If you’ve attended physical therapy before, you know that your care has many phases. While pain relief is certainly a benefit of physical therapy, the ultimate goal of your care plan is to improve your overall function and mobility, decrease the likelihood of recurrence of this injury, and put you on the road to health and wellness.
Following evaluation, your physical therapist develops a care plan to begin care at the right phase for you, which can include:
Recovery stage
Based on the severity of the injury, this can be the longest stage. The goal of the recovery stage is to recuperate and allow your body to begin healing.
Repair stage
Once healing is complete, the repair stage begins with a focus on recovering mobility and movement. By gently easing your body back to pre-injury function, you can be sure to stay on track with the anticipated recovery timeline your physical therapist has provided you.
Strength stage
As the range of motion is returned, the next stage of strengthening is crucial. Injury is likely to recur without the necessary strength to support your normal range of motion. Following your physical therapist’s instructions – particularly when it comes to your home exercise program – is essential for achieving your rehabilitation goals.
Function stage
With pain diminished, range of motion returned or improved, and strengthening in full swing, the final step toward discharge from care is the process of restoring function. What do we mean by this? To reduce the possibility of re-injury, achieving higher levels of movements and tasks is important. This ensures that the actions you perform frequently are not beyond your level of safety.
How To Achieve Your Physical Therapy Goals
Attending your physical therapy appointments is important for several reasons. Each appointment is designed to help you recover or progress your care; not attending them can hinder your outcomes. Here are some specific reasons why it’s important to stay on track with your physical therapy care plan:
Consistency is key
Physical therapy is a process and attending all your appointments helps to ensure that you are making consistent gains. Skipping appointments can disrupt the forward momentum you and your physical therapist have made and make it more challenging to reach your goals.
Your therapist can assess your progress
By attending all your appointments, your physical therapist can assess your progress and adjust your treatment plan accordingly. This can help to ensure that you are getting the most out of your physical therapy and that your treatment is tailored specifically to your needs.
You can learn new exercises and techniques
Physical therapy involves a variety of exercises and techniques that can help you recover from an injury or surgery. Attending all your appointments allows you to learn new exercises and techniques that are right for you at any given time in your recovery. This can help you continue to improve.
You can ask questions and get feedback
Your physical therapy appointments are the perfect opportunity to ask questions and get feedback from your therapist. If you have any concerns or questions about your treatment, attending all your appointments gives you the greatest chance to get the answers you need to feel safe and satisfied with your progress.
You can stay motivated
Attending all your physical therapy appointments is important for ensuring that you make consistent progress, get the most out of your treatment, and stay motivated. If you have any concerns about attending your appointments, be sure to discuss them with your physical therapist. They will be able to provide support and guidance to help you reach your goals.
When the Pain Has Stopped, There’s More to Do
It can be tempting to stop attending physical therapy when your pain stops, or you’ve been able to return to some of the activities you used to do. However, it’s important to remember that physical therapy is about more than just relieving pain. When you stop too early, you miss out on important exercises and techniques that can help you prevent future injuries.
Think of it this way- getting rid of the pain is like painting over the water spot on the ceiling…you must continue the work to fix the leak in the roof! By continuing to attend physical therapy, even after your pain has subsided, you can help to ensure that your body is in its best condition to handle the demands of your daily life.
To schedule your evaluation, call any MVPT Physical Therapy location or complete the form below to request an appointment.
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