October is National Physical Therapy Awareness Month, and while you’re no doubt aware of the practice, chances are you’ve at least heard, if not believe, some of the misconceptions floating around about physical therapy.
We caught up with the pros at OrthoArkansas to learn more about a modern view of the field and to dispel some of the most common myths.
Myth: Physical therapy hurts.
Fact: According to a survey from the American Physical Therapy Association, 71 percent of people who have never visited a physical therapist think physical therapy is painful. That number significantly decreases among patients who have seen a PT in the past year.
“Physical therapy is not intended to hurt you, but to help you,” OrthoArkansas physical therapist Jessica Leach, DPT, ATC, says. “People always seem to hear the bad stories and are scared to come to therapy, but we want to customize your treatment to make it work for you. Physical therapists work within your pain threshold to help you heal and restore movement and function. We are trying to minimize your pain, including chronic pain.”
Myth: Physical therapy is just for old people.
Fact: Because physical therapy is often associated with rehab after a patient has had knee or hip replacement surgery, for example, people may assume it is only for the older segment of the population. But physical therapy is also often recommended to help athletes prevent or recover from a sports injury or even help women recover after giving birth. In short, physical therapy benefits people of all ages.
Myth: Physical therapy requires a referral.
Fact: “Arkansas has direct access, so a patient can come directly to a physical therapist for treatment without a referral from a physician,” Leach says. “However, some insurance companies do not cover physical therapy without the physician referral, so check your insurance plan if you intend to use it for therapy.”
Physical therapy has proven to reduce costs by helping people avoid unnecessary imaging scans, surgery or prescription drugs. Physical therapy can also lower costs by helping patients avoid falls or by addressing conditions before they become chronic.
Myth: The potential risk of getting addicted to opioids is the only reason to avoid them.
Fact: “Patients are more aware of the side effects of opioids, including addiction,” Leach says. “I think patients are more willing to try a variety of therapy treatments – including physical therapy – because even if they aren’t worried about addiction, they don’t want to deal with the drowsiness or constipation that opioids can cause.
“While opioids can help with acute pain in a short-term time frame, [non-steroidal anti-inflammatories] (NSAIDs) will often be more useful to patients for injuries such as sprains or strains or in a post-operative period as the inflammation is often a large cause of pain. Decreased inflammation will often decrease pain. Patients should always consult a physician, nurse or pharmacist to ensure medications are OK with their specific medical history.”
Myth: Anyone can provide physical therapy.
Fact: According to the American Physical Therapy Association survey, although 42 percent of consumers know that physical therapy can only be performed by a licensed physical therapist, 37 percent still believe other health care professionals can administer physical therapy. The other 21 percent are unsure while 58 percent of consumers either think they can do physical therapy on their own, or are unsure.
“Patients are often surprised to know that most PTs have a doctorate-level education,” Leach says. “Only a licensed physical therapist with specialized education and expertise can develop a physical therapy plan of care.”