What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy is a branch of healthcare that specializes in treating the human movement system, with a primary focus on bones, joints, muslces, and nerves.  Most physical therapists hold a masters or doctoral degree in physical therapy, with specialized training in diagnosing and treating movement problems such as pain, stiffness, and weakness related to common conditions such as back pain, neck pain, and joint problems.  A physical therapy evaluation investigates the root cause of movement problems, focusing on the "why" of pain and dysfunction, not merely on what hurts.  As a result, physical therapists bring a unique ability to empower patients to care for themselves, and to achieve results that can last a lifetime.  Physical therapy treatments in a setting like Primary Solutions will involve a combination of hands on "manual therapy" techniques focusing on restoring motion to joints and muscles, and will also include careful instruction in exercises designed to re-train the muscles of the body to move and act in an optimal sequence, allowing decreased pain and increased function with movements of daily life.  To find out more about physical therapy and physical therapists, visit this website provided by the American Physical Therapy Association: www.moveforwardpt.com