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Jun 01
2017

Who can benefit from physical therapy? When you think of reasons to come to physical therapy, injury or recovery from surgery are probably some of the first that come to mind. However, physical therapy can help treat a multitude of conditions. Not only is physical therapy beneficial in treating orthopedic injuries, but patients with neurological diseases and autoimmune disorders can benefit from receiving physical therapy as well.

Who can benefit from physical therapy?

Orthopedic Injuries

Whether it is for a sports injury, overuse injury or after surgery, physical therapy can help you recover from a multitude of orthopedic injuries or problematic conditions. Your muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones and joints all need proper healing after an injury or surgery. Physical therapy is one of the best ways to recover well.

Physical therapy is beneficial in all of the following orthopedic cases:

• Hip or knee replacement
• Shoulder injuries
• Tennis elbow
• Ankle or foot injuries
• Tendonitis
• Rotator cuff surgery
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• DeQuervain’s
• Trigger finger
• Running injuries
• Arthoscopy
• TMJ
• …and more

Neurological Diseases

While there is no cure for many neurological conditions, the inclusion of physical therapy in a patient’s routine can greatly increase quality of life. Physical therapy can help to improve function and mobility. It can also help prevent further deterioration of healthy function in the lungs, heart and other organs.

Physical therapy can be beneficial to those with the following neurological diseases:

• Muscular Dystrophy
• Parkinson’s
• ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease
• Cerebral Palsy

Autoimmune Disorders

Many autoimmune disorders are accompanied with inflammation, weakness, chronic pain and fatigue. To a patient with an autoimmune disorder, physical strength can seem to decrease by the day, so the thought of physical therapy at first may seem overwhelming. However, there are many benefits to undergoing physical therapy. It can help you to gain strength back, increase your range of motion, reduce stress, help you sleep better and reduce stiffness in your muscles and joints.

Some autoimmune conditions that can be helped by physical therapy include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Lupus
• Multiple Sclerosis

Spinal Cord Injuries

In some cases, undergoing treatment as soon as is safe and possible after a spinal cord injury can help to retrain your body how to make up for loss of function. It is important to seek out a experts trained for this kind of injury as are our physical therapists at Above & Beyond Physical Therapy.

Receiving physical therapy after a spinal cord injury can help you maintain:

• Strength in muscles and prevent further loss
• Cardiovascular health
• Mobility and independence to the furthest extent possible
• Flexibility and range of motion

Now that you know more about who can benefit from physical therapy, contact us to find out if working physical therapy into your health and wellness routine can help to improve your quality of life. Our expert physical therapists in Queen Creek and Phoenix are passionate about helping you recover and improve your quality of life.