Goals of physical therapy: A summary

There is one major objective of this discipline and that is to include a broad range of movements and facilitate movements in a patient. Apart from that a patient who is undergoing a physical treatment includes other objectives as educating patients on the principles of stretching and strengthening, which will in turn, help manage pain and accelerate tissue healing as well as teaching patients on proper posture and ergonomic principles to preserve the spine. At the same time this is basically a treatment, which seeks to accelerate the stages of healing, by focusing on reducing pain and the inflammatory cycle. As a part of this treatment it is taught that one needs to apply passive modalities only if severe and this includes ice or heat or ultrasound or traction or electrical stimulation among others. The job of a therapist is also to educate regarding posture and resting in neutral position as well as endeavour to restore muscular flexibility, joint mobility, and spine motion. He as a part of this job is also entitled to introduce specific stretching exercises and progressions to abolish pain and stiffness to specific regions with high frequency and repetitions. Apart form that a major function of his job entitles him to go for activities that help in strengthening the involved muscles and teaching how to maintain the new postures. He is also the person who will help you to return to normal activities post a surgery by creating new awareness of body mechanics and daily stretching for life. At the same time he will also prevent future occurrences and as a patient manages to maneuver through episode of back or neck pain, he or she is educated on what program is needed to deter relapses. Your therapist is also the person who teaches you how to manage exacerbations. It is a well accepted fact despite your best intentions it is often so happens that you have a forgetful moment and do an activity improperly . As a result you suffer flare up. However with the guidance of your therapists you can acquire new knowledge that will be instrumental in helping you to eliminate symptoms in a couple days, instead of suffering for weeks or months.