Ask an Expert: Volume 1
Have a burning question for a physical therapy expert? Ask me! After getting several e-mails and comments in response to articles I have in local publications, I decided this would be a great way to share some of that insight. The questions I have gotten are pretty common so it made sense to put them out there for all to learn from! If you want to submit a question, send me an e-mail (Lenae@kairospt.com) with “Ask an Expert” in the subject line. Your question just might be the one picked for the next publication!
Question:
“When should I see a physical therapist?”
Answer:
There are several different scenarios that a skilled physical therapist can help you with. It’s important to note first, that there are many different types of physical therapists with different specializations. Some of these include neurological, pediatric, cardiopulmonary, women’s health and orthopaedics. I specialize in orthopaedics so will answer this question in reference to my specialty.
So, you should see an orthopaedic physical therapist when any of these scenarios arise:
-You have an ache, pain, or strain that lasts for longer than a couple of days or reappears multiple times. Sometimes these are little warnings that your movement health is not quite what it should be. An expert PT will be able to identify these nuances and guide you back on track.
-You develop any of the following injuries – tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis, shoulder impingement, rotator cuff tears, disc injuries, sciatica, piriformis syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, patellofemoral pain (a.k.a. runners knee), plantar fasciitis, or any other cumulative orthopaedic conditions. Cumulative injuries point to the reality that things were not moving optimally for a long while, leading to the injury. Addressing the suboptimal movement is key in recovering and minimizing recurrence.
-You sustain an acute injury that doesn’t necessitate emergency surgery such as shoulder subluxations and tears, spine fracture, labral tears, knee subluxations, ACL and meniscus tears, ankle sprains. Whether the injured tissue itself has the potential to entirely heal, your body needs to be “re-trained” on ideal movement after any of these injuries. Whether surgery will be indicated or not, optimizing mobility, strength and alignment will reap tremendous benefits to your function.
-Your body just feels “off.” You don’t necessarily need pain or discomfort to know that something just isn’t right. A skilled orthopaedic PT will be able to assess alignment, tissue imbalances, muscle function, etc to determine the best plan to get your body moving more optimally.
-You’ve taken a long break from exercise and are looking to get back on track. Strategically training your body on the fundamentals with an expert eye can minimize injuries and the wasted time and frustration that comes with them.
-You want to be proactive with your movement health. Whether you want to minimize injury or maximize efficiency and performance, an expert ortho PT can help. Think of it in the same way that you use the dentist/hygienist every 6 months or so to take care of your oral health.
Question:
“Should I be sore from physical therapy?”
Answer:
It depends! I know, I know, that’s the worst answer. Mostly the answer is yes, you should be a bit sore. Soreness indicates that tissues are changing which is the goal of physical therapy after all – to get your tissues to change to a more optimal state that serves you and your life better! It also depends on the treatment and intensity, though. There may be times when the physical therapist is intentionally working at lower intensities to prepare your tissues for other things to come. However, if he or she increases the intensity, they should always forewarn you when you should expect to be sore after a session or home exercises.