Suffering From a Shoulder Injury or Arthritis? Physical Therapy Can Improve Your Range of Motion

It’s no secret that most Americans don’t get enough exercise. In fact, more than 80% of adults in the United States simply don’t participate in the amount of physical activity that may lower their risk for developing chronic diseases and some cancers.

For some people, perceived time constraint is the culprit. For others, physical activity is a barrier in and of itself due to injuries, pain, or chronic conditions like arthritis. The good news is that whether you suffer from a shoulder or other joint injury or a chronic disease, physical therapy can help you manage your symptoms and enhance your range of motion.

In this blog, the highly skilled team at Cardio Metabolic Institute shares their thoughts about how physical therapy can help improve your range of motion so that you can keep on keeping on.

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy, sometimes shortened to PT, is a treatment option delivered by or supervised under the direction of a licensed physical therapist. Physical therapy generally focuses on a set of specific exercises customized to fit your specific needs.

Treatment plans vary from patient to patient. Generally, physical therapy is delivered in a series of sessions lasting about 30 minutes to one hour.

Improve function

At the heart of any physical therapy treatment plan is the goal to restore function by improving range of motion.

When muscles or joints are damaged due to an overuse injury like tendonitis or conditions like arthritis, even the simplest tasks can be greatly compromised. Exercises completed during physical therapy gently stretch your muscles so they become more flexible.

Ease pain

Improved or restored function triggers some other key pluses, including easing or managing pain. Body aches and pain in many cases are caused by inflammation or swelling. Inflammation is usually a telltale sign that a muscle, joint or tendon isn’t functioning as it is intended due to overuse or an injury caused by stress or strain.

Physical therapy not only restores your normal range of motion, but it also promotes healing, which in turn relieves pain.  

Increase strength

When you think about physical therapy, you may think about when you or someone you know suffered an injury and needed to do physical therapy in order to regain strength or range of motion. However, even patients who suffer from degenerative conditions like arthritis can reap significant benefits through physical therapy.

Physical therapy helps arthritis sufferers strengthen muscles around their joints and enhances balance and overall fitness. Many fear activity could make their arthritis more painful, but the opposite is true: Inactivity is what makes joints more stiff and painful. Physical therapy also enhances bone strength for arthritis sufferers and may even help them sleep better at night.

Another great side benefit with physical therapy treatment at Cardio Metabolic Institute is that it doesn’t involve going to a separate facility to receive your physical therapy. For the convenience of our patients, both your medical care with your dedicated physician and your customized PT sessions happen under one roof. 

If you have an injury or arthritis and want to learn more about how physical therapy can enhance your treatment, make an appointment at Cardio Metabolic Institute in Somerset, Monroe Township, or East Brunswick, New Jersey. Click or call today for an appointment at the office nearest you.