Most people have heard of physical therapy, but many people don’t know what it is and what it’s all about. Physical therapy is comprised of a number of different activities that can help get you back to full range of movement after an injury. It makes a huge difference in your rehab process and allows you to heal, while reducing your chances of re-injuring yourself.
Many different types of physical therapy focus on specific conditions. Within each of these types are a number of different tools and activities that a physical therapist can use and tailor to you and your exact needs. These include a variety of exercises, education of patients, and several types of hands-on care.
Struan Coleman, MD, PhD, is an orthopaedic surgeon with offices in New York, New York; Locust Valley, New York; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Coleman is a top-notch doctor with many years of experience helping people recover from injuries and getting back to doing what they love to do. He works closely with your rehab team to ensure you get the care you need to heal fully and as quickly as possible.
The process of rehabilitation after an injury or surgery can be tough. Physical therapy makes this process go much more smoothly for many reasons.
If you are trying to avoid having a surgery, physical therapy may be able to help. With a focus on strengthening part of your body, physical therapy may allow you to heal and not need surgery. If it turns out you do need therapy, the time spent in physical therapy will help you to be stronger post-surgery
When you have suffered an injury or have undergone a surgery, you likely have been in pain, possibly severe pain. A physical therapist identifies the source of the pain and finds ways to take the pressure off those areas, relieving you of discomfort.
When you are in pain and exhausted, you may think your body is telling you not to move until you have fully healed. Physical therapy allows you get moving again sooner by focusing on what you can do and making incremental progress with things that are more difficult. If you are wanting to return to a sport, a physical therapist develops a plan to allow you to do that.
When you are injured or having a major surgery, it’s likely you will be prescribed pain medications, which can be powerful and addictive medicines. By decreasing pain, physical therapy allows you to taper off from your medications sooner, which also decreases the chances of addiction.
If you have always been someone who is on the go, or heavily involved in sports, then being injured is likely really difficult for you. After a few days, you’ll be ready to go again, but you are at great risk for reinjury. A physical therapist develops a treatment plan that allows you to work toward your goals in a safe and smart way.
When you have had a serious injury or undergone a major surgery, you need some time to heal before you can get back to your old life. Physical therapy supports you in this process, allowing you to process toward full movement in the best way possible. ‘
To set up an appointment with Dr. Struan Coleman, call our office, or use our handy online booking tool!
