Benefits of Physical Therapy

The purpose of this blog is to address the benefits of physical therapy for the patrons. I have provided an information view of how regular participation in physical therapy can be worthwhile. This blog will include information about the physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits of physical therapy.

Physical therapy is one of the many ways to treat chronic pain or a chronic injury. It strengthens your muscles and improves range of motion within your joints. Movement is essential to everyday life. “Physical therapists also help prevent injuries and promote a healthy lifestyle by improving strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination.”1 Physical therapists work in collaboration with their patrons extensively to develop proper technique and increase range of motion. With the use of special equipment or machines, the patrons use these, combined with stretching, to strengthen the muscles and bones to help improve their ability to move.

Physical therapy also helps with the emotional aspect of the parton as well. Everyday life involves a great deal of stress, anxiety, and depression. “Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication—but without the side-effects, of course. In addition to relieving depression symptoms, research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing.”2 This is a great outlet for relieving anxiety, stress, or depression. Breaking from the norm of a routine and focusing on something different is a great way to cope with emotional dilemma. Exercise through physical therapy releases special hormones that help with pain relief called endorphins which also can relax the body and relieve tension.

Cognitive processing is also a key benefit of physical therapy. With this, patrons can preserve their thinking, memory, psychomotor skills. Regular participation in physical therapy can lead to lower risk of dementia. “The researchers found that participants who engaged in physical activity at least twice a week had a lower risk of dementia than those who were less active.”3 Participating in physical therapy is a great way to keep the mind sharp due to the special hormones released and allow the brain to go through a process called plasticity, or relearning or rewiring of the brain. Thus, preserving the mind and allowing the patron to continue to think.

In conclusion, physical therapy provides a plethora of benefits ranging from physical, emotional, and cognitive. As you can see regular, participation of physical therapy can improve the patron’s overall quality of life by not only strengthen the body, but the mind and spirit as well. In the next blog I will discuss the the different aspects of the affordability of physical therapy.

References

1Association, A. P. (2016, September 27). Benefits of Physical Therapy. Retrieved from moveforwardpt.com: http://www.moveforwardpt.com/forhealthcareprofessionals/detail/benefits-of-physical-therapist

2Bergland, C. (2014, April 09). Psychology Today. Retrieved from Physical Activity Improved Cognitive Function: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201404/physical-activity-improves-cognitive-function

3Help Guide. (2016, May 27). The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise. Retrieved from helpguide.org: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/exercise-fitness/emotional-benefits-of-exercise.htm