At what point is it time to seek out physical therapy?
All of us will feel some pain and discomfort from time to time as we live life. Sometimes its muscle soreness from a hard workout, maybe you are feeling back pain from shoveling heavy snow for the first time of the season, or maybe you spent the day walking around at Disney World and your feet are killing you. Whatever it may be, pain is a part of living life as a human being.
We get asked a lot about when it is time to seek out physical therapy for different types of aches and pains in the body. And in general, our advice is sooner is better than later. Here is why:
No matter the type of pain you are experiencing, seeking out a physical therapist is a great place to start. Physical therapists have the knowledge to evaluate your pain or injury to determine if it truly is musculoskeletal related or if it is something else going on that warrants a referral to another type of medical specialist. So if you are unsure where to start, consult your physical therapist to receive the correct guidance.
Another reason is that when your pain or injury is new and symptoms are minimal, is it much easier to treat. There have been multiple studies that show early intervention leads to better outcomes, quicker results, less time spent doing therapy, and less money spent on healthcare. In other words, you are going to get better, faster, so you can get back to doing the things you love to do.
For example, imagine that you just started having foot pain that’s causing you to walk with a small limp. Instead of seeking out treatment, you decide to wait it out and see if it gets better on its own. While you wait, regardless if the pain has worsened or stayed the same, you continue to walk with a small limp. Now all of a sudden, your foot pain becomes hip pain and back pain from walking funny for a couple of days. In a short period of time, minor foot pain has now become a much bigger issue that prevents you from participating fully in life.
Receiving physical therapy early on also prevents your problem from becoming a chronic or recurring issue. Sometimes aches and pain go away on their own, but many times they don’t. Once you cross that threshold from new, minor pain to ongoing, chronic pain, the issue becomes much harder to deal with and it takes longer to go away.
So if you are experiencing a minor ache, pain, or injury, seek out treatment now and your body will thank you for it. Book here today and start your journey back to full recovery.
