Some people face harrowing incidents that change their ability to be mobile. It can fundamentally shake their foundation, and it can often take years to fully recover. Physical therapy is the practice of recovering patients back to a state of comfort and independence.
Some need to be flexible enough to be independent while others are capable of being restored to their former glory. That is a common goal with sports athletes. Regardless, Family Physicians open up about some expectations and realities in physical therapy. They know what works- and what does not.
It Is Not Supposed to be Easy
An easy afternoon of physical therapy was an ineffective one. It is just like someone working out and building muscle. If they thought it was easy, it was probably a wasted effort. It is designed always to be challenging. There may be moments where a physical therapy trainer may reel things back, but that is only to bring it back even harder the next time around. If a patient says that the action was easy, they will repair that. It is never meant to be easy, and that is why physical therapy works so wonderfully.
A Massage is hardly a Massage
There is an overwhelming expectation that a massage feels good. It seems to be rooted in the word. But, that is not the reality for physical therapy. A massage is far more likely to feel bad than it is to feel good. Now, it may feel good a few hours later or the next day. But, when a trainer massages a muscle, they may be working out damage, stress, tension, and pain that has accumulated there.
Physical Therapy is a Team Effort
It seems so obvious, but it is the misunderstood reality of physical therapy. It is a team effort between the trainer and the patient. A patient must be willing to heal. They must be willing to accept something they may not be comfortable of. These are just a few of the realities of physical therapy with the local Family Physicians. Visit Wichita Family Medicine Specialists for more on treatment.
