Alex twisted his knee during a soccer game when he stepped in a hole on the field. Although he iced the injury afterwards, the pain continued to bother him. A visit to the doctor revealed that Alex had torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which connects two key bones in the knee. A few months later, he had surgery to repair the damage. But even after his successful operation, there was still work to do before Alex could heal properly: He needed physical therapy to help him rebuild muscle strength and recover the range of motion in his injured knee.
What Is Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy helps people get back to full strength and movement in key parts of the body after an illness or injury. Physical therapy doesn't just help a person build strength and range of motion, though. A physical therapist can also help someone manage pain, whether that pain is caused by bad posture, an injury, or a disease like arthritis. When done properly and consistently, it can help prevent permanent damage and recurring problems.
Most physical therapy uses a combination of techniques to relieve pain and boost coordination, strength, endurance, and range of motion. Physical therapists (PTs) often ask patients to use exercise equipment like bikes and treadmills. In addition to exercising the affected area, a PT may also treat it with heat or cold, electricity, ultrasound, biofeedback, and water or whirlpool baths. In many cases, PTs massage injured areas and oversee the patient during stretching routines.
Most of the time (but not always), physical therapists give their patients exercises to do at home. These at-home exercises work with the treatments and exercises done in the PT's office to help a person heal better, faster, and safely.
