If you want to reduce the risk of injuries and illnesses to live a pain-free life, you have to improve your flexibility, endurance, strength, and coordination. To strengthen all these physical attributes, you must seek physical therapy. Although you can work on these aspects on your own; however, consulting a competent healthcare professional like a physical therapist can help you achieve your goal way too quickly.
You need to perform the right type of exercises to increase the ability of your body to resist the pressure that results from daily activities. Whether you want to reduce the undue stress on your lower back or weight bearing-joints like knees, hips, and ankles, etc., you have to perform specific exercises to make these parts stronger.
So, when you consult a physical therapist, they ask you to perform only those moves that can reinforce the injured muscles and joints, which eventually relieves pain and swelling, and speeds up the healing process.
Here’s are the methods that physical therapists use to minimizing pain, and to strengthening flexibility and endurance.
Dry Needling
In case you are suffering from a condition like bursitis, osteoarthritis, chronic pain, tendonitis, and muscle strain, etc., then your physical therapist may use dry needling to subside the pain and to restore your flexibility.
Your therapist will insert a fine monofilament needle into the muscle to relieve pain and muscle tension. Although it looks like as if it is a painful method; however, the reality is far from it. Yes, the truth is that you do not feel any pain while the physical therapist administers this technique.
When your therapist inserts the needle into the trigger points, it enhances blood flow to the injured tissues, which makes it possible for them to receive essential nutrients that eventually promote healing.
Manual Therapy
Whether you are suffering from back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, or headaches, manual therapy is one of the most effective ways of dealing with your problem. In other words, it’s a great way to cure the pain linked to muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints, bones, and nerves.
So, if you are experiencing reduced mobility due to back pain or knee pain, manual therapy is the perfect treatment to cure your problem. An integral part of physical therapy, manual therapy is used for treating a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries and underlying illnesses.
Even if you are not suffering from any illness or injury, but are experiencing pain in your neck or shoulders while reaching out for stuff placed on overhead shelves, you can still seek manual therapy.
Manual therapy has several sub-categories; therefore, you should seek the one that suits your requirements. For example, if you are having pain in your muscles, ligaments, and tendons because you haven’t been able to use that part of your body because of injury or illness, you should seek a manual therapy technique called soft tissue massage to minimize the pain.
On the other hand, if you have received a joint injury, which has restricted your range of motion, then it’s better to go for joint mobilization.
According to Achieve Therapy and Fitness, “If you are experiencing increased pain and stiffening in any of your joints and muscles, manual therapy is often helpful. Patients seek out this type of physical therapy for a variety of mobility issues. For example, you may be finding it difficult to get up from a sitting or lying position, as well as bending over, without back pain and stiffness.”
Exercises
Physical therapy involves the use of exercise to reduce pain and discomfort. Whether you are struggling with a sports injury or a condition like arthritis, your therapist will teach you specific stretching exercises to address the symptoms of your problem.
And to recover from your condition, all you have to do is follow their instructions carefully. For example, if they ask you to perform certain moves regularly, you should do that without fail. And in case, you haven’t been able to do that then you should tell this to them. If they are not aware of it, then they won’t be able to assist you effectively.
Your therapist will always suggest low-impact exercises because you are in pain. And if you are still unable to perform certain moves, ask them to replace those moves with some other types of exercise, which you can follow comfortably.
Patient Education
Apart from giving you the right treatment, your therapist will also enhance your awareness about how to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal conditions like back, neck, shoulder, and knee pain, etc. Based on your daily routine or the kind of lifestyle you lead, your therapist might suggest you perform certain types of exercises to keep your joints flexible. For example, if you sit continuously for long hours, then they might teach you the correct sitting position.
Besides, they may also ask you to up the intake of certain foods to strengthen your muscles, joints, and bones.
