Types of Injuries for Physical Therapy

In 2022, 43.5 million people in the U.S. sought treatment for injuries in emergency rooms, a figure that does not include those who sought treatment at doctor’s offices.

In many cases, physical therapy is a critical part of injury treatment. Understanding what physical therapy is, the most common injuries physical therapists treat, and the benefits will help you understand the value of seeking physical therapy treatments and services for your injury.

What Is Physical Therapy and How Does It Help With Injury Recovery?

Physical therapy involves using exercises and stretches to increase a person’s range of motion, reducing pain, and improving their mobility. Physical therapists are licensed professionals with a doctoral degree in their field. They evaluate patients and develop customized treatment plans that are designed to achieve each patient’s treatment goals without aggravating injuries.

Physical therapists also identify the best exercises and movements to help patients achieve their goals and teach them how to perform them.

Stretches help increase the patient’s flexibility and manage pain. Stretches and exercises can reduce stiffness, increase the patient’s range of motion, and improve their posture.

These movements can also help strengthen muscles, thereby improving balance. Good balance is important because it helps reduce the risk of falling or aggravating injuries during recovery. Improving muscle strength also helps improve coordination.

Common Types of Injuries Treated With Physical Therapy

There are many types and causes of injuries that may require physical therapy treatment. 

Types of Injuries

You may require physical therapy for several types of common injuries, including:

• Back pain
• Fractures
• Neck pain
• Knee injuries
• Soft tissue injuries, including:
  • Contusions
  • Repetitive stress injuries
  • Sprains
  • Strains

• Shoulder injuries

Sprains involve torn ligaments, while strains involve torn or overextended muscles and tendons. The most common places where people suffer sprains or strains include:

• Ankle
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
• Hamstring
• Rotator cuff
• Wrist

Treatment for Joint Injuries

Physical therapists treat joint injuries with stretches and exercises. The stretches help manage pain and increase the range of motion. Exercises strengthen muscles, which improves joint stability and helps increase the range of motion.

Back and Neck Injuries

The most common neck injuries include:

• Herniated discs
• Pinched nerves
• Sprains and strains
• Whiplash

Common back injuries include:

• Bulging or herniated discs
• Fractured vertebrae
• Sprains or strains

Physical therapists may use heat or ice as part of the treatment for back and neck injuries, in combination with stretches and exercises.

Sources of Injuries

There are multiple ways people may sustain injuries that require physical therapy.

Car Accidents

You may need physical therapy for car accident injuries if you suffer from any of the following:

• Back injuries
• Fractured bones
• Soft tissue injuries
• Spinal cord injury
• Whiplash

Repetitive Stress Injuries

Repetitive stress injuries occur when you engage in repeated motions. Common repetitive stress injuries that may require physical therapy treatment include:

• Bursitis
• Carpal tunnel
• Shin splints
• Tendonitis

Slip-And-Fall Accidents

Slip-and-fall accidents can cause:

• Back injuries
• Broken bones
• Neck injuries
• Sprains and strains

Workplace Injuries

Car accident injuries, repetitive stress injuries, and slip-and-fall injuries may or may not involve your work. Injuries that occur in your workplace or during work-related tasks (such as driving) may require workers’ comp physical therapy.

How Physical Therapy Helps Reduce Pain and Restore Function

Stretching muscles alleviates tension that can cause pain. It also prompts your body to send essential nutrients and oxygen to your injury. The nutrients and oxygen help you heal and reduce pressure on the injury, thereby reducing pain.

Exercises also prompt your body to send nutrients and oxygen to the injured muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This helps injured tissues heal. Exercise also triggers your body to release endorphins, which are natural painkillers that help reduce pain.

Other benefits of physical therapy include reducing inflammation and prompting your body to produce synovial fluid, which helps reduce joint stiffness.

Benefits of Personalized Treatment Plans

Physical therapists develop customized treatment plans because every individual is unique, and treatment needs to be focused on specific injuries and physical considerations. The severity of the injury may also mean it takes longer to increase the patient’s range of motion, so they can move without reinjuring themself.

Suppose you’re a professional athlete and are accustomed to daily workouts. You may not need to focus as much on muscle strength as someone who isn’t a professional athlete and spends most of their workday at a desk.

Customized treatment plans ensure your treatment begins with appropriate movements tailored to your fitness level and the nature of your injury.

How Physical Therapy Prevents Future Injuries and Improves Quality of Life

Physical therapy helps you reduce and manage the pain from your injury. Physical therapy also helps improve your quality of life by promoting healing, so you recover as quickly as possible.

Physical therapists also teach patients to perform exercises that help strengthen muscles. Increased muscle strength helps reduce the risk of reinjury and improves balance and mobility. As a result, patients enjoy a better quality of life because their range of motion and stability improve.

How ZK Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Develops Rehabilitation Plans Customized for Each Patient’s Condition and Goals

When you request an appointment at ZK Physical Therapy & Chiropractic, you’ll begin by meeting with a physical therapist who’ll assess your injury, identify treatment goals, and determine how to help you achieve those goals.

Our physical therapists then monitor your progress and adjust your treatment as needed to prevent reinjury. Our answers to our frequently asked questions also explain what to expect during your sessions.

At ZK Physical Therapy & Chiropractic, we offer complimentary consultations to ensure you understand the benefits of physical therapy and how we help patients achieve their treatment goals.