Five Common Physical Therapy Myths
Do you have questions about Physical Therapy? Are you not sure if Physical Therapy is right for you? Or if you are at the right stage to see a Physical Therapist? Read on as we bust 5 common Physical Therapy Myths.
I NEED A PT REFERRAL TO SEE A PT
False. Although all 50 states, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands all have some form of direct access to physical therapist services, provisions and limitations vary among jurisdictions. Here you can find a map with state specific information on Direct Access across the United States (Direct Access by State)
Currently, in the state of Texas you may go to any Physical Therapist of your choice, and be evaluated and treated for 10-15 days without a physician referral. Most often this allows you to see a medical provider at a much faster rate than having to call your primary care doctor, wait a week or two for an appointment with them, and then either obtain a PT referral from them, or then be further passed along to another specialist, such as an orthopedic physician, where you may wait another two to four weeks to be seen.
At Moveology Physical Therapy and Wellness, we believe in multi-disciplinary care, and feel it is important to have established relationships and communication with your doctors that you see regularly. However, we also know that many pains or injuries that arise can be started on a treatment plan to allow you to begin to get mobility or pain relief early while you seek out further consultations. On your initial visit with Moveology Physical Therapy and Wellness, our Physical Therapist will conduct an initial evaluation, and determine your Physical Therapy needs. During this initial evaluation we will also discuss with you the needs of further evaluation by a physician, or having diagnostic work-ups completed. You will be able to make an appointment with your physican, and we can begin working on mobility or pain relief needs, while you wait for your physician appointment.
At the time this article was written, a new Senate Bill (SB 584), has been introduced into the Texas Legislature, to increase the number of days that a Physical Therapist in Texas may see a patient without a referral from 10-15 days to up to 30 days. The passing of this bill would be important to many healthcare consumers in Texas in reducing unnecessary costs to patients. Many diagnoses an outpatient PT clinic sees are within the realm and scope of not needing further unnecessary imaging, or surgery, and can be conservatively managed by an experienced Physical Therapist.
2. PT IS ONLY FOR THOSE WITH SERIOUS INJURIES
This is a Myth. Many times in practice, patients will see or know of another person receiving PT and feel the other person's injury is more serious than theirs and question why they themselves are seeking PT. Physical Therapy is medical care to improve mobility, strength, and functional independence, while also reducing pain and providing education on lifestyle changes to ensure continued improvements. Physical Therapists treat patients from those needing rehab following surgeries or major injuries, to those with the occassional pain during an activity or sport. Physical Therapists will also many times work with patients that are needing more guidance in exercises or pain relief to perform activities around the house, play with their kids/grandkids, improve their balance and reduce falls, or improve endurance and function for all types of activities. Never feel that your difficulties or pain is not important enough. We all deserve to maintain our highest level of activities and mobility and do so with the least amount of restrictions and pain as possible.
3. I'VE INJURED MYSELF, I SHOULD REST and ICE
This is part myth and part truth. There are times when you have had an injury that you need to stop your activity and use ice to control swelling. This is usually in the first 24 hours following an injury. After that if you remain immobile and rest too long, you may risk prolonging pain and swelling. Our bodies are made for movement. Becoming more sedentary, and resting too much leads to shortening of muscles, increase in swelling, weakness, and impaired movement patterns. Over time, this may lead to risk of reinjury.
Initially, after an injury, the body in an attempt to heal itself increases blood flow, platelets, and cells into an area of injury to create a prime environment for healing and repair. But remember our body was made to move, and the body needs to move to begin flushing the cells and damaged tissue out of our muscles and joints to allow fresh blood flow, platelets, and cells into the area. Tissues then move into a remodeling phase, and it is during this phase that a Physical Therapist can further help guide you on the proper mobility, or stretching to perform to allow elongation of tissues and further reduction in swelling, as well the proper amount of stress to a muscle or joint to allow strengthening and full recovery of tissue.
4. PT WON’T HELP, I SHOULD HAVE SURGERY
False. Many injuries can be treated conservatively by a Physical Therapist. Your first line of treatment does not have to be surgery. Depending upon your injury and your personal goals, a Physical Therapist can work with you and in conjunction with your physician to restore mobility and strength while reducing pain and allowing you to avoid surgery.
For example, you have shoulder pain following a lifting or reaching injury. This pain may not be from a muscle tear. Many times the pain can be inflammation of a tendon or bursae, or a mild tear not requiring surgery. A PT can work with you to reduce pain and inflammation, and work with you to improve mobility, strength, and stability to allow you to return to full recreational activities or your sport without requiring surgery. Joint arthritis is another example. Arthritis can go through flare-ups due to an increase in activity levels, or a poor movement pattern of a joint. This increase in inflammation in the joint can cause a flare-up in your arthritis pain and symptoms. However, the joint cartilage may be intact and not worn down to the point of requiring surgery to correct the joint surfaces. And a Physical Therapist can help you reduce arthritis pain and inflammation while restoring your mobility and strength.
5. I NEED TO HAVE AN MRI BEFORE STARTING PHYSICAL THERAPY
False. In fact, many insurances are aware of the unnecessary costs and concerns that imaging can create, and are now requiring patients to seek some conservative treatment prior to authorizing MRIs. MRIs are advanced imaging that allows healthcare providers to look at tissue in great detail. In fact, many MRIs show tissue in such detail, that often the results do not even correlate with a patient's clinical symptoms. Many studies in the last 10 years have indicated that MRIs performed on people without low back pain, indicate a herniated disk in 40-50% of people over the age of 50. However, these individuals have no back pain or limiting function, and are considered "normal variants," in MRI results. Similar instances are found in MRIs and Meniscus tears. The incidence of meniscus tears in pain-free knees is 30-40%.
MRI findings are generally used in conjuction with a patient's verbal history, as well as a healthcare providers physical examination. And in the era of rising healthcare costs, seeking an experienced healthcare provider and discussing your clinical symptoms, in conjunction with their physcial examination, can direct you to the appropriate conservative treatment, while avoiding unnecessary imaging costs and concerns.
We hope this helps to quiet your mind and answer questions you've had on seeking Physical Therapy treatment. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Moveology Physical Therapy and Wellness. We are here to answer any questions, and guide you to the best treatment options for you. Our goal is to Empower you on your journey to Wellness in Everyday Life, Sports, and Work.
Kristen McGregory-Hair, PT
Physical Therapist
A native Texan passionate about empowering people through movement, I've been a Physical Therapist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 2004. My passion is to help patients not only recover from injury but also take control of their health and live active lives. I believe in patient education and strive to ensure everyone understands their condition, treatment options, and how to manage their well-being. This Blog , along with Moveology Physical Therapy & Wellness’ Newsletter , is my way to share knowledge and inspire a wider community to embrace an active lifestyle.
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