Do you ever feel as though nothing will ever help you get rid of your pain? Have you suffered for so long that you’ve just started to accept your pain as a burden you’re destined to carry? Many people feel the way you do, and these feelings are often compounded by the fact that everything you’ve tried has failed. Painkillers just cover up the issue, massages don’t work, hot packs only bring relief for a few precious minutes, and that brace… well… you’d rather get rid of it. But perhaps the worst thing of all is the fact that physical therapy has also not worked for you – you thought it would help you out of y our pain, but it just left you feeling desperate.
This can be really, really tough. And, honestly, giving up on your healing journey may seem as though it’s the right thing to do. Here’s the thing, though, there is hope; there is a way to get rid of your pain – you just haven’t found it yet. What is it, you ask? Well, it’s physical therapy! Now, now, you just said it didn’t work, right? Alright… but what if you only watched “You’ve Got Mail” and wrote off Tom Hanks before ever seeing “Sleepless in Seattle” or “Forest Gump”? What if you read “Twilight” and vowed never to read another book about vampires again? Would you miss out on “Dracula” because of it? What about coffee? Is one bad brew going to turn you off of coffee forever? Of course not! So, why give up on physical therapy without ever broadening your horizons? You just haven’t had the right treatment yet!
We’re not asking you to believe us straight off of the bat, though – we have proof! Take a look at the following 6 facts that may explain why your previous physical therapy session/sessions didn’t work:
1. The Root Cause was Never Found
A good physical therapist will always chat to you about the root cause of your problem. What is that, you may ask? Well, one of the reasons physical therapy is so effective is because it finds and treats the root cause of the problem, that is, the reason/beginning of your pain. If the root cause isn’t found and isn’t treated in the right way, you will never be rid of your pain and will never hope to regain mobility, strength, and independence in any meaningful way. Not having found or treated the root cause of your issue may indeed be why your previous physical therapy didn’t work.
2. There was No Clear Plan for Recovery
Imagine buying a car, but you don’t know how to drive or even where you’re going! Well, physical therapy without a clear course of action or recovery plan is a bit like dressing up for the ball, but sitting on the sofa instead. It’s very important that your physical therapist has a clear plan, that he/she sticks to it, and that you have regular check-in’s in order to note your progress. Our clinic wouldn’t have the reputation for quality treatment without this system, and you should never settle for anything less.
3. Exercising in Vain
It may be that one of the first things you were told at your previous physical therapy session/sessions is that you need to do more exercises, right? And that’s all good and well, but did they tell you what to do or how to do it? And even if they did, did they make sure you were comfortable and clearly understood the moves and postures involved? If not, chances are you were doing the exercises in vain. You see, physical therapy training plans involve targeting those areas specifically giving you problems – generic plans just don’t cut it. Make sure you know what to do, how to do it, and when to stop – this is critical when it comes to a successful physical therapy treatment.
4. A Little Less Conversation, a Little more Action, Please
Let’s be honest: physical therapy isn’t about the therapist… it’s about you! Any physical therapist pushing his/her own agenda on your injury will never be able to treat you. And, not only that, he/she could actually end up making things a lot worse! If there is a lot of prodding, poking, and general pressing in the area of pain, he/she could aggravate the issue further, thereby causing you unnecessary pain. Forget the hidden agendas and engrained formula – you need physical therapy for YOU.
5. Stretching only Brought you Temporary Relief
Rome wasn’t built in a day, you know? Cliché’s aside, aside from knowing which stretches to do, as well as how to do them correctly, a good physical therapist will always tell you that true healing takes time – there MUST be a long term plan in place for you when it comes to stretching. Honesty is the best policy, and being truly pain free means understanding that you need to be in this for the long run… it will come and it will last. We promise.
6. You didn’t Choose the Right Physical Therapist
Choosing a physical therapist is critical when it comes to your healing process. Choosing Mister “A” because he’s quick and efficient isn’t always the best idea. Similarly, going for Miss “B” because she says nice things and gets through the session quickly is also a mistake. It’s important to remember that physical therapy needs time. Initially, the physical therapist needs time to find the root cause of the problem, but thereafter he/she needs time to treat it properly. So, just because you’re promised pain relief in 15 minutes, doesn’t mean the former is true… only the latter is. Give yourself and your physical therapist enough time to make the difference you dream of.
So, there you have 6 reasons why your previous attempt at physical therapy failed. It’s not always easy to know how to choose a qualified, professional, hands on physical therapist – we understand that. But, at the end of the day, you need to feel comfortable, get the care you need, and have a plan tailored to you. You need to be given the attention needed to treat the root cause of the problem – permanently. If you are still unsure as to why physical therapy didn’t seem to work for you previously, then we invite you to give one of our professional, friendly physical therapists a call, right now. Not only will they answer all your questions, they’d be happy to discuss how you can move forward and make changes in order to make a difference and tackle your pain – for good.
Contact us for more information about how we can help you!!!
-Dr. Jenna Smith, DPT, GCS is the owner of Vitality @ Home, a mobile physical therapy practice for older adults located in Grand Rapids, Michigan