Every year on the month of October, Physical Therapists from different practice settings around the nation celebrate the National Physical Therapy Month. This year’s theme focuses on the value of physical therapy. Physical therapy offers many benefits to patients of all ages. It helps improve a patient’s mobility and function and plays a role in improving fitness, wellness, and quality of life. Physical Therapists are movement experts that are highly trained in the evaluation and assessment of various musculoskeletal, neurologic, and geriatric conditions. In partnership with patients, Physical Therapists develop goals, plan of care, and, with physical therapy assistants, provide individualized physical therapy treatment program for patients. The American Physical Therapy Association released an article aiming to raise awareness on the benefits of physical therapy:
1. Improve Mobility Physical therapists can help in improving mobility by identifying, evaluating, and treatment of movement problems and improve function.
2. Improve Physical Activity and Promote Wellness Studies have shown that regular physical activity improves physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It also prevents chronic medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Physical therapists’ knowledge and expertise in movement and exercise can help in overcoming barriers to regular physical activity and promote wellness.
3. Help Manage Pain Physical therapists use different modalities to help decrease musculoskeletal pain and may reduce use of risky pain medications.
4. Recover After Surgery After surgery, physical therapists can help you recover and restore function and mobility
5. Prevent and/or Recover from Injury After an injury, physical therapists can help by addressing pain symptoms, limitations in mobility and provide physical therapy care and patient education on preventing further injury.
The Healthy People 2030 continues to monitor how communities address equitable access to basic care to improve health and wellness. At Kinesioworks Physical Therapy, we continue to strive and find ways to serve and provide the best evidence-based care for our patients in the Heights and neighboring communities of New York City by collaborating with local health care facilities in the community.