Why Physical Therapy Is a Crucial Part of Recovery

Some injuries heal without much fuss. When you get a papercut, you wrap it with a band-aid and wait until it’s fully healed. When you have strep throat, you take some antibiotics and focus on getting rest to help your body fight off the illness. Even a broken finger will heal once it has been reset and immobilized.

When you suffer an injury to your bones, joints, or muscles, things aren’t so simple. Even after an injury is fixed, it may take weeks or even months to regain normal function and return to the lifestyle you previously enjoyed. That’s where physical therapy comes into play. 

A physical therapist works with you to determine your specific movement issues and will create a custom treatment plan to help you return to the activities you love. When it comes to recovery, physical therapy is the name of the game.

When your muscles and joints need help with healing, the best way to rehabilitate them and return to health is with physical therapy. At South Texas Spinal Clinic, our staff will make sure you have a successful recovery. 

With 17 doctors on staff and 12 clinics through the San Antonio area and South Texas, there is likely a clinic near you. Let our team work with you to get the excellent treatment and rehabilitation you deserve.

Who needs physical therapy?

When you’ve suffered an injury, have a degenerative disease, or need to recover from orthopedic surgery, physical therapy helps to build muscle strength, improve your range of motion, and gets you closer to a normal functional level. 

Physical therapy has no age limit – it works equally well with children and the elderly. There’s also no rule around the type of injury that needs treatment; physical therapists have the tools to work with injuries big and small.

The treatments deployed by your physical therapist will effectively relieve inflammation and pain, relax muscles, and promote healing by increasing blood flow to injured tissues. They may use specific exercises, stretches, and techniques and use specialized equipment to address injured and healing areas.

With muscle and joint injuries, physical therapy may also be used to avoid surgery. In some cases, this can actually speed up overall recovery. Your South Texas Spinal Clinic will help you determine if this is the right course of action.

What specific injuries can physical therapy treat?

Physical therapy can be used to treat almost injury related to the musculoskeletal system. Common treatment areas include:

• Spinal pain and injuries
• Back and neck pain
• Sports injuries
• Knee injuries
• Osteoarthritis
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Children’s musculoskeletal injuries

Again, you doctor will work with you and a physical therapist to determine if your injury needs physical therapy.

Why kinds of treatments should I expect?

There are three main types of therapy. Manual therapy is probably what comes to mind when you think of physical therapy. Treatments include:

• Spine and joint mobilization
• Myofascial trigger point therapy
• Myofascial release
• Soft tissue mobilization
• Therapeutic massage
• Kinesio taping

Exercise therapies are focused around regaining certain movements, such as the ability to walk normally or walk upstairs without issue. Your physical therapist may recommend any of the following:

• Therapeutic exercise
• Functional rehabilitation
• Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation

Finally, your therapist may also use modalities, which are physical agents that produce a specific therapeutic response. These treatment options include:

• Ultrasound
• Electrical stimulation
• Therapeutic heat and cold

You will also receive exercises and stretches to perform at home. Successful physical therapy comes from a strong partnership between the patient and therapist. 

Do you think you could benefit from physical therapy? We can help at South Texas Spinal Clinic. Call or book an appointment at one of our 12 South Texas offices today.