Who Can Benefit from Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is care that helps patients ease pain, move better, and get back to their lives as quickly as possible. Through a series of in-clinic sessions under the care of a licensed physical therapist and at-home exercises designed to improve overall movement, physical therapy is an effective treatment for a variety of ailments.

Though you likely have heard of people who have been through physical therapy following an accident or stroke, you may still wonder: Who can benefit from physical therapy?

Those Recovering from Surgery

Following a surgical procedure, many patients need to re-learn how to use some or all of their bodies. Perhaps the surgery replaced a joint, such as a knee or shoulder, and the patient needs to figure out how to work around the new joint. Or, a person could have recently had neurosurgery. Even something as minor as outpatient surgery for carpal tunnel could earn a patient a PT referral.

No matter the surgery, physical therapy is beneficial for anyone post-procedure who needs to learn to carefully move a limb or learn new ways of moving.

Those with Injuries

From those recovering from strokes to people who have been in car accidents, physical therapy is helpful in exercising tight muscles and tissues in ways to aid healing and avoid future re-injury. When it comes to neurological damage such as after a stroke or brain injury, physical therapy could mean that a patient learns how to walk again, marking the difference between relatively full recovery and a completely altered way of life.

Those with Physical Jobs

Construction workers, those who work in manufacturing plants, even house cleaners put their bodies to the test every single day on the job. Years of overuse can lead to back, shoulder, neck, and hip injuries that need some additional assistance to help the person live with less pain. Physical therapy can help correct the sources of pain caused by years of punishing activity even when that pain was not caused by a specific injury or event.

Athletes

Athletes push their bodies to the peak of performance every time they step out onto the field. This constant operating at a high level can take its toll, even if the athlete remains injury-free. By receiving physical therapy, athletes can learn how to move as efficiently and effectively as possible, improving performance and decreasing the chances of future injuries.

Skilled Physical Therapy in Central Maryland

At the Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics - MMI Division, our team of skilled physical therapists has helped countless patients recover from injuries and surgeries to come back stronger than before. Call today for an appointment!