What DOES a PT do?
We can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard “I didn’t know you did that” from patients we’ve seen in Physical Therapy.
It’s a common occurrence you’ve probably experienced. Maybe the first time you went to Rural King you said to yourself “I didn’t know I could get my fishing license here!”
Same for us as Physical Therapists. We often hear things like “I thought you mostly rehabbed someone after a knee surgery.” Or, “I thought that was only for old people that had a stroke or car accident and needed to learn how to walk correctly again.”
Truth is, Physical Therapists do a LOT of different things. Yes, we help people learn how to move effectively and efficiently again, and yes, we help get someone back to their sport after an injury or surgery.
BUT, we also help folks that are feeling dizzy and they’re unsure as to why. It’s called Vestibular therapy, and it can be massively helpful to get rid of the dizziness and get back to life.
AND we can help someone that has a neurological issue like Parkinson’s or Stroke regain their mobility and independence.
AND we can help people overcome chronic low back and neck problems with a combination of mobilizations and corrective exercises that will SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR GOOD!
AND we can help someone that’s experienced a loss of steadiness/balance and has potentially had falls, regaining their confidence and strength.
The most common problems we see with patients are nagging little aches and pains that don’t require surgery, but are certainly limiting someone’s freedom to do the activities they love. This is the worst, and the thing we really love helping someone overcome. If you’re dealing with little aches and pains, DON’T!
