You may be looking for a physical therapist for many reasons: You’re recovering from surgery, you’re trying to avoid having surgery, you’re seeking to lessen your chronic pain, or you want to get stronger to help avoid future injuries. Starting and sticking with a program of physical therapy includes many long-term benefits, including better coordination, strength, endurance, and even fewer falls.
Let’s talk about some of the main types of physical therapy and how they can benefit you – for a lifetime of optimum health and wellness.
Types of Physical Therapy
Physical therapy offers different approaches for different health issues. Specialized types of therapy have been designed for patients based on age, condition, or goals.
Orthopedic Physical Therapy
This type of physical therapy is primarily for helping musculoskeletal injuries to heal; they often happen when athletes are playing sports. These injuries can affect the bones, muscles, ligaments, or tendons.
It is designed to assist a patient in recovering from an injury and to help prevent future re-injury. Sometimes, people who are in fantastic shape and do not have an injury have orthopedic physical therapy for the therapeutic benefits such as massage, electrostimulation, or other soft-tissue manipulation treatment.
Neurological Physical Therapy
This approach is used to treat patients who suffer from neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, and many other conditions. Its focus is usually to aid with a patient’s limb responsiveness, to treat paralysis, and to increase muscle strength and coordination.
Research proves that people with neurological conditions who perform certain types of exercise regularly can live a more normal, enjoyable life than they would otherwise.
Geriatric Physical Therapy
This targets conditions that often appear in elderly patients, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, and balance disorders. Like orthopedic therapy, it is designed to reduce pain and improve the patient’s mobility and fitness level.
Pediatric Physical Therapy
These types of exercises are performed with children and adolescents in order to help manage conditions like cerebral palsy, spina bifida, developmental delays, and congenital defects. It treats conditions that tend to affect younger patients by increasing coordination and muscle control for illnesses that affect the musculoskeletal system.
Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy can benefit patients who need to strengthen and condition their heart and lungs. It helps develop better stamina and strength by teaching patients techniques that they can continue on their own while recovering from a cardiac or pulmonary event. This therapy is also designed to help prevent future incidents.
Physical Therapy in Ohio
Physical therapy is often done initially under the supervision of a therapist, who usually provides a series of exercises that are designed to be continued in the patient’s home. The goal is to return to a healthier and more productive lifestyle, and to prevent future injuries.
If you are in the Westlake, Ohio area, contact our friendly team at Orthopaedic Associates to schedule an appointment by calling (440) 892-1440 or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to helping you start your journey toward a more active, healthier tomorrow!