Is Physical Therapy Painful? An Expert's Perspective

Pain and discomfort are a natural part of the healing process. Physical therapy is designed to train the body, but it should not be painful. Learn more about how physical therapists can help minimize or completely stop prescription pain medications.

Is Physical Therapy Painful? An Expert's Perspective

Pain and discomfort are a natural part of the healing process. Physical therapy is designed to train the body, and this can cause some discomfort. However, it should not be painful. If you experience sharp pain during physical therapy or have severe pain after a session, contact your physical therapist right away.

Patients often seek physical therapy because something in their body doesn't feel right. They may experience increased pain in a joint, in a general region of the body, or within the muscles. They want physical therapy to help them feel better, but they may be surprised when muscle pain is present the day after a session. Masks are now optional in health centers, and it's important to communicate with your therapist about any pain you experience.

It's normal to feel a little sore in your muscles, but if you feel sharp pain during physical therapy or have severe pain after a session, contact your physical therapist. They can modify the therapy according to your individual needs and use pain management techniques such as heat, ice, and electrical methods to help minimize lasting pain or increased swelling after a session. The motto “no pain, no gain” has been popularized by extreme physical activities that push the body to its limits for results. However, physical therapy should not be painful.

It can be uncomfortable sometimes, but through appropriate communication and individually designed home therapy programs, therapists can dramatically reduce the likelihood of causing you pain during the recovery process. Physical therapy is known to improve the function of patients who suffer from injuries to the musculoskeletal system (joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue). At Pace Physical Therapy, individualized post-surgical recovery not only minimizes pain and accelerates healing time, but it can also reduce the chances of postoperative complications such as infections, bleeding, blood clots, muscle fatigue, scar tissue, decreased function and other factors that may adversely affect your long-term health. Therapists are trained to pay close attention to you and will do everything they can to ease the pain.

They can also help you minimize or completely stop prescription pain medications including opioids. Physical therapy isn't always easy and it will hurt as you teach your body to repair and rehabilitate itself after an injury and feel pain. However, no therapy should cross the line between unpleasant and painful through good contact with your physical therapist.To learn more about the benefits of physical therapy, call the Endeavor Rehab Center at (51) 284-7192 or request an appointment online. Your physical therapist will teach you stretching exercises and manual techniques to relieve pain and improve your overall range of motion.Physical therapy is designed to help you heal without causing too much discomfort or pain.

Through appropriate communication with your therapist and individually designed home therapy programs, therapists can dramatically reduce the likelihood of causing you pain during the recovery process.