The road to recovery can be difficult, but it’s also exactly where physical therapists specialize, and it’s often the best choice to help patients get back to normal.

A physical therapist is an expert in the field of rehabilitation and their goal is to restore patients’ abilities, especially in regards to their physical activity, strength and range of motion. If a patient experiences an impairment of any sort—whether from surgery, an injury or general aches, pains or muscle fatigue—it’s the physical therapist’s job to address these impairments and work with the patient on a one-to-one basis to help get them pain-free and moving properly again.

For these reasons, physical therapy is often recommended as an essential component of treatment for a wide range of musculoskeletal issues anywhere in the body. Physical therapists will evaluate these patients to identify any biomechanical deficiencies and then create a personalized program where they prescribe exercises and utilize techniques and equipment to facilitate the recovery process.

Most importantly, physical therapists are there with patients every step of the way, and modify each treatment program based on the abilities and goals of each patient. Through this custom-tailored program, patients will experience reduced pain, increased function and a clear understanding of how to retain improvements.

Specific approaches vary from one practice to the next, but most physical therapists provide treatment that consists of the following components:

• Manual therapy to improve mobility of joints and soft tissues
• Stretching & flexibility exercises are helpful for improving range of motion that may have been lost from scar tissue formation after surgery/injury
• Strengthening exercises are used to improve the function of muscles by increasing strength and endurance; core strengthening of the back and pelvis is especially important since a weak core can lead to more injuries
• Ice and heat for cooling and warming muscles, as well as stimulating blood flow and decreasing swelling
• Ultrasound is high-frequency sound waves that stimulate deeps tissues and leads to warming and increased blood flow in these areas
• Electrical stimulation is a therapy that passes an electrical current through an impaired area to increase blood flow and reduce pain
• Home exercise program is also essential and should be performed by the patient regularly to maintain improvements and prevent future problems
• Patient education on the importance of following this home program and training on proper posture and biomechanics is also essential

Here at CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services LLC, we are experts in the recovery process and it’s our mission to bring our patients back to a normal, pain-free life. Please consider our services for any patients in need of treatment at any of our three locations in Laurel, Hyattsville or Glenn Dale/Bowie, MD. Call 301-853-0093 to schedule an appointment, or click here for more information.