How many of us have that pain that just won’t go away? It lingers but it never seems “bad enough” to go to the doctor. Physical therapy might be your answer.
Our partners at Luna want you to heal quickly in your own home. They have trained and certified in-home physical therapists who will help you get back on your feet before you know it. Luna shares the top six reasons to try physical therapy right now.
1. Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is not just for tennis players. This is a common diagnosis that can affect patients in any stage of their lives. It is commonly associated with overuse or repetitive use of the muscles that attach to the lateral epicondyle of the elbow, or the outside bony area of the elbow. It happens when fatigue and trauma cause small micro tears within the tissue. This, in turn, causes swelling, inflammation, and subsequently, pain. Your body’s only way of telling you when something is wrong is by giving you the signal of pain. The pain also stops the regular functioning of the muscles in that area.
The key to managing tennis elbow and treating it successfully is starting physical therapy at the onset of the pain and inflammation, and then gradually retraining the muscles in the area. The bonus of having a physical therapist come to your home versus being seen in a clinic is that you have the undivided attention of that skilled individual right in front of you. A therapist in your home can help adapt your workstation and understand how your interactions with your daily environment may be making your condition worse. If you are having trouble lifting your coffee cup due to pain on the outside of your elbow, consult a physical therapist.
If you suffer from tennis elbow, see if in-home physical therapy is right for you here.
2. Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a poorly understood condition that leads to multiple symptoms which can include fatigue, pain, sleep disturbances, and in some cases, emotional and mental issues, according to the CDC. With the many symptoms it may cause, physical therapists are especially positioned to assist patients with this diagnosis.
Therapeutic interventions, including manual therapy, soft tissue mobilization, and specific exercises that include your specific needs, is what a physical therapist can bring to you in your home. Some things were just not meant to be treated in a busy outpatient clinic.
Fibromyalgia patients need one-on-one care that targets their main symptoms and challenges. In-home management allows the patient to relax in their own environment while the physical therapist helps them find energy conservation methods, pain management techniques, and positioning approaches.
3. Arthritis
Arthritis is the common term used for a long list of specific diseases that cause damage to a joint and the structures that are within and around it. The most common one includes osteoarthritis. This type is commonly associated with “wear and tear” within a joint. It presents as stiffness in the morning, which may include pain. This is eased with movement, but then typically becomes painful and increases fatigue by the end of the day.
Physical therapists are uniquely positioned to assess how a joint’s function can be assisted and specifically trained to manage symptoms. Any painful joint needs strengthening and balance training to allow it to function optimally. Pain can be caused by the poorly functioning supportive structures around the joint which your therapist can help you fix. Treatment in your home allows you to see how you can use your environment to help maintain your function and regain your independence.
Start managing your arthritis today, with help from Luna.
4. Acute Or Lingering Pain
Who likes pain? No one. It prevents you from doing the things you enjoy. Physical therapists are uniquely skilled in managing pain of all kinds: acute, chronic, neurological — you name it. Determining how and why the pain is present is the first key step to managing your pain and that is what your therapist can do for you.
A physical therapist will create a personalized program to help you manage your pain symptoms in the comfort of your home. This may include a combination of therapeutic exercises, manual therapy, or other tactile techniques that reduce the pain you are experiencing.
Therapists are skilled in anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, and understand pain management principles that go beyond just activities. They may also help you identify behavioral practices. In-home therapy allows you to be the sole focus of care which helps you achieve your goals faster.
5. Swelling Or Other Changes
Depending on where swelling occurs in the body may indicate a variety of conditions. When there is swelling around a joint area, your fingers, knees, or ankles, it may indicate that there is an inflammatory response happening. Your body’s method of “fixing” itself includes supplying much needed nutrients and cellular materials to the injured area. This causes localized swelling, which may be accompanied by heat and pain.
Physical therapy addresses swelling in many ways, including manual drainage, muscle activation, and in some cases, the use of modalities like electrical stimulation to decrease swelling around a joint. Depending on the origin of the swelling, if it is related to a specific injury or an arthritic condition will determine what methods the physical therapist will use with you.
An acute injury will need rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) to decrease the local inflammatory response of the body and decrease the swelling. In the case of arthritic conditions, energy conservation, strengthening, stretching, and specific biomechanics may be the focus of your treatment. When the therapist comes to your home to provide this service, they can assist you with setting up your living space to help you with your condition.
6. Physical Therapy For Prevention
Fall Prevention
Balance is something that deteriorates with time and may be more common when combined with other diagnoses like Alzheimers, dementia, and strokes. Thus, as we age, it becomes more important than ever to ensure that your fall risk is minimized.
A physical therapist can help you identify your risk and develop a plan to retrain your balance and help prevent falls. A fall could mean a fracture, a hospital stay, or a move to a skilled nursing facility, all things that we want to prevent.
A physical therapist that comes to your home can look at your living situation and assist you with placement of furniture, safety issues, and general advice to help you prevent falls within your living space. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” in this case, and your physical therapist is uniquely positioned to help you in this area.
Sports Injury Prevention
Physical therapists are movement experts and look at the body holistically to determine how to make it function at its highest level. Preventing injuries during sporting activities means a seamless season on the golf course or pickleball court.
A physical therapist can help you specifically identify activities that help to strengthen, prevent injury, and improve physical performance in sports. As movement specialists, therapists can assess movement and devise specific activities to train you to perform better. This includes looking for areas of weakness that may lead to injury and identifying ways to address and reduce the issue.
You don’t need a prescription to start with Luna. They will walk you through the process, from scheduling and working with your physician to figuring out your insurance. Studies also show Luna will save you time and money with their in-home treatments.