What is physical therapy?
Often, when you’re injured or laid up because of a surgery or medical condition, your muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments all pay the price, leaving you with limited function. Physical therapy works and stretches your connective tissues to help you:
- Regain muscle strength
- Restore balance
- Address stiff joints by increasing their flexibility
Physical therapy is typically one component of an overall treatment plan, but it has a significant impact on how quickly your recovery progresses.
What does physical therapy correct?
The health care professionals at Men’s Health Chicago turn to physical therapy in numerous situations, including:
- Injury or accident recovery
- Muscle strains and sprains
- Bone breaks
- Arthritis pain
- Postsurgical rehabilitation
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
This list is by no means comprehensive, but physical therapy often plays a useful role in most recovery situations.
How does physical therapy work?
A typical physical therapy session includes several components that are based on your situation and goals. A physical therapist’s arsenal includes:
- Massage
- Hot and cold therapies
- Stretching techniques
- Strength-building exercises
- Electrical stimulation
- Ultrasound therapy
As important as the in-office visits are in your recovery, the health care providers at Men’s Health Chicago send you home with exercises that you’ll continue to do on your own.
The more dedicated you are to these recommended exercises, the faster your body will heal and regain normal function.
How many physical therapy visits will I need?
The number of visits you need is entirely contingent upon the extent of the problem you’re trying to correct.
Sometimes, all it takes are a couple of visits to get you back to functioning normally. With more severe injuries or problems, however, you may have to relearn some basics, such as climbing and descending stairs, which requires more sessions.
The team at Men’s Health Chicago works with you to come up with a treatment plan that relieves your pain and restores your function in the most timely manner possible. Call or book an appointment online to get on the road to recovery.
