Short Term Injuries: Letting Your Physical Therapist Help You

No one plans for an injury, but having a short-term problem, such as a damaged muscle or tendon, can certainly impact your life.   Many people assume “incorrectly” that because the injury is “not that bad” that they don’t need the expert care and advice of a physical therapist.   This is inaccurate, and could cause more problems than what you might currently be facing.   The following are some common misconceptions when it comes to short-term injuries that should be addressed.

“I don’t need an evaluation.”   One of the first things a quality physical therapist will do is ask many questions about how the injury occurred.   Just because you think you twisted your ankle doesn’t necessarily mean that is where the injury originated.   There could be other factors at play.   Perhaps the injury happened as a result of poor movement, for instance.   Reducing the pain as soon as possible is important, but this solution will only be temporary until the root of the problem is assessed.

“I’ll just put some ice on it.”   Sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.   When we think we understand how injuries are treated, the temptation can be to just throw an ice pack on the area and hope things improve.   But the ice pack isn’t the best treatment for muscle spasms, for instance, or issues that involve connective tissues.   Don’t do something that could make your injury worse.

“I just don’t have the time.” This is an area where not putting in the short term work can lead to bigger injuries and more long term damage later.   You may not want to hear that your recovery could take at least six weeks or longer.   But not following that advice can result in the initial injury not healing fully or correctly, setting you up for a more complications in the future.

Treat yourself as you would want a loved one to be cared for.   If you have experienced a recent, short-term injury, do yourself the favor of being examined by a physical therapist.