The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) reports that physical therapy or physiotherapy is primarily geared toward reducing pain and improving mobility. Sometimes, the therapy is also used to avoid surgery or speed up post-surgery recovery. Besides helping people complete their daily living activities, it is also used extensively by athletes to improve their performance, recover from sports-related injuries, and achieve their optimal potential.

We specialize in the fields of advanced musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy and we would like to share insight into 5 ways that physical therapy can help.

1. Reducing or Eliminating Pain

Manual therapy and therapeutic exercises are often highly effective in alleviating pain and discomfort. They also help restore joint and muscle function, which further contributes to minimizing pain. Some of the therapies used by your physiotherapist can include:

  • Soft tissue & joint mobilization
  • Taping
  • Ultrasound
  • Electrical stimulation

These treatments have also been found to be effective in preventing the pain from making a return.

2. Restoration of Range of Motion

Motility is affected by many factors, such as injury, joint degeneration, or long-term injury. When you are unable to walk properly or lift your limb, it can affect different aspects of your life. Your physical therapist can provide flexibility and strengthening exercises to restore your range of motion. 

Regular treatment at a physiotherapy clinic can help improve your mobility if you have difficulty walking, standing, driving, or engaging in other forms of activities, regardless of your age. Whatever activities need restoration and are crucial to your life can be resorted to a certain level or in their entirety by developing a customized therapy plan.

3. Sports Injury Recovery

Physiotherapists know from experience how engaging in sports and repetitive action can increase the risk of developing certain forms of injuries. For example, distance runners are known to develop stress fractures over time. Your therapist can not only develop a tailored rehabilitation program for sports injuries recovery but can also create a prevention exercise program. Such a preventative program can prevent sports injury from developing.

4. Boosting Athletic Performance

Professional and amateur athletes rely on the benefits of physical therapy to unlock their full potential. The therapy focuses on identifying their imbalances and weaknesses. The physiotherapist then works on improving their strength and flexibility in these specific areas. 

Such programs work in conjunction with the program for injury recovery and prevention. Interestingly, avoiding stress fractures, strained muscles, and injuries can further contribute to athletes achieving their full athletic potential.

5. Improving Balance & Preventing Falls

Millions of people rely on physical therapy to build or restore balance and prevent potential falls. Some of the key features of such therapy are as follows:

  • Your therapist will assess your abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and flexibility to determine your risk of falling
  • If you are at risk of falls, your therapist can develop an exercise program that challenges your balance in a safe manner
  • The exercises attempt to simulate real-life movements and activities
  • To promote safer walking, you may be required to engage in activities that enhance your balance
  • Your exercise program may also include the use of assistive devices

They can conduct complex maneuvers that restore normal vestibular function, minimizing symptoms of vertigo or dizziness.

There are even more ways physiotherapy can help you. This includes:

  • Speeding up post-surgery recovery
  • Post-stroke recovery
  • Managing diabetes & vascular disorders
  • Managing age-related problems

Your body is your greatest resource, take the best care of it. Contact a physiotherapist and see how it can help you to fully enjoy your life!