Physical therapy is a common and legitimate treatment option for many different conditions and injuries, as well as for surgical recovery. It is often perceived as a process that increases pain, but the reality is that the purpose of physical therapy is to reduce pain, not increase it. While it's not uncommon to feel pain after physical therapy, you should never experience severe pain. It's much more likely to worsen injuries and prolong the discomfort and pain you're already feeling if you avoid care at a physical therapy center.
The expression “without pain there is no gain” may be familiar to you, and while catchy, it can contribute to a harmful mindset. It also causes people to hesitate or stop physical health changes because they are afraid of the discomfort they may feel. Answering honestly and unreservedly is important to your therapist, since their job is to make modifications to eliminate any part of the treatment that may be causing you pain. With everything you now know about pain and physical therapy, you should be able to talk to your therapist about your physical comfort levels.
Physical therapists will examine you and evaluate your condition before designing an individualized treatment plan specific to your diagnosis. They will enter the pool with you and guide you through a series of exercises and movements. The therapist may ask you to do these exercises three or four times a day, 15 repetitions each, and also to increase your walking. However, if you experience a level of pain that goes beyond discomfort or pain, you should contact your physical therapist and book an appointment to determine the cause of the pain.
Interestingly, while it means that physical therapy can lead to a traumatic experience, the opposite is true - physical therapy reduces pain in the long term. Pace Physical Therapy in San Jose, California specializes in non-surgical recovery and neck pain relief therapies. Many patients think physical therapy is going to be a walk in the park, and many are surprised at how difficult it is. Physical therapists are also perceived as less competent because they do not have the status of doctors. Let's say you're recovering from knee surgery and your therapist is doing exercises to increase your range of motion and strengthen the affected area. Communicating with your therapist during each stage of rehabilitation is the only way to prevent things like these from happening, and it's the best way to speed up your recovery.
