From injury to empowerment: how physical therapy brings you back stronger than ever

Injuries are an unfortunate reality of life. They affect us when we least expect them. Whether it is a workplace related, motor vehicle injury, sports injury or even a small stumble, injuries can have a significant impact on our wellbeing. They can be physically, mentally and emotionally limiting. They can rob us of opportunities to experience and live life as we expect. They can stop us from planning an experience they have been dreaming off, to simply making every day’s tasks substantially difficult. Physical therapy can be a beacon of hope to help recover from injuries and regain empowerment and quality of life. Through expert assessment and individualized treatment plans physical therapy can guide you from injury to empowerment. 

Skilled physical therapists will provide tailored assessment to understand the cause of the injury, its impact on function, prioritize current limitations and understand your goals. Physical therapists will focus beyond your area of injury to understand the limitations on the injury to other areas of the body to craft a clear plan of treatment. Physical therapists will provide an individualized treatment to correct mechanical limitations, improve function and body mechanics for successful return from injury. They will chart a clear step by step plan to progress through each phase of recovery and regain your quality of life. Physical therapists will employ pain relief strategies, treatments to restore mobility and progressive load to the joints and muscles to help you regain function. Physical therapists provide periodic assessments to ensure your progress and make changes to the treatments plan as needed. 

Beyond the physical aspect, your physical therapists will work with you to understand the mind body connection, build confidence and overcome mental barriers. Physical therapists understand the intricate loop between the mind and the body, creating a positive feedback loop. They encourage resilience through education around fears of re-injury and frustration with slow progress. Through repeated assessments they show objective measures of progress to enhance self confidence during the recovery process.

Physical therapists are trained to understand the holistic approach to wellness and can provide guidance on nutrition, lifestyle education and prevention. Physical therapists can help you advise on nutrition to support the body’s healing processes. They can advise you on lifestyle changes like ergonomic management, sleep modifications and body mechanics to support your everyday life. Physical therapists will empower you to learn body awareness for your own body. Physical therapists are movement experts trained to identify chains of muscle activation and movement patterns. With those tools, your physical therapist can teach you to identify how different areas of your body align and move in relation to each other, how to recognize extreme ranges of movements, how to achieve neutral alignment and most importantly how to self correct your movements for the most efficient and safe activity performance. 

Physical therapy can help you thrive beyond the injury. The principles learned during your rehabilitation can help you with long term wellness and consider fitness goals you may not have considered before. From injury to empowerment, physical therapy plays a critical role in overcoming challenges and emerging stronger than ever before. Physical therapy helps in physical and mental recovery, taking a truly holistic approach to bounce back from injuries.