With every strain and sprain is a recovery period, and physical therapy is often the pathway to recovery.

If your strain or sprain is not a persistent problem or a possible reinjured impairment, healing can be achieved with at-home therapy and rest. However, if you are experiencing constant pain, swelling, immobility in the affected area, you will need to be evaluated for a possible deeper problem.

In a situation of injury or post-surgery, physical therapy is the prescribed method for regaining your motion and restoring balance to your body. These are the four most significant benefits of physical therapy.

No Pain No Gain

Did you know that by performing physical motions that you can prevent the need for surgery at times? We know the old saying “no pain no gain” is a cliché, but sometimes surgical intervention can be avoided by going through the painful motion of physical therapy first.

You may hear your doctor mention the term “conservative treatment,” which means your doctor wants to try the first option, physical therapy, to help reduce pain and regain the affected region’s mobility. Perhaps there will be no need for surgery.

Of course, we understand there are circumstances when conservative treatment will not work, and you will need surgery regardless. We will be here for you when you are ready to start the process of physical therapy.

Practicing Stretching Techniques

We know it is not easy stretching the pain away, but we also know that stretching is the best medicine to restore motion to your joints and muscles in small doses. These small doses will ultimately become motions that build strength and endurance.

Consider this—after surgery or an injury, rest is necessary. However, if you continue to rest the injury, scar tissue begins to form like cobwebs and soft tissue contracts.

Stretching regularity will knock down the cobwebs and get you back in action. So, if you want to restore the range of motion or maintain a good range of motion, you must make a regular habit of keeping your muscles and tissues loose.

When you make good habits of stretching, you ensure that scar formations do not hold you back. Practice makes perfect, so be sure to practice the stretching technique at home that one of our PT specialists or doctors has prescribed for you.

Training for Strength

To strengthen your beautiful bones, you must strengthen the muscle and tissues around the bone, which is especially true as you age.

Strength exercises will help improve your muscle’s function and improve strength, endurance, and help you achieve a better range of motion.

We will work together to strengthen your core, which is essential for building strength in the back and pelvis. The core is also the heartbeat of balance.

If you have had surgery or are working with an injury, our doctors work with the physical therapy team to create a physical therapy program for you. Each program assesses your current ability and sets an ultimate end goal for you.

Improve Balance and Prevent Falls

Several injuries can prevent good balance, including leg, hips, pelvis, back, knees, ankles, and feet. Poor balance and fall risk can also occur from muscle weakness, sedentary lifestyle, sitting at a desk working all day, aging, and joint stiffness.

Good posture is paramount in keeping good balance; however, maintaining a stable and upright position when standing, walking, and even sitting can be problematic for older people or people with injuries.

We will assess your posture and teach you exercises to improve your ability to maintain proper posture.

Our physical therapist will prescribe active movement techniques and exercises to help your affected body system. We will also discuss hazards in your home that increase your risk of balance problems are falling, such as a throw rug, poor lighting, or an unrestrained pet, or other possible objects.

By learning the technique and importance of good posture and strengthening the appropriate muscles, we can help you achieve better balance and prevent falls.

Our physical therapists work individually with each patient to ensure that your health and wellness goals are met. At Jaffe Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, we help our patients recover quickly, regain strength, and improve their range of motion while avoiding painful, expensive surgery.

To schedule an appointment with our physical therapists or sport medicine therapists, contact Jaffe Sports Medicine today.

TEXT BY M. HIATT