Is Physical Therapy Right for Me?

AzOPT

Who are physical therapists?

Physical therapists are trained to find the biomechanical dysfunctions that cause pain and assess physical movements to make sure pain never occurs. In other words, as highly trained healthcare professionals (most have a doctoral degree), physical therapists will examine you and make a treatment plan that will help you with flexibility, strength, endurance, coordination, and/or balance. First, this will help you feel better by reducing pain and swelling. Then, and more importantly, physical therapy will work to increase your flexibility, strength, and endurance to ensure the injury never happens again.

What do physical therapists treat?

Physical therapists treat most of the body parts that contain bones, joints, and muscles. We can reduce or eliminate pain, helping our patients return to the things they need and love to do. Our physical therapy programs are based on restoring function using evidence-based best practice and protocols. These programs are tailored to the individual needs of each patient.

When should I see a physical therapist?

• You have a specific injury or surgery

• You are unable to perform activities due to pain, dysfunction, or body limitations

• You have no idea why something hurts

• Pain persists longer than three days

• The same body part is injured twice over a few weeks’ time period

• The pain travels (i.e. lower back pain moves down your leg)

Why choose physical therapy?

Physical therapists are highly educated, licensed health care professionals who help our patients reduce pain, improve mobility, and restore function. Our goal is to prevent expensive surgery and reduce the need for long-term use of prescription medications and their side effects.

At AzOPT, we teach you how to prevent and manage your condition to achieve long-term health benefits. We examine each patient individually and develop a personalized plan using proven treatment techniques. In addition, we work with patients to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.

• PTs are highly educated musculoskeletal specialists.

• PTs are able to treat the whole person, not just a single body part.

• PTs not only do rehab after an injury but also provide health and wellness programs.

• PTs can design individualized programs to improve your health.

• PTs often specialize in a variety of fields.

Still wondering if physical therapy is right for you? Schedule your complimentary assessment at one of the AZOPT locations. Call 623-242-6908 or visit www.AzOPT.net. Our assessments are a 15-minute consultation performed by one of our licensed physical therapists to give you direction on the best course for action while explaining, in detail, your options.