What You Should Know Before Starting Physical Therapy
After an injury or surgery, the road to recovery often starts with physical therapy. While you may think that you’re 100% ready to dive in, there are a few things that often get overlooked. We’ve put together a list of five crucial things to remember before you start your physical therapy program.
1. Seek Medical Attention Before Doing Your Own Research.
We know it’s all too tempting to get on sites like WebMD and self-diagnose your problem before seeing a doctor. However, keep in mind that medical professionals have years of experience that they are using to diagnose your issue.
While it’s always good to be well-informed about your health, it’s often wise to do your own research after your condition has been diagnosed by a medical professional. This way, you can start your journey to healing as soon as possible with the correct diagnosis.
2. Understand Therapy May Be A Little Slow Or Painful At The Beginning.
Healing is a process. Your physical therapist knows what he or she is doing and has your best interest in mind. Even if a specific exercise does not seem directly related to the part of the body that’s healing, there’s a flow to every movement that will tie back into the injured area.
3. Fully Commit.
One of the core components to a successful physical therapy program is commitment. There will be days that you don’t feel like doing what is in your program. There will be exercises that are simply hard to do. It’s these moments that being fully engaged and committed make all the difference.
4. Have Open Communication With Your Therapist.
This one is key. How is the program going so far? Does a certain exercise hurt or not feel right? It’s important that your physical therapist knows these as you go along with your program. Whether something hurts or you’re not feeling good with the treatment, talk it out with your PT. Remember, they are there to help you.
5. Clearly State Your Goals.
Be clear about what you want to get out of your program. Why? This is the only way your physical therapist can get you back to normal.
Do you want to get back to running five miles a day? Do you simply want a better golf swing? No matter how small or big your goals may seem, be open about them.
Every person is different. Don’t hold back on what you really want to improve on based on the other people you see around you. You’re there to get back to your strongest and best self.
Next Steps
If you’d like to know more about our physical therapy program, we’d love to talk! You can schedule a consultation here or call us at (732) 431-2155. We look forward to talking with you.