Physical therapy is a natural and effective approach to rehabilitative care used to treat injuries, chronic and acute pain, and movement dysfunction. Treatments typically include targeted exercises, massage, and therapeutic modalities such as heat, ice, blood flow restriction, and taping.
At Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C., our team of health care providers and board-certified physical therapists formulate a treatment plan tailored to your needs. If you’re dealing with an injury, chronic pain condition, or rehab after surgery, here’s how physical therapy can benefit your recovery.
Physical therapy uses techniques that activate your body’s natural healing abilities to reduce pain. Therapeutic exercises and manual therapy improve the mobility of your joints and muscles, which can ease or eliminate discomfort.
According to a nationwide study, physical therapy can decrease dependence on opioid pain relievers. Unlike medications that only mask discomfort, physical therapy provides lasting and long-term pain relief.
Physical therapy can be as effective as surgery for degenerative disk disease, spinal stenosis, meniscal tears, and knee osteoarthritis. In some cases, physical therapy may offer enough relief to avoid invasive treatments.
If you need surgery, physical therapy beforehand can give you an edge during your procedure and recovery.
After an injury or surgery, physical therapy can promote full rehabilitation and a gradual return to regular activities. It is often recommended in the weeks following surgery to improve mobility and ease pain.
As your body heals, excess scar tissue can accumulate and cause discomfort and tightness. Stretches and manual therapy techniques prevent scar tissue build-up from slowing the healing process.
When you spend weeks or months healing from an injury, re-injuring yourself is the last thing you want. Physical therapy promotes proper mobility and gives you a solid foundation to avoid re-injury in the future.
Our physical therapists perform functional movement tests and gait analysis to identify mechanical deficiencies or improper movement patterns. Then, we work with you to correct these issues and rebuild strength and flexibility in your muscles and joints.
Mobility and physical function are crucial to managing pain and maintaining independence. Physical therapy exercises strengthen weak muscles and improve balance and body awareness.
Our physical therapists also assess whether an assistive device, such as a cane, walker, or crutches, would benefit your recovery. These medical devices allow you more mobility without stressing healing muscles and joints.
Physical therapy is the first step towards a better quality of life for patients who deal with pain or mobility issues. To find out if physical therapy is right for you, call or click to make an appointment at Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C. in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
