Pain relief

Using a physical therapist might be a good move

Many doctors’ offices closed, surgeries were delayed, and many people with pain or joint issues had appointments or surgeries delayed, prolonging their pain and disability. This spring put elective procedures on hold, and the subsequent backup of scheduling and newly mandated social distancing has many people still waiting for relief from their chronic pain or injuries.

Perhaps you’re one of them. Maybe you have a nagging injury that has been put on the back-burner due to a lack of available appointments at your doctor’s office or your orthopaedic surgeon can’t get you scheduled for surgery.

Have you tried contacting your physical therapist? Research has shown that physical therapy sooner than later can actually help you:

• have better outcomes

• experience lesser costs

• avoid surgery

• reduce the need for painkillers and opioids

• forgo unnecessary testing

Better outcomes

Let’s say you suffer back pain.

A study of 150,000 insurance claims published in Health Services Research, found that those who saw a physical therapist at the first point of care had an 89 percent lower probability of receiving an opioid prescription, a 28 percent lower probability of having advanced imaging services, and a 15 percent lower probability of an emergency department visit. Unfortunately, only 2% of people with back pain start with PT, and only 7% get to PT within 90 days.

Save money

I’m sure you’re well aware of the rising cost of healthcare, but did you know that seeking physical therapy first has actually been shown to reduce your overall costs without reducing the effectiveness of treatment?

A study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy showed that patients who obtained physical therapy via direct access had significantly lower medical costs—an average of $1,543 less per patient than those who chose referral from a physician.

They also had significantly fewer visits and spent significantly fewer days in care.

Avoid surgery

While some injuries do require surgery, many patients opt to have surgery as a “quick fix” for their pain or because they don’t know there are other options. The reality is that surgeries aren’t always as effective as patients believe, and many times physical therapy can eliminate the need for surgery.

A large study looking at worker’s comp patients with back pain found that people who have surgery have a 1 in 4 chance of having a repeat surgery, a 1 in 3 chance of a major complication, and a 1 in 3 chance of never returning to work again.

Recent large studies of arthroscopic surgeries for meniscal tears have shown no difference in outcomes between people who have surgery and those who don’t. Other procedures with questionable effectiveness include kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty, and injections for nonspecific back pain.

So, if you were planning on seeing your primary care provider or a specialist for an orthopedic condition or pain and you haven’t seen a physical therapist yet, you should consider making physical therapy your first stop.