How Does Physical Therapy Work?

Chances are you or someone you know has worked with a physical therapist at one time or another to address a mobility issue. Perhaps you suffered an injury in an accident or underwent surgery, which has affected your range of motion and is preventing you from doing your normal tasks.

Getting back to your daily routine may be both frustrating and painful. And that’s where physical therapy comes in.

For many people, the mere thought of scheduling a series of appointments in and of itself may seem overwhelming. Is it really worth the time and effort? The highly skilled providers at Cardio Metabolic Institute say: Absolutely! In this blog, they share insights on how physical therapy works and how it helps patients keep on, keeping on.

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy, often shortened to PT, is a popular rehabilitative health service designed to help patients enhance or regain functional movement and range of motion. Each year in the United States, physical therapists facilitate more than 300 million sessions for patients of all ages — from infants to senior citizens.

Patients may seek this specialized service for a variety of reasons, such as     musculoskeletal maladies like back pain or rotator cuff tears, sprained ankles, and other sports injuries like tendonitis and shin splints. Other common reasons why a patient needs physical therapy include rehabilitation after surgery, arthritis, and neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis.

Despite the wide range of factors that lead a patient to seek physical therapy services, the one thing they have in common is that their condition is somehow preventing them from living a full and productive life. Physical therapy sessions can take place in a variety of settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and private outpatient clinics.

A highly personalized care plan

For the convenience of our patients, our physical therapists and physicians work under the same roof, providing superior coordinated care. One thing that makes physical therapy particularly unique is that although two patients may have the same condition, each physical therapy care plan is dialed in specifically for each patient.

For instance, while one arthritis patient may need to see a physical therapist three times a week for six weeks, another arthritis patient’s care plan may be shorter or longer with a completely different visit frequency.

Effective rehabilitation

During your initial appointment, your provider takes a complete medical history and learns more about your injury or condition. Gathering as much information as possible about the physical limitations the condition has caused as well as your mobility goals helps us design a care plan to serve your needs and expectations.

This approach enables providers to execute a highly effective and less invasive rehabilitation option that promotes healing after surgery or after incurring an injury.

Addressing pain without drugs

If you’re seeking physical therapy due to an injury or painful chronic condition, one of the perks is that it helps you heal and manage pain without relying on medication. A 2021 Gallup poll found that 41% of patients looking for a prescription drug-free pain relief option rated physical therapy to be the most effective alternative treatment.

At Cardio Metabolic Institute, we design progressive physical therapy care plans that build slowly. We start with passive or gradual exercises that work up to more complex movements coupled with healing treatments.

Our sessions may include modalities such as therapeutic exercise, ice or heat therapy, electrical stimulation, therapeutic ultrasound, manual massage or manipulation, and balance and gait training. We also like to include personalized “homework” exercises for you to do on your own between your physical therapy sessions.

If you’re having problems moving around due to an injury or surgery, or if you’ve noticed changes in your agility and balance, contact us to learn if you can benefit from physical therapy. Click or call today to book a physical therapy evaluation at Cardio Metabolic Institute in Somerset, Monroe Township, or East Brunswick, New Jersey.