Healing Without the Knife!

Conditions That Respond Well to Physical Therapy

People opt for surgery to reduce pain and improve their functionality and mobility. The good news is that physical therapy can do exactly that for several different musculoskeletal conditions, including the following:

• Osteoarthritis: People with severe osteoarthritis often resort to total joint replacements to address their symptoms. But if you can begin physical therapy early on, you can slow the condition’s progression.
• Partial Ligament Tears: While a full ligament tear typically requires surgical intervention, less severe ligament injuries respond well to physical therapy.
• Spinal Stenosis: This condition causes a painful narrowing in the spinal column, but you can manage your pain and mobility restrictions with gentle, targeted exercise.
• Degenerative Disc Disease: A common side effect of aging, physical therapy is more beneficial for treating DDD than surgery in most cases.
• Herniated Discs: This is another condition that physical therapy can generally resolve more easily than surgery.

Physical Therapy vs. Surgery: Here’s What We Can Offer

The exact details of your physical therapy treatment will vary based on several factors, including the condition or injury, your current health status, and your overall goals. Our team will work closely with you to develop a customized plan that meets your needs.

Generally speaking, we’ll begin with an extensive evaluation to help us get to the root of your discomfort. From there, we’ll pull from several different techniques to help you manage pain, eliminate restrictions in your range of motion, and improve your overall function. 

Ultimately, our goal is the same as any orthopedic surgery: to help you live a rich, active lifestyle, free from pain and immobility. However, we can do it with a few extra benefits: 

• Lower Costs: Surgeries are far more expensive than physical therapy. Comparisons in prices estimate that surgery costs at least $2 per year for every $1 spent on physical therapy. 
• Less Time: Surgery is a highly invasive procedure that requires lengthy rehabilitation. Healing alone typically takes several weeks, and it can take up to a year before you’ve fully rehabilitated–during which time you’ll be doing extensive physical therapy anyway. Why not skip the extra step?
• Decreased Risks: Surgery brings a host of medical risks, from blood clots to dependency on painkillers. Because physical therapy is non-invasive, the risk is minimal (especially compared to surgery). It also offers drug-free pain relief options.

That said, seeking physical therapy treatment sooner rather than later is essential–this is especially true for degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis. It’s also essential you keep active outside of our clinic. Many of these conditions benefit from regular movement, so you’ll want to find an exercise program that suits your needs (something our therapists can help you with).

And if you do wind up needing surgery down the road, you’ll already be prepared for your rehabilitation after the procedure!