How Physical Therapy Prevents the Need for Surgery?
By: Amanda Notley-Kim PT, DPT
Seeing a physical therapist is often the first step taken following an injury thanks to direct access and even if it isn’t, your doctor will most likely prescribe a certain amount of physical therapy before looking into other non conservative options. The reason being, is that physical therapy is very successful in treating common injuries and with the right amount of patient motivation, surgery can be avoided by following a regimented physical therapy program. Many people sustain injuries throughout their lifetime and if not treated or addressed appropriately, your symptoms may be so severe that you’d think the only option would be having surgery. You’d be surprised to find out that by going through a physical therapy program, your quality of life and overall physical condition may improve without the need for surgical intervention.
Physical therapy can help prevent further degeneration or damage that naturally and consequently occurs as a result of normal wear and stress on the body. This gradual breakdown of structures on your body, could lead to increasing pain and disability. Physical therapy utilizes different manual therapy techniques such as joint mobilizations and soft tissue mobilization, which are used to improve circulation and range of motion which help get rid of inflammatory substances that build up as a result of many arthritic or degenerative conditions. Your physical therapist will also prescribe different forms of exercise to keep these joints mobile and lubricated thus reducing stiffness and pain.
Strengthening exercises that aim to take pressure off of your joints is one of the many important factors in decreasing the stress that is put on already vulnerable soft tissue structures. Increased pressure or stress to otherwise healthy structures can happen as a result of many years of using improper lifting/bending techniques or using the same group of muscles groups overtime thus leading to overuse and repetitive stress injuries. These injuries can be prevented when given the proper education about proper form or technique when performing certain activities.
Many injuries or conditions that develop from overuse or prolonged muscle weakness may lead to torn muscles, tendons or ligaments. Depending on the tear/situation, surgery may be warranted but if caught early enough, physical therapy can help prevent getting surgery. Overuse injuries typically arise from training mistakes or repetitive demands over time.Training errors can occur when you take on too much physical activity too quickly, as recently seen by many people trying to return to the gym after being away for a prolonged period of time due to COVID-19.
You may not be aware of the errors you are making or how your body would respond after not being active for a certain amount of time and that is why coming in to see a movement expert such as a physical therapist would be beneficial to you. For example, your therapist can perform a postural assessment to see if you are sitting, standing, or moving a certain way that promotes poor posture or form which, over time can also lead to further soft tissue damage on it’s own. They will be able to test your strength and point out important muscle imbalances or weaknesses that need to be addressed in order to recognize the compensations that are being made that may possibly lead to further stress or strain on your body. Range of motion measurements and mobility tests are also a part of their evaluation. This information is used to form a custom treatment plan aimed at reducing pain, improving movement patterns, correcting posture and offloading structures that are already vulnerable due to increased pressure over time.
By correcting common movement and postural errors through the use of different manual therapy techniques, prescribing strengthening, stretching and stabilization exercises patients will be able to improve their quality of life by preventing further damage to their bodies and thus avoiding the need for surgery.
Surgery is not always the answer! Contact our physical therapy clinic today and schedule a consultation with one of our physical therapists to see how they can help you understand your body better through their in-depth customized programs that will ultimately help improve your quality of life and overall physical condition without the need for surgery.