| About Physical Therapy What Is Physical Therapy? Is Physical Therapy Right for Me? How Do I Choose? | Glossary Treatment Applications Types of Physical Therapy Credentials |
How Can a Physical Therapist Help Me?
If you’ve had an injury or health problem that’s affecting your ability to move, physical therapy may help you. Physical therapists can help with sport injuries, neurological conditions such as stroke or brain injury, back and neck pain caused by spinal and joint conditions, muscular control problems, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, tension headaches, and wounds. Patients are referred to a physical therapist if they need to recover lost strength, restore a healthy range of motion, or relearn skills such as standing, walking, and grasping. Physical therapy can also be helpful to those suffering general weakness, loss of coordination, or decreased endurance. And, through health education, a physical therapist can also help you prevent injuries down the road.
In addition to massaging your injured body part and giving you an exercise plan, physical therapists may use various other therapeutic methods. Taping and bracing is used to treat sports injuries by providing support for weakened limbs, and can also help prevent future injuries. Hydrotherapy is water-submerged exercise and the use of water to heal and care for soft tissues. Electrotherapy uses electrical current to stimulate tissue and restore lost function. Ultrasound uses ultrasonic waves to generate local healing in injured muscle and joint tissue.
