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Working with your physical therapist

© Ozana Pope-Gajic

A physical therapist will evaluate and treat those with musculoskeletal disorders, neurological dysfunctions and those with other types of disease, injury or illness.

It is important to find a therapist who has experience in treating patients with similar conditions you have. Before choosing your personal physical therapist check ability for mutually cooperation.

Have a short conversation and make sure that communication between both you and a physical therapist is clear and understanding. Furthermore, do not disregard your first impression - that person should make you feel relaxed and equal. Remember that you will be a part of the team involved in an extensive process of improving your health. You should not be an object of rehabilitation practice, but an active part. Your physical therapist will guide you through this long and possibly painful process; only effective teamwork could show some results.

I must return to the word: "painful". Yes, you have to prepare that sometimes pain may occur, although a physical therapist will do as much possible to decrease pain. Especially after a surgical procedure when affected joint become stiff. At that time a patient and his therapist must work together with an important goal: to rich full range of motion of joint. Wouldn't that job be more convenient with tolerant and pleasant person?

When you choose a most convenient therapist for yourself - teamwork with him/her can start. First what they would do is a physical therapy evaluation. This is a standard procedure - taking status of the affected parts of your body based on your individual needs. Evaluation includes: testing assessment of posture, gait, range of motion, strength, soft tissue changes, joint mobility, muscle strength, cardiovascular function, reflexes, or functional skills. Those measures take place in the beginning and at the end of the treatment. During the treatment a therapist can repeat evaluations to see your rehabilitation progress and at the end you could enjoy in success of your mutual job.

After the physical therapy evaluation a primary role is to create a personalized treatment program, which will, in teamwork, improve the functional activities of your life! This program will contain best possible exercise, "hands on" rehabilitation program or modalities for your condition.

Some of the methods that a therapist could use are: joint mobilization, soft tissue massage, modalities (ice/hot packs, water, electrical procedures) or different rehabilitation equipment, like weights, pulleys, therabands, stationary bikes, and treadmills. What will they use depends on the diagnosis.

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