Physical Therapy: Fact vs. Fiction
What do you think of when you hear physical therapy? There is a wide range of ideas out there, and some are more accurate than others. Physical therapy aims to maintain, restore, and improve movement, activity, and health enabling individuals of all ages to have optimal functioning and quality of life (1).
Physical therapists work in a variety of settings throughout healthcare, and our main focus is to help our patients achieve their goals. At Kepros PT, we work with you to develop individualized goals to keep you on track and perform the activities that are important to you. We use a variety of techniques to help decrease pain, improve movement and work to equip everyone with the tools to feel comfortable with independence. There are a few myths about physical therapy that seem to persist over time, and we will highlight a few below.
Myth: I need a referral to see a physical therapist.
Iowa is a direct access state so you can come directly to physical therapy with most insurers.
We are trained to recognize more serious conditions that might require a visit to the doctor and we can help get you to the right place.
Many patients end up saving money by attending physical therapy. Patients coming directly to PT for neck or back pain saved up to $500 to $1500 compared with seeing a physician first (2).
Myth: Physical therapy is painful
No pain is NOT no gain – we want to respect your body’s limits.
PT can be compared to a good work out – you might have some discomfort/soreness after your visit.
Open dialogue with your therapist helps us know how you are responding to different interventions.
After a surgery, you will have more pain, but again, we will work within a tolerable range because it is important in the early stages to start regaining motion.
Myth: I will have to stop activity if I go to PT
Our goal is to keep you active and will not ask you to stop unless it is necessary or your activity is unsafe for you.
We will try to find safe levels of activity and help you participate as long we are confident it will not make things worse.
It is situation dependent and we will work with you to modify any activities as needed.
Myth: Therapy will “fix” me
We work to provide you with the tools to manage your symptoms confidently on your own.
Therapy is a collaborative process working together with your therapy team.
Everyone has a different body with different movement patterns. We work with you to improve mobility and function within the limits of your anatomy and tolerance.
As part of your management tools, we will assign exercises to perform outside of your specific visits.
This should fit within your schedule, and we typically aim for 3 to 4 exercises.
Myth: Physical therapy is only for rehabilitation following injury, accident, or surgery
PT is to help with movement to maintain and return to activity and improve quality of life – whether that’s around the house or in a sports setting.
Getting moving can help gradual onset or chronic pain issues in any part of the body.
PT can help with strength, balance, or stamina to complete desired activities.
Myth: My x-ray or MRI shows a tear or arthritis and I need to have surgery
Many of us have abnormalities on imaging and that does not always correlate with symptoms.
PT and exercise has been shown to offer similar – and many cases better – long-term outcomes compared to surgery.