What images pop into your head when you think of physical therapy? For many people who are asked this, they think of someone helping patients stretch, or maybe waving an ultrasound wand around. Perhaps, they think of some stretchy bands that they have somewhere around their house from that time they went to PT and were given "strengthening" exercises. Unfortunately, some of these ideas of physical therapy are based on patients' real life experiences.
However, there is another end of the spectrum of physical therapy.
Enter Performance Physical Therapy.
But what is it?
Performance Physical Therapy is the blending of rehabilitation with the strength and conditioning world to bring patients the most optimal results. Performance physical therapists recognize that one of the best approaches to getting out of pain is through structured and progressive loading, and by that I don't mean 2 sets of 10 of some pelvic tilts.
The goal is not to only help the patient get out of pain, but to come back from their injuries stronger and more resilient than before. A comprehensive evaluation is performed to determine what pain points exists while also establishing a baseline of movement tolerance. Using the information from this evaluation, the physical therapist and the patient work together to create a plan from the very first visit that is both goal oriented and process oriented. The assessment also does not end after the first visit. Each visit should test and retest the problematic and/or painful movements to determine the progress being made.
Each session should look not so different than typical training, especially as someone progresses in their rehab. Be ready to sweat! Of course, various manual therapy techniques can be used at each session to reduce pain, thereby making it more comfortable to getting back into positions and movements that hurt. As loading/movement tolerance improves, the manual therapy techniques get phased out and the emphasis is placed on exercise to improve strength, endurance, power, speed, and agility. It's not easy for patients but with hard work, they can get back to doing what they love.
The transition back in training should be relatively smooth due to this proper progression of rehab. At this juncture, patients will also be confident in their ability to move due to all of this preparation.
Still wondering if Performance Physical Therapy is for you? Contact us today and find out how to get back to feeling better while performing at the highest level!
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