Why Do People Avoid Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy provides many benefits but some people still never consider it because of a misconception about the practice. Here at Oakland Spine in North Jersey, we’ve helped hundreds of patients in our Oakland, Wayne, Fair Lawn and Closter, New Jersey offices find pain relief and healing while getting them back to more of the activities they love in life.

If you’re convinced physical therapy isn’t for you, we urge you to explore these common myths and learn about the true facts of physical therapy. It just might give you the information you need to get back to a life of less pain and more of what you love in life! Let’s explore some of the most common myths about physical therapy that cause people to avoid the treatment.

Myth #1: Physical Therapy is Painful

Many people worry that physical therapy will only make them experience more pain. The great news is that’s absolutely not the case. Physical Therapy helps train your body back into healthy movement patterns, which can help minimize or even eliminate the pain you may be chronically experiencing.

What you can expect from our trained physical therapy team is a customized approach that takes your personal comfort into consideration. Just like regular workouts shouldn’t hurt your body or inflict pain, physical therapy aims to strengthen your body, so it becomes more equipped to support your wellness and lifestyle.

Here at Oakland Spine, our physical therapists are trained to listen and encourage you to communicate your needs. If you ever experience anything that feels outside of your comfort zone during a physical therapy session, let your physical therapist know. They will help to adapt your therapy so that it is more comfortable for you.

While you’re adjusting to your physical therapy sessions, you may experience some soreness, like if you completed a healthy workout. This is a sign that your muscles are getting stronger. As you continue your sessions, you’ll probably notice this soreness subsiding and the chronic pain you’ve been experiencing lessening as well. So don’t let a little soreness get in your way of finding long-term relief from the pain you may be experiencing.

Myth #2: Physical Therapy is Too Time Consuming

We hear this misconception a lot and we understand why. You probably have an already full schedule between work, family, chores and other commitments. It’s hard to see where you could fit physical therapy into an already jam-packed schedule. But first off, it’s helpful to know that you may not need the amount of physical therapy sessions that you think you do. Patients are sometimes surprised to find that they don’t need hours-long visits multiple days every week for many months.

You might worry that any recommended home exercises will also take up too much time. However, our physical therapists understand you don’t have hours each day to commit to your therapy. So they’ll design a program that fits into your schedule. Here at Oakland Spine’s four locations in North Jersey for instance, we offer evening and weekend hours to make it more convenient for you.

Remember that although some people think they can just wait the pain out and it will magically disappear if they suffer through it for a while, many times it never goes away. Rather than thinking about the short physical therapy sessions that might take up a small bit of your time temporarily, it’s also beneficial to think about all the years you’ll be spending unnecessarily in pain by avoiding physical therapy. When it’s put into that perspective, physical therapy seems like the wise choice and the best use of your time. .

Here at Oakland Spine in North Jersey, we’re happy to work with you, to listen to your concerns and time constraints and create an individual treatment plan that’s right for you. Is there any better use of your time than moving toward a pain-free life? You owe it to yourself to invest in your comfort and happiness.

Myth #3: Physical Therapy is Too Expensive

Sometimes people think physical therapy is just not within their budget. But let’s look at the bigger picture and compare alternatives to physical therapy. When you compare it against the cost of surgery (including all of the time required to take off of work and recuperation time) plus the cost of medications, devices, and specialist visits, you can see that physical therapy is actually a relatively inexpensive alternative.

Here at Oakland Spine, our office is happy to work with you to manage the many parts of insurance claims, Medicare and worker’s compensation paperwork. By fully utilizing all of the avenues whenever possible, we’ll help you keep down the cost of your physical therapy. In addition, for patients without insurance, a custom plan can be created that works with your budget needs.

When you think about living a pain-free, active life and getting back to the hobbies and sports you enjoy, is there any better investment than in your healing?

Myth #4: Physical Therapy Doesn’t Help with Pain

Some people think that surgery or long-term medications are their only options. But these options carry health implications and risks, along with potential side effects. Did you know that physical therapy has been shown to lessen or even completely eliminate the need for surgery or medication in some patients? With it being a non-invasive treatment option that carries zero of the risks and side effects of these other treatment options, it makes good sense to begin your treatment plan with physical therapy.

Many times people think physical therapy is reserved for people who have been in accidents or who have recently undergone surgery. But actually, physical therapy holds many benefits for those who suffer from a chronic injury or movement dysfunction. Not only can physical therapy help in the healing process, but by strengthening the body you will also be helping to prevent further injuries from occurring.

Here at Oakland Spine, we have a full team of both experienced physical therapists as well as chiropractors, so your treatment plan can benefit from the best of both of these practices. While we often treat people who have injuries and are recovering from surgery, many of the patients that we see benefiting from physical therapy experienced chronic pain which was alleviated through physical therapy using manual techniques and modalities plus exercise to improve strength and flexibility while alleviating pain and stiffness.

Find Accommodating and Pain-Relieving Physical Therapy in North Jersey

As you can see, physical therapy offers many benefits without the risks associated with surgery and medication. Our team of highly trained and compassionate physical therapists work with you to strengthen your body and correct movements that are contributing to chronic pain. We help make physical therapy accessible and enjoyable for patients throughout the North Jersey region. Experience physical therapy for yourself and you’re sure to see the benefits for yourself. Schedule a consultation with our team today and start on your journey to less pain and more activity.