Physical Therapy Bowie, MD

When you hear about physical therapy, there is going to be a wide range of thoughts you have about physical therapy and some of these thoughts are going to be more accurate than others and more truthful, too. Physical therapy is something you can receive from your healthcare provider, and physical therapy is going to aim to maintain, restore, and improve your life. Physical therapy can help you restore, maintain, or improve your movement abilities, your activity levels, and even ensure that you are enabling your health as far as you can so that you have an optimal functioning and quality of life.

The questions come in because people do not really know what physical therapy is. They may not know what physical therapists do. And when people do not know what someone’s occupation focuses on or does, they may find themselves with questions or incorrect knowledge and information.

Myth: I need a referral to see a physical therapist.

In Maryland, something called the Maryland direct access law says that there are no restrictions or limitations for treatment when there is no referral. This means that you can be seen as a patient and evaluated and treated by a licensed physical therapist without requiring a physician to refer you. However, this is a common misconception, because in many states, a physical therapist may require a referral. However, physical therapy in Bowie MD, such as the physical therapist available to you from Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic,  has no restrictions on who they can see as a patient.

Myth: Physical therapy is painful.

Most physical therapists do not believe that you are only experiencing physical therapy correctly if you are in pain. In fact physical therapy in Bowie MD is often done while also respecting the limits that your body is able to do. Physical therapy is often compared to a good workout, so while you might have some physical discomfort and some soreness after visiting your physical therapist, you should not be in enough pain that it bothers you. Communicating with the therapist is going to help them know how you are responding to the different ways they are providing care. If something is hurting you, tell your physical therapist and let them know so that they can adjust the exercises accordingly.

Myth: I’ll have to stop activity levels if I go to PT.

You might believe that if you are in physical therapy you actually have to stop being active. That is not the goal of physical therapy, in fact physical therapists are often going to keep you active and they will not ask you to stop and thus it is absolutely necessary or the activity level is unsafe you and you are pushing your body beyond what you can handle. Talk openly with your physical therapist in Bowie MD to discuss your physical therapy and ensure that you are doing the best you can and are not actually hurting yourself. 

Myth: Physical therapy will fix me.

Physical therapy is not about fixing you, in fact the very idea that physical therapy may be able to fix something that is very permanently a part of you is terrible. Physical therapy is going to provide you the tools to manage her symptoms on your own, so you do not need to rely on your physical therapist all the time. This is a collaborative team effort, and everyone has a different body with different movement patterns and activity levels to they can manage to do. Physical therapy is about giving you the best life you can have in working with you to achieve your goals.

Reach out to The Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab and Chiropractic for all of your physical therapy in Bowie MD needs today.