What Is Physical Therapy?

    If you ask 10 people to tell you what Physical Therapy is, odds are you’ll get 10 different answers.  PT and owner at Central Physical Therapy Helen Balzli thinks it’s because, “PT’s are so focused on giving patients the best care they can, they (we) probably haven’t done a good enough job explaining what we do.”

    A PT clinic in Norman, Oklahoma summed it up this way, “Physical Therapy will get you…Back to Work. Back to Play. Back to Life.” Whether it’s regaining the ability to walk after an injury or some other traumatic event or to relieve low back pain, physical therapists are trained to use a variety of techniques to get patients back to where they were before they needed treatment.  According to Helen Balzli, “We may tailor exercises that target a patient’s specific ailment.” She says, “These are exercises a patient learns to do under the supervision of a physical therapist, but can also do at home. If a patient is complaining of headaches or pain around the neck or shoulders, we may use a technique called soft tissue mobilization.” CPT Physical Therapist Tom Coplin adds, “With soft tissue mobilization we use our hands to apply pressure in specific areas which releases tension and pain.”

    Physical therapists, like CPT’s Richard O’Quinn, have been specially trained to help people who suffer from dizziness that won’t go away. O’Quinn is a Herdman Certified Vestibular Therapist, one of only a handful in Louisiana.  O’Quinn says, “For many of my patients the world has been spinning out of control for years.  Before coming to me, they had no idea the problem could be solved for some with a simple maneuver of the head that resets crystals in the inner ear.”  

    Sometimes, doctors prescribe physical therapy so a patient can avoid surgery.  It strengthens their muscles so when they undergo PT after the operation, they regain movement and range of motion faster. Helen Balzli says, “Whether it’s alleviating pain, rehabbing a patient after joint replacement or getting injured athletes ‘safely’ back in the game, physical therapy has a myriad of applications.”  Some PT clinics specialize. There’s one in Manhattan that limits its practice to women’s issues and conditions like pre-and-post pregnancy fitness, urinary incontinence and swelling after breast cancer surgery.  In the case of Central Physical Therapy, Helen Balzli says “We can do those things, but because we have such a broad cross section of patients we incorporate therapies proven safe and effective for everyone.  We offer a mix of traditional PT along with some of the latest, cutting-edge therapies available.”    

    So what is Physical Therapy?  CPT Physical Therapist, Erik Strahan, DPT says, “If I had to boil it down to three things, I’d say Physical Therapy eliminates pain, helps people avoid surgery while improving mobility and function.”    Physical Therapy really does get people back to work, back to play and back to life. 

    Here are some signs you or someone you love may benefit from physical therapy:

• Dizziness

• Concussion symptoms

• Severe headaches

• Tendon pain related to the feet, elbows or wrists, ex: Plantar Fasciitis, Tennis Elbow, Carpal Tunnel

• Stress and strain injuries that cause ligaments to contract and function improperly

• Stiffness in the joints

• Decreased range of motion

• Rehabilitation to regain lost movement after an injury or surgery    

    While its important patients consult with their physician before starting physical therapy, Strahan adds, “PT’s can do a thorough musculo-skeletal evaluation and recommend a treatment plan to doctors.”

    Phil Rainier is Director of Marketing and Communications at Central Physical Therapy.  His e-mail is [email protected] . This column is in no way intended as medical advice.