What to Expect from Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can be new to many people but often necessary after surgery or an injury. I am 30 years old and have had cerebral palsy my whole life. I also use a wheelchair everyday, for just about all of my waking day. I've used physical therapy on and off for most of my life.

Physical therapy is most often structured according to many factors. Nature of the injury or therapeutic needs, insurance allowances, and doctor's prescription are all factors in determining how much physical therapy will be needed. Physical therapy can take anywhere from one hour to nine hours weekly. Nine hours does seem extreme but if you have a particular goal for your physical therapy, more exercises will be gradually added over a period of several weeks. This practice generally is most common with adults seeking further mobility.

More time in therapy or doing therapy may seem rough and it is in fact difficult. Your physical therapist will often give you a regime to follow while at home. This practice is common especially if your visits with your physical therapist are around once or twice weekly for about an hour each visit. Exercise regimes can vary depending on individual needs and can be very tiring.

Exercises given by physical therapists usually begin with stretches; these may feel uncomfortable at first you should never feel more than a gentle pulling. If you ever feel more than that you should stop immediately and get examined by a doctor as soon as possible and follow any advice given. Learning proper form can reduce the chances of injury. If you are ever unsure about doing exercises on your own stick to ones you are confident doing or only workout during your appointments.

Warm up exercises usually follow stretches. These most often consist of repetitive movements or a set of repetitive motions with little or no resistance. Following that you may be given exercises with a light amount of resistance. Eventually, the level of resistance will be increased. The amount of weight or tension will be increased by your therapist over the next month in small increments.