The shoulder injury recovery process can be difficult and time-consuming, and if you’re not careful, it can also lead to even more health issues like aggravation or substance abuse. In today’s blog, we explain why physical therapy is such a great treatment strategy for driving home results and keeping patients safe.
Why PT Is A Safe Recovery Technique After Shoulder Injury
Physical therapy is a trusted and safe rehabilitation technique for a number of reasons. Here are five of them:
- Scientifically-backed exercises – The biggest reason why physical therapy is so successful is because we follow scientifically-backed research and techniques. Countless studies have been conducted on the body and how we can help it recover faster, so we’re only using techniques that have already been proven effective time and time again. And one of the reasons they are effective is because they don’t put the patient at risk of another injury.
- No Risk Of Addiction – Opioids can play a crucial role in the recovery process, but they also have significant risks, even when used carefully. Opioids can lead to long-term addiction, withdrawal symptoms and even death if an overdose occurs. However, you can’t really get addicted to physical therapy. We love when patients show up for their regular appointments, but we’d hardly call that an addiction. Physical therapy simply does not carry the risk of dependence and overdose like opioids can.
- Treats The Root Problem – Some treatment methods help to provide the patient with pain relief, but they don’t address the underlying issue in the process. Painkillers can mask pain and injections can help dull nerve sensations, but they don’t address the functional issue causing you discomfort. Physical therapy treats the problem at the source by targeting the specific muscles, ligaments or joints that are contributing to your pain. This helps to provide long-term pain relief instead of short-term options that can have long-term consequences for your health.
- Activity Increases – We don’t just treat the issue you’re dealing with, we make sure that the injury and your whole body are strengthened to the point that you are ready to partake in pre-injury activities. For example, working with athletes to improve their conditioning and their balance are just two aspects we provide alongside traditional injury management to ensure they can safely return to sporting activities once they’ve recovered. We assess your personal and professional physical habits to make sure your body is ready to handle the strain you’ll put on it once you’ve recovered.
- Slow Build – One of the keys to making a full and safe recovery is taking it slow during the process and to gradually increase weights, distance or repetitions. Our therapy team can guide you through the program and track your progress so that your plan can be adjusted based on your recovery. Going too quickly can leave you open to aggravation, while going too slowly can see your progress plateau. Working with a physical therapist can ensure your recovery continues at the correct pace.
