What to expect on your journey to good health

What to expect on your journey to good health

It’s time for you to go to physical therapy or to schedule an appointment. And you have an excuse. Or six.

It’ll hurt too much. It’ll cost too much. Maybe it’s too much work. Maybe you don’t think you are injured enough to reap benefits – not yet anyway.

The apprehension is understandable. We live in a society of misinformation. Sometimes it’s hard to know up from down.

That’s why we’re tackling this subject. It’s time to bust up some myths, to loosen the resistance bands when it comes to understanding the benefits and impact of physical therapy.

Jill Frickey, who has been a physical therapist since 2011 and has her doctorate in physical therapy, also possesses one of the most intriguing job titles in the field of science. She is Select Medical’s clinical education architect.

“I get compliments on the title all the time,” she laughed.

In her role, Frickey works for Select Medical’s outpatient education department, ensuring the quality of educational offerings, providing curricular development, performing faculty onboarding and essentially making sure instructors are provided support with what, and how, to teach.

For the purposes of this article, however, she’s a myth-buster.

Here are six of the most common misconceptions about physical therapy, and Frickey’s expert analysis as to why they don’t ring true.

Myth No. 1: Too much pain for any gain

Some patients are afraid physical therapy will hurt too much, that "PT" stands for pain and torture. They already are dealing with physical ailments, and don’t want that pain to worsen, even if it means the discomfort will improve eventually.

“I would say that’s the most common thing that patients assume, that ‘no pain, no gain’ concept. That’s untrue,” Frickey said. “The main thing we’re working on is how we can make you as functional as possible while monitoring your pain symptoms. Yes, definitely pain is a factor. It’s present in most every patient we see. But the goal is to reduce pain, not to cause more.”

A helpful tip for incoming physical therapy patients is to focus on the difference between the previously existing pain and any new muscular fatigue or soreness. If done correctly and with proper guidance, the physical therapy exercises should not exasperate the existing pain, but may cause muscle soreness. This is something your physical therapist can help you differentiate.

Consider it as entering with pain, adding some soreness and then improving on both.

Myth No. 2: I’m not recovering from surgery or major injury, just hurting a little, so physical therapy is unnecessary

Consider for a moment that your body is an automobile. You hear an odd sound and you ignore it. Then your ‘check engine’ light comes on and you keep driving, hoping for the best.

Maybe your gas cap isn’t tightened properly. Eventually, though, you’re stranded on the side of the road, speed-dialing AAA.

When your body’s motor starts making funny noises and your ‘check engine’ light turns on – that painful knee clicking, the inability to raise an arm without discomfort, that nagging lower back pain – that’s the time to explore physical therapy.

“This is a bold statement, but I think physical therapists should be the primary provider of musculoskeletal management,” Frickey said. “If you have an ache, a fatigue, a stretch, a sensation in your body, the best person to discover where it’s originating from is a physical therapist.”

Ignoring early warning signs may lead to significant and costly repairs – such as surgery – down the road. That’s why an initial consultation with a physical therapist could be instrumental in keeping you chugging along.

“The earlier you come, the faster you get better,” she said. “If you wait until it’s a big, severe injury, then your likelihood of improvement is much lower.”

Myth No. 3: A referral is required for an initial physical therapy appointment, and that’s a pain

It’s a reasonable concern, but not an accurate one.

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands have some form of direct access to physical therapy services without physician referrals, though the specifics vary by locale.

It’s best to call a physical therapy center to get a sense of its and your state’s requirements before showing up. However, many locations accept walk-ins and will design future schedules that fit your needs. Therefore, if dealing with a muscle ailment, dropping by for an evaluation or simply to examine a physical therapy center is encouraged.

“Walk-ins are a great way to come in, check out the place and see what you think,” Frickey said. “Most often, there will be an ability to work you in in some way.”

Myth No. 4: I give at the physical therapy office; doing extra exercises at home seems … extra

Physical therapists spend more time with their patients – sometimes an hour a day, two-to-three times per week – than nearly any other group of medical professionals. They establish a rapport and a trust during their patient sessions and are rewarded by witnessing tangible improvements daily and weekly.

But there is no magic wand. Recovering with the help of therapy takes work. Inevitably, the patient is assigned homework. That’s part of a healthy partnership.

“I don’t want you to go home and do 20 exercises,” Frickey said. “But I can give you strategies to decrease your symptoms at home and to empower you to recover completely, and, hopefully, to not to have to come back and see me.”

If patients only work at the physical therapy center, they won’t improve as quickly or drastically as they would if they also learn to properly perform exercises, stretches and activities by themselves.

Myth No. 5: Physical therapy is a glorified massage

Oh, no. Don’t go there.

Nothing gets physical therapists more riled up than passive patients who come to the center for massage, heat or electrical stimulation and aren’t prepared to work their muscle groups. Remember, these are trained medical professionals with advanced degrees who understand the body’s complex symmetry.

“We know that evidence suggests the strongest return to function is through the combination of manual therapy, meaning joints, soft tissue and exercise,” Frickey said. “So, it has to be partnered with active engagement of the patient.”

When involved in physical therapy sessions, don’t expect to run 30 minutes on a treadmill jacked to 10. You won’t be pushed that hard. Conversely, don’t expect lavender scents, soothing candles and an hour of deep-tissue massage, either. Not going to happen.

Myth No. 6: Physical therapy is too expensive and my insurance won’t cover it

This is a double-fisted myth, and one that is personal for many in the physical therapy industry.

First, almost all medical insurances cover a portion of physical therapy. Our patient service specialists will make sure those coverages are reviewed and all questions are answered.

Secondly, and most important, therapists are dedicated to helping patients return to normal and fulfilling lives. That’s why they’ve entered this profession. They won’t put a price on your health.

“We’ll work together to find out what plan of care would work best for your budget and your condition. It doesn’t mean that you have to come in three times a week,” Frickey said. “We will work on different strategies, making sure you have a progressive home exercise program, if you need that for financial reasons.”

Cost can be a real concern, but remember, expenses often increase as untreated injuries worsen.

With the myths properly busted, there’s no better to time to request a physical therapy appointment to get back to being your best self.