Physical therapy involves specialized movements designed to remedy impairments in the body's mobility. It is used to help people recovering from health conditions, illnesses and injuries that limit their ability to function in their daily lives. The aim of this type of therapy is to help patients build strength, mobility, balance and coordination. Therapeutic exercise is a very well established modality and residents of Boston, MA have an excellent choice of practitioners to choose from.
Physical therapists can help patients recover from a range of impairments and can be found in many different environments. These include hospitals, out-patient clinics, fitness centers, research centers, schools, hospices and care homes. Many therapists specialize in a particular branch of physical therapy and practice exclusively in areas such as sports, pediatrics, geriatrics and orthopedics.
When beginning a program of care, the therapist will assess the patient's present condition. He or she will also look at the patient's medical details and any additional information provided by scans and lab tests if need be. He or she will then create a care program to address the patient's specific requirements.
Each exercise in the plan will be designed to isolate a particular body part, joint or muscle group. The therapist will instruct the patient on how to perform each exercise in order to get the most benefit from it. This is a process that may involve a certain amount of trial and error. The therapist will monitor the patient and assess how he or she responds to the prescribed exercises. Each exercise may be modified for intensity or duration, or substituted entirely depending on how the patient responds.
The essence of any program of exercise will be to improve flexibility, strength, coordination and balance or several of these attributes. Strength exercises are of particular importance for patients who have experienced muscle loss. Gains in strength are also important for restoring a patient's confidence, which often suffers when physical capacity is lost.
Balance and coordination drills are essential for restoring lost balance that can result from certain illnesses. They are also of great help for mobility-impaired elderly patients who are at risk of falling. The aim here, is to develop lower-body strength and also the vestibular system (the area of the inner ear that controls spatial perception and balance).
Flexibility exercises are designed to restore suppleness and range of motion, they are also an excellent way to prevent patients suffering further injury. There are many different types of flexibility exercises, but all involve stretching and range of motion movements. Many of them can also be done with little or no equipment. An added advantage of certain flexibility exercises is the sense of well-being that they can engender.
This sense of well-being raises an important insight about physical therapy. Exercise (and significant movement of virtually any kind, in fact) can have a hugely positive effect on someone's mood and degree of hope. Scientific studies have demonstrated conclusively that people who are positive and optimistic recover better and more quickly than those who are more pessimistic. Physical therapy can therefore play a critical role in helping patients recover both their physical capabilities and their quality of life.
Physical therapists can help patients recover from a range of impairments and can be found in many different environments. These include hospitals, out-patient clinics, fitness centers, research centers, schools, hospices and care homes. Many therapists specialize in a particular branch of physical therapy and practice exclusively in areas such as sports, pediatrics, geriatrics and orthopedics.
When beginning a program of care, the therapist will assess the patient's present condition. He or she will also look at the patient's medical details and any additional information provided by scans and lab tests if need be. He or she will then create a care program to address the patient's specific requirements.
Each exercise in the plan will be designed to isolate a particular body part, joint or muscle group. The therapist will instruct the patient on how to perform each exercise in order to get the most benefit from it. This is a process that may involve a certain amount of trial and error. The therapist will monitor the patient and assess how he or she responds to the prescribed exercises. Each exercise may be modified for intensity or duration, or substituted entirely depending on how the patient responds.
The essence of any program of exercise will be to improve flexibility, strength, coordination and balance or several of these attributes. Strength exercises are of particular importance for patients who have experienced muscle loss. Gains in strength are also important for restoring a patient's confidence, which often suffers when physical capacity is lost.
Balance and coordination drills are essential for restoring lost balance that can result from certain illnesses. They are also of great help for mobility-impaired elderly patients who are at risk of falling. The aim here, is to develop lower-body strength and also the vestibular system (the area of the inner ear that controls spatial perception and balance).
Flexibility exercises are designed to restore suppleness and range of motion, they are also an excellent way to prevent patients suffering further injury. There are many different types of flexibility exercises, but all involve stretching and range of motion movements. Many of them can also be done with little or no equipment. An added advantage of certain flexibility exercises is the sense of well-being that they can engender.
This sense of well-being raises an important insight about physical therapy. Exercise (and significant movement of virtually any kind, in fact) can have a hugely positive effect on someone's mood and degree of hope. Scientific studies have demonstrated conclusively that people who are positive and optimistic recover better and more quickly than those who are more pessimistic. Physical therapy can therefore play a critical role in helping patients recover both their physical capabilities and their quality of life.
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