A variety of health issues can successfully be treated with physical therapy or a surgical procedure, but that doesn’t mean that you should always just let the doctor perform the operation. If you can achieve positive outcomes through either treatment plan, oftentimes it is much more advantageous to pursue physical therapy instead of surgery. In today’s blog, we explore some of the benefits of choosing physical therapy over surgical treatment.
Physical Therapy Vs. Surgery
Both techniques may help you find relief from the physical issue you’re dealing with, but given the choice, we think you’ll be more satisfied by pursuing physical therapy first. Here’s why:
- Can Be Just As Effective – For a wide variety of conditions, physical therapy can be just as effective at helping a patient make a full recovery as a surgical procedure. If you can make the same recovery without all potential issues associated with surgery, it’s typically in your best interest to do so.
- Added Risks With Surgery – The vast majority of surgeries are incredibly safe and effective, but additional risks come into play any time an incision is made. Blood loss, nerve damage, reactions to anesthesia and infections are all risks associated with surgery that aren’t on the table if you pursue physical therapy first.
- Cheaper – Physical therapy is much more cost effective than a surgical procedure. Depending on the issues you are facing, it’s possible that pursuing physical therapy can save you tens of thousands of dollars over your surgery. Even when your health insurer picks up most of the tab, it’s still far cheaper to treat your issue with physical therapy.
- Quicker Recovery – Physical therapy also typically leads to much faster recovery because there is no additional bodily trauma or incision site that needs to heal like there is with surgery. If you’re hoping to get back before your sports season ends, oftentimes physical therapy provides the quickest route back on the field.
- You’re Probably Doing PT Either Way – You have to put in the work on your own when you pursue physical therapy treatment, but it’s not like you can avoid this effort by choosing to undergo surgery. There’s a very good possibility that your doctor will recommend weeks or months of physical therapy following your surgical procedure to restore normal movement and function. Since you’re likely going to need weeks of physical therapy anyways, you might as well try it from the start instead of waiting until after surgery has been performed to put in the work on your end.
- Individualized Recommendations – When you work with a physical therapist, they will be developing a care plan suited to your specific needs. Nobody else is facing exactly the same issues that you are, which means we need to develop a treatment plan tailored to your unique strengths and deficits. When you choose physical therapy, you’re choosing to connect with a provider who is going to bring a personalized approach to your care, and that can make a huge difference in your overall outcome.
Let us show you why so many patients are thankful that they connected with our team when they were trying to figure out the best care for their injuries. For more information on how we can help address your concerns, or to set up your first appointment, give the team at OrthoRehab Specialists a call today at (612) 339-2041.