When you first think of physical therapy, you may assume it is used only by athletes who have suffered various types of injuries. However, that's not the case at all. In fact, this type of therapy is used every day by people who have been involved in auto accidents, are recovering from surgery, and many other scenarios as well. As a result, many different ailments can be helped by physical therapy. If you're wondering if you too may benefit from this type of treatment, here are five common ailments that improve greatly thanks to a physical therapist.
Arthritis
One of the best treatments for arthritis, physical therapy can help you regain a better range of motion, maintain and even improve your mobility, and help strengthen your muscles, which will help ease the strain on your joints. Arthritis patients typically do very well in physical therapy.. Especially after a knee arthritis surgery when the patient has to get back to the flair of writing.
Back Pain
Should you be like many other people and suffer from the debilitating effects of back pain, physical therapy has been shown to make a tremendous difference in not only the range of motion you may be able to regain, but also in its ability to decrease your level of daily pain. Often combined with other pain management treatments, you can use this treatment option if you suffer from herniated discs, spinal stenosis, scoliosis, or sciatica.
Headaches
Like many individuals, you may suffer from headaches that can greatly curtail your activities day after day. If so, consider giving physical therapy a try. Many times, headaches are caused by stiff neck joints or nerves that are irritated. By incorporating various types of exercises into your daily routine, it may be possible to improve your neck's flexibility, which should put less stress on its joints and prevent nerves from becoming irritated.
Sports-Related Injuries
As you know, many athletes do rely on physical therapy to help them get back in the game after being injured. Whether you are a competitive athlete or just someone who likes to push your body to its limits on the weekends, physical therapy can help if you are suffering such sports-related injuries as pulled hamstrings, tennis elbow, or various sprains and strains.
Balance Issues
If you have problems with your balance and are afraid of falling due to dizziness or muscle imbalance, physical therapy can help with this as well. Using certain exercises in combination with free weights and stretch bands, it is possible to strengthen weak muscles that may leave you more prone to falls.
Rather than continue to let an ailment impact your quality of life, seek out the services of a physical therapist to find out if various treatments can help your specific condition.