Physical Therapy Month
During the month of October, we celebrate and raise awareness about the importance of physical therapy (PT). PT month has been celebrated since the early 1980s. The official organized celebration was held in October of 1992, which makes this year the 30th annual celebration. During this month, as we celebrate physical therapists, we also do what therapists do best: EDUCATE! Physical therapy isn’t just for those who’ve just had surgery; it is also a preventative for future surgery and even an alternative for pain management.
Physical Therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs) are experts in movement who design personalized physical activity plans for patients of all different medical backgrounds. These therapists treat pain with hands-on care, movement, and most importantly, patient education. PTs and PTAs use exercise to improve balance, flexibility, strength, and range of motion. Physical activity is imperative to overall health, but when your doctor/surgeon and PT/PTA are working collaboratively to create a plan for your rehabilitation, you have a recipe for success. Physical activity, and more importantly, activities that are personalized to a patient’s plan of care are needed when working toward the following outcomes:
- Improve mobility and function
- Manage pain and chronic conditions
- Avoid surgery
- Reduce or eliminate the use of opioids and other prescription drugs
- Recover from injury
- Prevent future injury and chronic disease
To prevent your body from injury or diseases, it’s important that you get up and get moving. This is especially true for those who may have an injury due to an illness or surgery. PTs and PTAs partner with you to help remove barriers to physical activity by slowly, and safely, incorporating movement into your daily life. Medical providers are more apt to start patients off with physical therapy rather than invasive surgery to deal with injuries or even diseases such as arthritis. According to the CDC, physical therapy has high-quality evidence that proves therapy treatment can be highly effective when treating injuries or chronic diseases.
Physical therapy can also be a great way to manage pain, which can curb the use of pain medications, including opioids. While the use of opioids is an appropriate pain reliever, they often just mask the pain and can include serious side effects such as depression, overdose, possible addiction, and withdrawal symptoms when ending the use of the medication. Working together with your PT or PTA to set realistic expectations for recovery with or without the use of opioids is a valuable tool for getting back to daily life.
Here at Home Health Professionals, our PTs and PTAs are such an integral part of our patient’s recovery process. We are grateful to have therapists who are not only knowledgeable and passionate but who care about each patient and are willing to go the extra mile to ensure a successful recovery. Going into your home, creating a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs, and one-on-one education and treatment make all the difference in the world on your journey to recovery. Let our highly trained professionals help you regain independence through our physical therapy programs.
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