Benefits of Physical Therapy for Pain Management

Physical therapy (PT) is a successful pain management strategy because it addresses not only the pain but also its root cause.

Benefits of Physical Therapy for Pain Management

Physical therapists play an important role in helping people manage pain. Chronic pain affects millions of Americans and physical therapy (PT) is effective because it treats not only the pain but also its source.

The treatments include strengthening and flexibility exercises, manual therapy, posture awareness, and body mechanics instruction. In a New York rehabilitation center, patients can expect to benefit from customized physical therapy programs to reduce pain, and improve mobility and quality of life.

How Physical Therapy Works to Reduce Pain Physical therapists treat pain due to medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic headaches, rheumatoid arthritis and pain caused by injury to tissues or nerves or neuropathic pain.

They work with patients to understand the root cause of the pain and how it can be managed. This is done by:  Identifying areas that are weak or stiff and putting more stress on the places that are painful  Educating the patient about the underlying causes of their pain, including how the brain and hypersensitivity of central nervous system contribute to their condition  Recommending specific exercises to treat the target areas and improve movement They use evidence-guided therapies to target the physical aspects of pain such as inflammation, stiffness, and soreness with exercise, manipulation, and massage. PT also helps the body heal itself by encouraging the production of the body's natural pain-relieving chemicals.

Physical therapists design personalized treatment plans based on individual factors such as body type, daily activities, alignment, and habits. Though response to the therapy may differ among people, sticking to the plan will help ensure success.

Physical Therapy Exercises Regular therapeutic exercise helps maintain a person’s ability to move and perform physical activities and prevents the body from becoming disabled by the chronic pain. A professional physical therapy program would include different types of exercises such as  Exercises to relieve pain: These are focused on moving the painful areas and to make them stronger and more flexible  Low-impact aerobic training: These exercises are important for long term pain reduction and include using a stationary bike to warm up, walking, bicycling swimming or water therapy.  Strengthening exercises: Lunges and pushups strengthen the core muscles (belly, glutes, and back), and other parts of your body. These exercises are also performed using machines or resistance bands.  Stretching: These gentle workouts improve your range of motion, increase circulation, and calm your mind.

In a multispecialty health care center, a PT plan may also include other modalities such as heat and ice application, TENS, ultrasound, and pain medication.

Physical Therapy can reduce Health Care Costs and Improve Outcomes Recent studies for workers’ compensation payers and group health organizations from PTPN, a national network for independent rehabilitation specialists, found that PT can cut Workers’ Comp costs and improve health outcomes. The recent Claims Journal article that reporting on this noted that a landmark 2012 study in Spine prompt found that referring patients from primary care facilities to PT led to decreased use of advanced imaging, surgery, injections and prescription pain medications. Early physical therapy resulted in significant cost savings for patients.

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