Physical therapy is a wonderful treatment technique that can help address a number of different injuries or help patients pre- or post-surgery. One of the nice things about the physical therapy process in Minnesota is that our state allows for direct access, meaning you don’t need to see your primary care physician in order to get a referral in order to access PT services. You can go directly to a PT clinic, saving you time and money and getting you the care you need faster.
This direct access is especially helpful if you’re dealing with a few specific conditions that either respond well to physical therapy or stand to worsen if treatment is delayed. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at five injuries or conditions where it’s probably best to head straight to a physical therapist’s office for care.
Head To PT For These Health Issues
If you’re dealing with any of the following conditions, set up an appointment with a physical therapist instead of your primary care physician.
- Ankle Sprain – For moderate to severe ankle sprains, head straight to a physical therapist’s office. Ankle sprains are the result of damage to the supportive ankle ligaments around the ankle joint, and if you don’t help these soft tissues regain strength and flexibility, symptoms can linger and you may be at a heightened risk for subsequent sprains. The best way to strengthen and stabilize the ankle joint is with the help of targeted physical therapy exercises.
- Tendonitis – Another condition that responds well to precise treatment is tendonitis. Whether it develops in your Achilles, your elbow or some other tendon in your body, it is oftentimes the result of overuse or poor movement patterns. A physical therapist can help to resolve lingering inflammation, improve your movement patterns and gradually take on more activities so that you don’t overload the tendon while it’s working to recover after an overuse injury.
- Concussion – We understand why you’d want to rush right to an emergency department or an urgent care facility if your child suffers a head injury, and that’s certainly a great call if they lost consciousness or are experiencing severe symptoms. However, if you’re not sure if it’s a concussion and there’s a couple minor symptoms involved, it may be easiest to head straight to a physical therapist’s office. Your PT will perform some baseline testing, work to improve their coordination, balance and motor function and ensure they can safely transition back into athletics or daily activities.
- Whiplash – If you’re involved in a collision during athletics or a rear-end car accident, it’s possible that you are dealing with a whiplash injury to your neck, shoulders and upper back. Whiplash injuries don’t always show up on X-rays because the trauma tends to affect the soft tissues in and around the neck, so instead of wasting time and money on imaging tests, head to a physical therapist who regularly works with clients suffering from whiplash. Restoring strength and mobility in these injured soft tissues is a must if you want to restore normal function in an area, and a physical therapist can help you do just that.
- Joint Pain – Finally, if you’re dealing with general pain or discomfort in one of the many joints in your body, consider connecting with a physical therapist. Joint issues come for us all, and whether they’re the result of an acute injury or natural degeneration due to the aging process, we don’t want it to slow you down. Strengthen, stabilize and mobilize the joints in your body so that you can continue pursuing all of your favorite activities, and the best way to restore and maintain function in your joints is by pursuing a physical therapy program.
If you’re dealing with any of the above issues, or you simply want to connect with a physical therapist to see if they could help you manage whatever is bothering you, consider reaching out to the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today at (612) 339-2041.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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