Undergoing Treatment at a Physical Therapy Clinic

If you have ever suffered from any back or joint pain or injury, been injured in a sports or vehicle accident, or are recovering from a stroke or some other debilitating illness, chances are that you have had to have physical therapy of some kind. A physical therapy clinic can be a part of a larger medical institution such as a hospital, or it can be privately administered. These clinics will often employ both the physical therapist who focuses on helping a person restore the ability to move around and become mobile and an occupational therapist who will help the person regain the function of various body parts and teach them to perform various vital tasks.

Not all clinics or therapists are the same. While both occupational and physical therapists undergo similar training, many specialize in specific areas. For example, some clinics and therapists specialize in helping people who have sustained sports injuries. Often the injuries received are specific to a certain sport or to specific muscle groups. Therapists who work mainly with athletes and others who play sports specialize in learning how to restore movement to pulled leg muscles, dislocated shoulders or shattered knees.

Therapists who work in hospitals often specialize in helping with the rehabilitation of people who have been involved in car accidents and who have suffered severe back problems as a result, or people who have had a stroke and who need to learn to walk, feed themselves and attend to their personal care again. Other occupational and physical therapists work mainly with the elderly, or with disabled children.  

If you need physical or occupational therapy your medical practitioner should be able to refer you to one who is best suited for you. Often physical therapy is begun in hospital and then continued as an outpatient. In those cases you can either attend the hospital outpatients’ physical therapy clinic, where you will continue to work with the same therapists you had while in hospital. Other patients may prefer to attend a private clinic, or one that is closer to their home. In this situation the doctor and hospital medical staff should be able to help recommend a suitable clinic.

One thing that people often do not realize is that physical therapy, especially that conducted by a physical therapist is often quite painful at first. The therapist may seem very demanding and expect more of you than you feel you are able to accomplish. This is normal and, believe it or not, it is actually very good for you and a key factor in your recovery. With time, and as the body adjusts to the movements required of it, the pain lessens. Frequently pain relief of some kind is given before physical therapy.

Treatment and therapy will differ according to the type of injury sustained or illness experienced. For example, someone who has undergone back surgery will need to practice getting out of bed and walking. Someone who has suffered a mild stroke and lost the use of one arm will need to be taught how to perform all daily tasks using the one arm that is still functioning properly. 

If you are undergoing therapy you will be expected to do the exercises you are assigned and to actively take part in your own rehabilitation process. The occupational therapist cannot do it all for you, the speed of your recovery will in large part rest with you, your determination and your willingness to exercise and practice what you have been taught. It is often nothing short of miraculous what can be accomplished by physical therapy coupled with the enthusiasm and determination to recover.