If you think physical therapy is only about rehabbing after surgery or recovering from an accident, think again. For the vast majority, seeing a physical therapist should be about prevention, regular evaluations, and staying healthy. “We are the best-kept secret in health care,” Sharon Dunn, former president of the American Physical Therapy Association, told The Associated Press.
Roger Herr, current APTA president, and Gammon Earhart, associate dean of physical therapy at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis, echoed Dunn’s prevention message in separate interviews with the AP.
“We need to change our image by getting out of our silos, getting out of our brick-and-mortar clinics,” said Dunn, who teaches at LSU. The image of the profession is one-dimensional. You’ve had knee surgery, have back pain or are injured and a doctor has referred you to a physiotherapist.
You go in several times, you get an evaluation and you are discharged with advice about how to exercise and move more efficiently. “It’s a big part of what physical therapists do,” Earhart said. “But I think a lot of people don’t understand. They think that when they have a major medical problem a physical therapist will massage them until they feel better. It’s not what it is.”
follow dental model
Many in the profession favor thinking of physical therapists in the same way we think of dentists; Patients make appointments for regular checkups. “Even if you’re not having any problems, you still go in and check everything,” Earhart said.
An examination may include health history and current health – physical activity, sleep, nutrition, etc. After this it will be seen how you are doing. This can include things like posture alignment and movement patterns while you walk, run, reach, sit and stand. Think about muscular imbalances, in terms of strength and flexibility.
Herr is a big proponent of annual wellness trips. for all ages. “Physical therapists can fit all parts of the spectrum,” Herr said. “This could be for young, emerging athletes or high-level athletes, or someone who wants to age well and be as functional and independent as possible.”
think about prevention
You can now visit a physical therapist in all 50 states without needing a referral from a physician or surgeon. This is good news. “I don’t think the public knows they can go to a physical therapist without a physician’s referral,” Dunn said.
The bad news for an annual exam may be the cost. These preventive visits are usually not covered by insurance. Earhart estimated that such a trip in the Midwest could cost you $150 out of pocket. But such interventions could save expenses in the long run – and add healthy years.
Herr, who lives in New York, suggested a cost of $200-$300 in a more expensive part of the country. “Surgeries and accidents can still happen, but generally you’re on top of things with these trips,” Earhart said. “I think if people understood that the way they were moving could cause a problem in the future, they would be more willing to go to a physical therapist.”
Hips for ballet – or not
We are all built differently with variations in hip architecture and so on. It can be useful to quickly assess children to decide which sports or activities are suitable for them. Testing beforehand to avoid any problems later is the perfect job for a physical therapist.
Earhart said, “If we examined children as they were choosing sports and said that this sport is probably not the right kind of stress for the way you are put together, it would lead to a lot of pain and Can save you from problems.” “Maybe they don’t have the buttocks for ballet.” Distance runners should think this way. Designed to be more efficient to avoid injuries regardless of the number of miles or kilometers covered. Others are not, and it would be good to know in advance.
fear of falling
Falls – and the fear of falling – are debilitating for the aging population. Herr said physical therapists can help with relatively simple interventions. “You want to show people that even if they fall, they can get back up again,” Herr said. “People don’t do anything, so you don’t move and so you become more out of shape and not as active.”
Herr said the movements involved in “standing up from the floor” involve flexibility, strength, balance and coordination. And making plans. “It feels easier to get up from a position lying on the floor,” Herr said. But it is a great exercise for all age groups.
weight related problems
Earhart estimated that perhaps 50% of physical therapy patients are overweight due to issues related to weight. “Someone doesn’t have to be extremely obese for their weight to affect their mobility,” he said. “The more weight a person lifts, the more stress is placed on their joints.”
Earhart said she sees patients for “prehab” for weight-loss surgery, called bariatric surgery, also known as gastric bypass. This involves the digestive system limiting how much the patient can eat, or the ability to take in calories.
Surgery may also include rehabilitation visits. Herr said he has seen obese patients lose weight. It may be a question of motivation, although it is not always so straightforward.
“I’ve seen people change based on a milestone, like having a baby, and they really want to be a good parent,” Herr said. “They want to be capable parents, and the same is true with grandparents. So it motivates people to join because of the change in lifestyle.”
