Benefits of Physical Therapy
Physical therapy has been proven to work time and time again for injury recovery. It is effective on three levels: treatment, healing, and future prevention of recurrence. Physical therapy can help relieve pain, restore function and movement, and foster healing.
How Does Physical Therapy Work?
One of the main focuses of physical therapy is to reduce the pain caused by an injury. There are two different kinds of therapies: passive and active. In passive therapy the body is not doing any of the work. Things like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasounds, heat pads, or ice packs are examples of passive therapy. In active therapy, the body is moving. This can be with stretching, strength training, low-impact aerobics, and pain relief exercises.
Both types of therapy are equally important to the treatment of your injury. Not everyone responds the same way to the same treatment, so it is imperative to work with a doctor to find the best type of therapy for your situation.
Physical Therapy Exercises
A physical therapist can help you develop a treatment regimen for your pain, but there are also exercises and stretches you can do at home to prevent an injury from occurring in the first place. Some of these include:
- Stretching your toes by picking up a washcloth, sock, or marbles from the ground.
- Placing a rubber band around your toes and stretching it as far as it can using only the strength of your feet.
- Looping the rubber band around your two big toes, stretch them as far apart as they will go while keeping your ankles touching.
- Doing calf raises.
- Walking on your toes in your bare feet.
- Walking on your heels in your bare feet.
- Using a towel under your toes to gently stretch them up towards your body.
- Massaging your feet with a golf ball.
- Physical Therapy is Important to Us
We understand that life is busy, and that painful feet will only slow you down. That’s why we’ve made physical therapy convenient for our patients. Suzanne Pierri, P.T. is the physical therapist working in the offices of Dr. Mitchell Wachtel. She is onsite so that it is easy and stress-free for you to receive the physical therapy you need. Most insurance companies cover this treatment. Physical therapy is proven to be effective in many different cases of injury, trauma, and prevention.
Call Us Today
Call Dr. Mitchell Wachtel, podiatrist North Andover, today at (888) 616-2512 to schedule an appointment in one of our three Massachusetts locations. We will be able to diagnose your condition and then provide the referral to Suzanne Pierri, P.T. as needed. Don’t let fear or worry get in the way of getting the help you need to fix your problem. Physical therapy is non-invasive and is proven to help treat a multitude of foot conditions, including plantar fasciitis, bunions, and fallen arches.