the best 10 reasons to go to physical therapy right now

In these strange and uncertain times, we’re all a little off our game. Since COVID-19 began, our routines have been thrown off, more of us are working from home, and it’s so easy to fall into a rut. My practice has seen a definite shift in the type of clients we see and the type of care they are seeking. When you think of traditional physical therapy, some of the reasons on this list may surprise you.

1.   Your back and neck have been hurting from all that screen time.

I used to see this fairly often, working in the middle of a tech hub, but now I’m seeing it more than ever as folks have been working from home. People think they can sit all day on their couch, bed, or dining room chair, and all will be fine. This is simply not the case. Variety is key people! A physical therapist (PT) can help treat your pain using manual therapy techniques, give you exercises to improve your posture and help with flexibility, and educate you on how you can make lasting changes to prevent this from becoming a chronic issue.

2.    Being cooped up has left you feeling unmotivated and that nagging (or new) pain has reared its ugly head.

Injuries, particularly chronic ones, are no fun for you to deal with. The good news? This is a PT’s bread and butter! With COVID, self-motivation is harder than ever. For rehabbing an injury, staying on top of your exercise program is key to improve your symptoms, improve your movement patterns and see these changes stick.

I recommend finding a PT in your area that you connect with and coming up with a plan together that keeps you motivated, whether that’s going in to the clinic once per week or doing regular telehealth check-ins.

3.    You’ve been working from home and you’re not sure if your desk is set up right.

PTs are highly educated in ergonomics and posture. We can help you either in person or virtually in many cases problem solve to figure out the right office set up for you, proper equipment to use, and help prevent unnecessary pain or an overuse injury.

4.    You just had a baby (or are pregnant).

I work with a lot of new moms, and have a lot of new moms in my network of friends and family. I am always surprised by how few of their OBGYNs and PCPs recommend physical therapy. Other countries (I see you France) automatically prescribe PT after childbirth, it just makes sense! There are so many things that are glazed over (pelvic pain, pain during sex, leakage) that can leave women feeling confused and neglected.

Even learning about what is safe to do workout-wise during and after pregnancy is valuable information that is often overlooked by physicians, and something PTs have vast knowledge of. My sister-in-law told me that after she had my niece, all her doctor said was “Yup, after 6 weeks you can start working out again.” Her doctor didn’t intend to be, but was dismissive of her experience and didn’t provide her with a clear path towards normalcy. You don’t have to go through this experience alone; connect with a PT for advice that is specific, science-based, and empowering.

5.   Winter is coming (which means ski/snowboard season)!!

If you, like a lot of folks, enjoy getting your turns in on the winter slopes, turn to a PT for guidance on how to prepare and prevent injury. Particularly this year, when gyms and other traditional means of exercise aren’t available, it’s important to build your strength and stamina the right muscles in the right way to give you that extra edge so you are ready for that first winter powder day…but make it to spring skiing injury-free.

6. Because telehealth.

Many of my clients are surprised about just how much they can get out of a telehealth session. I encourage you to try it, here’s why: if you are further along in your program or require minimal hands-on work, aren’t able to make it in to the clinic (kiddos at home, long commute, just had surgery, etc.), or want someone to keep you motivated, telehealth is a great option. It is an excellent way to keep you on track, give you feedback and guidance on your home program, and get all your questions answered from the convenience of home. I have clients who do a hybrid of telehealth and in person sessions, and some who are solely telehealth, and it works great!

7.    You want to try (insert activity here) but always seem to get hurt.

When trying out a new activity for the first time, it’s smart to get the advice of a professional to help guide you. A PT can talk with you about previous injuries and areas you’d like to improve and perform a functional movement assessment to evaluate your baseline, strengths and weaknesses that may cause an imbalance. They will work with you to help you achieve your goals in a safe and targeted way.

8.     You are super stressed and have chronic headaches.

Stress-related headaches are unfortunately quite common, particularly in the current state of the world. How can a PT help? We can determine the source of your pain (which in most cases is a combination of physical and psychosocial factors), alleviate that pain through hands on treatment, postural education, and teach you strategies including breathwork and mindfulness to help improve the effects of stress on your body.

9.    You don’t have access to much exercise equipment (or know how to use it correctly!)

These days, it’s important to think outside the box (or the gym) when it comes to our workouts. PTs are experts in improving functional movements (think squats, lunges, and body weight exercise) using minimal equipment. A stretchy band and a couple can goods often do the trick! Best of all, PTs are trained at the Doctorate level as movement specialists to help prevent injuries or help you rehab from a current injury or persistent pain.

10.  You aren’t playing on that rec team right now…

…but you may again soon (let’s all hope!). So many times, I see clients take a one month to several year break from their rec soccer team, they skip a couple ski seasons, or are getting back into running. They think they can pick up right where they left off and BOOM! They get hurt. Don’t let that person be you. PTs can help keep your fitness level up and ease you back into your sport of choice when the time comes, and give you the right types of exercises to do to help you stay at the top of your game and avoid injury.