointment, take some time to think about the specific questions or concerns you have for your physical therapist. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that nothing gets overlooked or forgotten when it comes time to discuss them during your appointment. Be ready to share information about the pain/symptoms you’re experiencing, how long they have been occurring, and where they are located on your body (e.g., shoulder pain with movement or while sitting/standing/walking). Also be prepared to share what aggravates or relieves the symptoms and what you have been doing or not doing in an effort to manage them.
If you have any supporting documentation, such as a medical diagnosis from your primary care physician or imaging results, bring them with you to your appointment. This will add context to your discussion and will enable your therapist to create an individualized and effective treatment plan for you. Also, be sure you’re aware of whether your state allows for direct access to physical therapists, which means that you can schedule an appointment without a referral from your doctor.
Take a Break
Unlike many healthcare treatments, physical therapy is often an outpatient service. Patients might attend physical therapy at a specialized clinic, hospital or even their own homes. Regardless of the setting, it is important for patients to remember that their physical health journey doesn’t have to be a race to the finish line.
During the holiday season, it is easy for individuals to be overwhelmed by a variety of factors that can impact their ability to maintain a regular therapeutic schedule. However, if these challenges are approached with clear communication and a non-overwhelming home program, it is possible to navigate the holidays without interrupting a patient’s recovery.
As the holidays approach, it is important to listen to one’s body and follow therapists’ recommendations for rest days or lighter activity. Doing so ensures that the body has time to recover from exercise, which can decrease the risk of exacerbating existing injuries or developing new ones. It also allows the mind to reset, reducing stress and fatigue that can negatively impact motivation and commitment to the recovery process.
Ultimately, Physical Therapy is not an endpoint, but rather a process of learning to manage and lessen pain. Whether this takes place at the end of a physical therapy session, a home exercise program or in a more holistic sense by focusing on activities that are beneficial to the well-being of an individual, it is critical for people to embrace a mindful and adaptive mindset that is rooted in healing. By doing so, patients can achieve their long-term wellness goals with confidence and success.