If you experience joint pain, neck or back pain, or recently underwent a surgical procedure, your body would benefit from the care and treatment of a physical therapist. Physical Therapy is also beneficial in injury prevention for athletes (both adult and child), non-athletes, retired citizens, and individuals who work in labor intensive professions. Patients who are also scheduled for surgical intervention benefit from pre-habilitation prior to surgery to expedite their recovery and decrease pain following surgery.

Pain is an indication there is something wrong taking place in your body. It is not acceptable to wake up in the morning with joint pain, or suffer low back pain following activity. It has been a common belief that with age comes pain, and because of this neglect to listen to the body's call for help, simple impairments that could have been treated become more severe, usually resulting in more pain and possibly surgery. Physical Therapy will not only decrease your everyday pain and increase your function, but also reduce the risk of chronic injury that may result in debilitating injuries resulting in surgery and joint replacement.

Physical Therapy, or PT, is considered a conservative treatment method addressing the treatment, healing, and prevention of injuries and disabilities. Physical therapists focus primarily, but not solely, on relieving pain, promoting healing, restoring function and movement, and facilitation and adaptation associated with injury. Therapy also focuses on ergonomics or body mechanic training, fitness and wellness and, patient education. Treatment may include postural stabilization, muscle strengthening and injury prevention.

What can a PT program do for me that I cannot do on my own?

Many patients may think that they know how to properly exercise, manage their pain, and rehabilitate themselves. Patients commonly give therapists reasons why they do not need therapy - for example, "I have had this before and I know what works for me" or, "I know what is causing this because my neighbor had the same thing, so I will just do what she did" and attempt to self-manage their condition.

A Physical Therapist is a specialist specifically educated and skilled in proper rehabilitation. Physical therapists are continually educated as to the management and treatment for different dysfunctions, differentiation of one dysfunction/injury from another and work closely with the referring physician in the development of a rehabilitation program specifically designed for each individual patient.

The other important aspect to remember with physical therapy is that each individual is different. We all have different types of bodies, different patterns of movement, different alignments and different habits. A physical therapist, along with trained staff, will monitor each individual and attempt to correct improper habits, alignments and movement patterns.

Who benefits from PT?

Many and all can benefit from therapy. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I work out and I am always observing others. I very rarely come across individuals with perfect body mechanics, training techniques, or movement patterns. This is where wellness comes into play. Typically the most appropriate patients are those who have been in accidents (work-related, automobile, or falls), athletes with overstress injuries, arthritic patients, pre and post-operative patients, and those with general deconditioning, or strains.