Most people know what physical therapy is and may have attended physical therapy themselves.

Typically when people think of physical therapy they think about doing stretches or band exercises on a table. This can be effective in certain instances, like immediately following surgery. For some, it is a good place to start, but unfortunately, the exercises don’t typically progress past this. 

A patient told me that she (a CrossFit athlete) was performing the same exercises as a patient who was wheelchair-bound in her prior physical therapy experience… 

Now please tell me how that makes sense. 

It definitely doesn’t sound like personalized care for the CrossFit athlete. 

This supports the argument of ensuring you are receiving care from a specialist who understands the demands of your sport. If you’re doing leg raises on the table during your physical therapy session and then attending a CrossFit class and performing 125-pound overhead squats you’re definitely not going to see any progress in therapy. Well, at least not the progress you are looking for.

And you will feel that therapy has failed you. 

Unfortunately, physical therapy has failed many people.

Some of our patients have mentioned that they never saw the therapist past the first visit. Or, that they did the same exercises every visit. Worse, they could simply do them at home so why bother coming to physical therapy? 

This helps explain the benefits of seeing a therapist one-on-one.

Most physical therapy clinics are required to see 2-4 patients an hour and the patients are commonly passed off to a technician. No offense to technicians, most physical therapists got their starts as technicians. Looking back, I know we knew nothing compared to when we became Physical Therapists. 

We believe in managed care provided to you one on one by the Physical Therapist where you are given an individualized program that meets your needs and goals. 

Here’s another problem, as a Physical Therapist in a typical outpatient setting you are expected to be an expert in all fields…

In an hour you may see a patient who suffered from a stroke, a patient recovering from a knee replacement, and a teenager who sprained their ankle all in the same hour. You’ll treat patients of all different ages, diagnoses, and activity levels. With that being said, you cannot be a specialist in every field.

Here at Spark Performance & Physiotherapy, we pride ourselves on our knowledge of working with athletes and active individuals. 

At Spark Performance and Physio, we understand the benefits and importance of appropriately loading a patient to assist them in their recovery.

Strength and conditioning principles are used to assist patients in returning to the activities they enjoy and love. We know that progressive loading will allow you to get back into exercise while regaining strength, mobility, and flexibility as well as activity tolerance. 

Our facility has the equipment to back our treatment philosophy. We have the plates, dumbbells, bars, racks, etc.

Spark understands the benefits of loading and weight training in regard to recovery. Our specialists understand how to adapt and adjust our treatment to match your specific needs. That is why you will see the squat rack, deadlift platform, and other basic equipment needed to build your capacity for strength. 

Our own organization, The American Physical Therapy Association has even come out and said that Physical Therapists chronically underdose their patients. They are not providing the patient with the correct amount of load to allow the tissues to adapt, leading to progress and ultimately recovery. 

Rest is NOT the answer.

Doing nothing ultimately leads to deconditioning and weakness. This will result in a longer recovery.

Plus, how much rest do you need? For the entirety of your life? That doesn’t sound like a fun way to spend your life.

Recently I had a patient call in and tell me that he’s been suffering from back pain for months. He called his doctor who told him to take medicine and rest…

Big surprise, he wasn’t getting any better. 

He actually thought there was a ‘magic pill’ to make the back pain go away! If there was, we most certainly would know that by now. And, that person would be the person of the century!

But, alas, there is not a ‘magic pill’.

What do I mean?

A friend asked me why he was continuing to suffer from pain and swelling in his ankle when trying to get back into playing soccer. He already took two months off, so why was he still having problems with his ankle? Shouldn’t it be healed by now? 

We hear this all the time. The issue is that taking time off and doing nothing may decrease your pain, but the minute you do something active (ex. bend down to pick up a case of water, return to running, walk too long) you’ll notice that the pain has returned. And worse, it’s about the same as it was when you were first injured. 

Our focus is always on getting you back into those activities while building strength and confidence in your ability to return to your active lifestyle.

Here’s another example, if you never ran before and decided to sign up for a marathon without training, how do you think that’d go for you? 

Not well. That is the answer.

You can’t just decide to go out and run a marathon one day without training. Next, you’ll think you can go out there and throw a football like Tom Brady.

Now, this may be a bit of an extreme example, but it’s helpful in explaining the importance of gradual training and exposure to a new activity to allow the body to adapt, adjust, and eventually complete the task at hand. 

Summary

Going to physical therapy where you receive one on one care with the Physical Therapist will assist you in your recovery and getting back to life! 

Here’s the best part.

You have the right to choose. The right to choose your healthcare provider. You don’t need a referral from your doctor to begin physical therapy. 

We work one on one with our patients which allows us to provide you with our full attention, leading to more efficient treatments and a better understanding of your injury and recovery. 

Focus on receiving care from a physical therapist who specializes in care specific to your needs, goals, and your lifestyle. 

If you are interested in seeing what we are talking about, feel free to apply for a FREE Discovery Visit where you will have the opportunity to sit down with one of our providers to discuss what we could do for you!