Is Physical Therapy Right For You?

People with movement disorders may find it hard to perform even the simplest tasks, such as walking, standing and jumping. This can greatly impact their relationships with family and work and their own well-being. Depending on the severity of the disorder, patients may take medication, undergo surgery together with physical therapy or sometimes, physical therapy alone.

What Is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is a form of treatment aimed at promoting optimal movement and physical functions in people suffering from movement disorders and impairments due to health conditions, inborn disorders or injuries from doing sports or from accidents. Physical therapy can be in the form of exercise, electrical stimulation, and exposure to high or low temperatures, massage, hydrotherapy, ultrasound therapy or a combination of two or more.

Physical therapy is performed by a licensed physical therapist who is well-equipped to help people with movement disorders by reducing the pain, improving flexibility and range of motion, strengthening muscle tissues and bones and teaching new adaptive skills. Initially, your Denver physical therapist will run tests to evaluate the extent of impairment then come up with a specialized program that may be a full-body approach or focused on an area of the body.

Since every patient has different treatment needs depending on the cause and other several factors, there might be a need to look for a physical therapist who specializes in certain areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, sports injuries, neurology and orthodontics. For example, an inborn disorder might need a different approach than an acquired illness.

A patient can undergo physical therapy with or without a physician’s referral and, depending on the patient’s current health situation, it can be done in a hospital, a rehabilitative clinic, an outpatient clinic or even at home if the patient is unable to leave.

If you are in need of a Denver physical therapist, contact Denver Physical Medicine & Rehab today by calling 303-757-7280.