Most people understand that attending physical therapy is an important part of recovering from injuries and surgeries meant to repair damaged tissue. Exercising as recommended can help you reach your desired goals, such as greater movement capacity and increased strength.
But, did you know that not participating in physical therapy as you were instructed can greatly impede your ability to heal and function at your best? It’s true. Let’s take a look at some more of the consequences of not attending your physical therapy sessions.
Symptoms Can Worsen
One of the best treatments for strengthening supportive tissues and key structures is participating in physical therapy. Though the injured areas may be painful or weak, consistent therapy and exercise can lessen your symptoms and eventually eliminate them. If you refrain from all physical therapy, you are prolonging the discomfort that you are already feeling.
Pain Will Increase
Many folks are under the impression that it is best to relax muscles after surgery or an injury and let them rest in order to recuperate. The truth is that this immobility can lead to muscles and joints becoming stiff, which will only add to your pain. Regular physical exercise keeps the afflicted muscles loose, which means a speedier recovery from invasive surgery or a serious injury.
Recovery Will Take Longer
Putting off physical therapy or missing a session will lead to more time spent recuperating. That’s because when one participates in activities involving physical movement, you are simply retraining your body to again become as agile as it once was. Every appointment is specially designed to increase your mobility.
Strength Will Be Reduced
There is a strong possibility that your strength will be reduced greatly by not attending all physical therapy appointments. After all, your exercises are recommended by your physical therapist to improve the strength of your affected muscles after an injury or surgery. This is so you will once again have a full range of movement, along with greater endurance and strength after healing.
Reduced Likelihood of Successful Treatment
The earlier you treat an injury, the more likely it is that the muscles and joints will make a complete recovery. Ignoring an injury either post-accident or after surgery will lead to degeneration of the muscles, which means that they are less likely to be receptive to the strength training exercises that make up a great deal of physical therapy.
This also means that enlisting with one of the best physical therapy clinics in Ogden or other US cities gives you a greater chance of having positive results if you don’t delay your treatment.
Suffering From Poor Mental or Emotional Side Effects
Because there is such a meaningful relationship between your physical and mental health, consistent discomfort, pain, and immobility can certainly lead to increased anxiety or a state of depression. And, your mood can actually make it even less likely that you are going to put time and effort into healing, so it is best to start physical therapy before it gets that far.
Higher Costs Overall
Did you know that delaying physical therapy can lead to even more bills down the road? That’s because injuries that are treated with exercise and strength-building techniques usually won’t require surgery.
If you already had surgery and need physical therapy to recover properly, participating in the treatment can lead to faster healing and less of a possibility of further operations. Physical exercise also lessens or negates the need for steroid shots and pain medications which can get costly.
Poor Long-Term Prognoses
Remember, everyone only gets one body, and if you don’t take proper care of it, you may not get a second chance. You may have the option to get further surgery, but that is expensive and unnecessary if you attend therapy.
Also, if you ignore your prescribed exercise regimen long enough, you may have to face the reality of permanent joint or muscle damage. This means you will be unresponsive to further treatment.
It is always best to cooperate with your doctor’s treatment plan, and if that includes physical therapy, you must attend and participate in order to recover as best as possible. While it may be bothersome, losing the functionality of a limb or other body part will be far more frustrating.
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