October is National Physical Therapy Month
Happy National Physical Therapy Month!
National Physical Therapy Month recognizes the impact physical therapists and physical therapist assistants make in restoring and improving motion in people’s lives. Even though the past year has presented unexpected changes and challenges for all of us, our dedicated PT team at Elite Physical Therapy in Stoughton and Foxboro are so proud of the outstanding accomplishments so many of our patients have made over the past year. Through hard work, a commitment to their therapy and rehab programs, and a relentless drive to return to doing what they love, our inspiring patients continue to remind us of why we do what we do! We’ve also had a number of our former patients decide they wanted to impact the lives of people every day by entering into Doctorate of Physical Therapy programs and joining our profession. That’s the greatest compliment we could ever receive and we could not be prouder!
How Physical Therapy Can Help
Now that fall has arrived, temperatures (and leaves!) are starting to fall in many parts of the country. And that means the transition from cooling our homes to heating our homes is right around the corner. No matter what method you use to heat your home, each fall you may cross your fingers and hope that your heating system still performs the way you need it to. If not, you might be calling an expert for a tune-up, or in extreme circumstances, you might need a complete overhaul.
Just like a heating system that has been largely dormant for the past several months, a body that hasn’t been physically engaged on a regular basis may have trouble getting started again. Especially as we age, our ability to move undergoes changes. But whether we’re talking about a college student or a retiree, returning to an activity without proper planning is a recipe for disaster. That’s where physical therapy comes in. Physical therapists are trained to treat injuries, ease pain, and improve patients’ function, but they can also help their patients prevent injuries and safely prepare to participate in new activities.
Think of physical therapists as “movement consultants” who can ensure that your body is physically ready to tackle a new challenge—or resume a favorite leisure activity. Here’s another example to illustrate what we’re talking about: Let’s say that you play in an adult soccer league and you’re preparing to play in your first game of the season in a few weeks. You probably hung up your cleats when the last season ended months ago, but expect to pick up just where you left off. But it’s simply too much to ask for your 2020 debut on the field to be on the same level as the last game of the previous season, when you likely had reached peak performance.
This may be a good time for your PT to step in and help you shake off the rust. Your physical therapist can assess your movement and customize an exercise plan to help you slowly return to sport and avoid an injury that could sideline you for the whole season. Just like tuning up your heating system, your physical therapist can help to ensure that your body is prepared to return to its former activity level following a hiatus.
If you feel you could benefit from the expertise of one of our skilled physical therapists, give us a call in Stoughton at 781-436-0391 or Foxboro at 774-332-1723 or email us at info@elitesportsandpt.com. For more info about PT here at Elite, click here. Wising you a Happy National Physical Therapy Month from your friends at Elite!