Physical therapy and rehabilitation seem to go hand in hand, as physical therapy has such a wide range of modalities for healing, and many times rehabilitation of an injury may require a less than traditional approach. For example, healing a person from back surgery may require a completely different type of treatment plan than another.
"Rehabilitation" in terms of physical medicine refers to the improvement and restoration of functional capacity and quality of life after injury or any other means of limitation or disability. While rehabilitation may be necessary after surgery, stroke, or any number of serious life events, rehabilitation is commonly required after random injuries such as those sustained at sporting events or during daily activity. For example, healing over a period of eight weeks from a sprained wrist from an ice fall can be considered rehabilitation.
How does a physical therapist work?
If you are looking for a physical therapist to help you with your rehabilitation, they will initially ask you for a detailed history of your health, as well as details on your current areas of concern. They will then assess your condition and then properly diagnose you to determine an effective treatment plan. The physical therapist will work with you to help you understand the nature of your condition and how rehabilitation will work for you, and will develop a personalized treatment plan for your own personal needs. They will treat you in the clinic and they will also teach you the proper methods of taking care of yourself outside of the clinic, so that you can heal faster and more effectively and ultimately take ownership of your own healing.
Rehabilitation with a physiological conditions arising from chronic injury, age, or other debilitating diseases therapist often involves some form of testing (such as range of motion tests) and mobilization techniques, although the most effective methods involve manual manipulation by the practitioner rather than machine-based methods and offer little practical technique. This type of treatment tends to result in faster and longer healing, and it is best that you find a physical therapist who practices this way, as you will want to minimize your pain and healing time during your rehabilitation. In addition to practical treatment, you can also be given exercises to perform outside of treatment as a means of gaining the independence you seek.
A good example of how practical physical therapy treatment is most effective is with shoulder pain, a growing concern among people over 50 (often called 'frozen shoulder'). Shoulder pain can be especially worrisome because it can make it difficult to sleep and because its range of motion can be quite limited. Practical physical therapy seeks to restore flexibility in your shoulder much more directly than a simple ultrasound can achieve, and has a more dramatic effect in conjunction with exercises that are generally used in conjunction with the technique.
0 Comments