Should Physical Therapy be done to prevent conditions? When it is worth doing preventative physical therapy?

“Prevention is better than cure” We have heard this numerous times. Physical Therapy is a well-known, powerful, and effective way, of recovering from musculoskeletal injuries, acute and chronic pain, Postural dysfunctions, and post-surgical recovery. However, the value of physical therapy in prevention is unknown and undervalued. If we want to do physical activities that we love and remain active, preventive Physical Therapy is extremely effective. Just like you get your preventative dental checkup and follow up, preventative Physical Therapy is aimed at correcting mechanics, addressing areas of weakness or tightness and learning exercises to inhibit onset of pain and functional limitations.

At Physis Physical Therapy our experts will help you to customize the treatment plan according to your history, activity level and activities that you like to do or where you want to reach with your physical fitness.

What is Preventative Physical therapy?

Just like the term suggests, preventative physical therapy is treatment received before onset of pain or injury. A pain or injury is a sequela to either an acute trauma (fall/accident/etc…) or due to an existing issue like weakness, overuse, or poor form. While we cannot know when we will sustain an actual injury we can assess and treat existing weakness, overuse and improper form. A comprehensive physical therapy exam with movement analysis will help identify weak areas and give you an opportunity to correct these issues reducing your chances of getting hurt.  

Your Physical Therapist will design a plan to improve strength, stability, balance, mobility, agility, motor control, muscle activation pattern, chain activation of the muscles and Posture control we can stop having aches and pains. Many athletes incorporate physical therapy as a part of their training regimen for better health and fitness.

Who can benefit from Preventative PT?

We can all benefit from this service. No one likes to get injured, be in pain and have limitations in doing things they like to do. The following will benefit more from preventative physical therapy than others:

• Individuals who like rigorous training
  • Those who regularly take part in rigorous training like cross fit, HIIT and boot camps. These candidates should do preventative physical therapy as a way of preparing their bodies to handle the demand of those activities.
  • At Physis Physical Therapy, our experts use manual therapy and eccentric exercises and dynamic stretches to help the body reset and get stronger to tolerate intense workout and prevent injuries. If your body has stability and dynamic multidimensional strength it can handle the strenuous workouts.
• Sedentary individuals who spend their time in light or no exercises.
  • These individuals often participate in gym in a cyclical manner with full participation for short periods followed by long periods of inactivity. It is common to suddenly start with planks, squats, running, push ups and run the risk of an injury just from their bodies not being ready to handle the workload being thrown its way.
  • At Physis, your therapist will customize a tailored plan to achieve your personal goals. By learning correct mechanics and strength exercises, you can return to the gym without fear of and injury.
• People with minor preexisting transient pain or aches
  • Those who have existing complaints of aches or tightness or pain from repetitive activities like typing or lifting, or those that spend long periods of time in same positions like sitting or standing can benefit from preventative physical therapy to correct weakness, tightness and restore muscle balance to prevent injuries.
  • For Example: Those who work for long hours on the computer can be prone to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. So having a preventative exercise plan with a handful of stretches can prevent issues from cropping up later.
• Implementing new exercise routine or new physical activity
  • Those who are ready to start a new activity or routine can benefit from assessment tailored to reach your personal goals to allow for smooth transition into a new activity.
  • At Physis, our experts can assess mobility, strength, stability and even educate on proper footwear, training schedule and complementary exercises to your desired activity to help you succeed.
• Fall prevention for Older individuals with balance and stability
  • Fall is biggest risk in older individuals after 65 years of age. Aging results in increase in balance and stability issues increasing risks for a fall. Fall, may result in hip fractures that requires surgery and internal fixation. The trauma of the fall, surgery and recovery can be emotionally and physically costly. An alternative is to work on prevention, get stronger and restore balance, learn safety management and household modification so a fall can be prevented.

Is Preventative Physical Therapy worth it?

Preventative physical therapy is designed to identify problems to avoid the sequela of pain and injury. It is not appropriate for everyone but several groups of people can benefit from it.

If you or anyone you know can benefit from preventative physical therapy reach out to us. At Physis our expert physical therapist will help answer all your questions and help you reach your potential. Call us 212-706-7480 or email us on www.physisrehab.com.