If you’ve never been to physical therapy or have met a physical therapist, it might be hard to imagine what to expect when you first go. However, physical therapy is a beneficial way to live pain-free, improve your quality of life, and even prevent future injuries. Just ask Matt Gannott, a physical therapist at OSR who also specializes in the spine.
What’s the benefit to physical therapy?
There are many methods of recovery, according to Gannott, and even different methods within physical therapy. Each and every one of those methods will help in recovering from acute to chronic pain.
“The biggest benefit to physical therapy is improving quality of life and daily function,” says Gannott. “We aim at getting you back to what you like to do – pain-free. That’s the important thing, and that’s what I keep in the back of my mind when I’m working with the patient.”
Gannott may specialize in the spine, but physical therapy can help with any pain, injury, or the prevention of an injury. It will help strengthen the body, improve mobility, and determine weaknesses that can lead to injury.
“A lot of what I do is really specific to core strengthening. Most people when they do core strengthening, they’re not actually working the muscles that are necessary to support the spine,” said Gannott. This is one reason why many people have chronic back pain.
Physical therapy is also something that can be done at home as well, which is a huge benefit to those who are busy or travel. Ability to do a treatment at home as well as with a physical therapist means more flexibility and a quicker recovery time.
“I try to make sure it’s a program anyone can do here at the clinic as well as at home and even while traveling,” says Gannott. “This makes it easy to fully recover.”
When should I go in?
Right away, says Gannott. “It’s harder to determine what’s going on when a patient doesn’t come in right away. And it’s more challenging to take steps backwards to determine the exact cause of the pain.”
There’s no pain too small or no injury too big that makes physical therapy obsolete. With various programs individualized with the patient in mind, it can be the difference between a full recovery or living with pain and discomfort day after day.
Each program starts out with basic questions to determine what a patient can and can’t do, what hurts, and where it hurts. Asking questions is essential to pinpointing every diagnosis, says Gannott.
Physical therapists also ask:
- When did everything start?
- What position makes it worse?
- What makes it better?
- What movements hurt?
Bottom line: It’s never too early to seek physical therapy. “The earlier the better,” says Gannott. “It makes it so much more easier to treat.”
OSR gives free consultations and assessments.
When you’re ready to live pain-free, contact OSR to schedule a free consultation and assessment with one of our physical therapists. Don’t wait to seek help with physical therapy as it can put on the road to full recovery quickly and easily.
