The Benefits of a Physical Therapist
Post by Lily Gil, Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, Nourish Northwest
Ten years ago, or maybe even more at this point, I was diagnosed with a moderate “S” shaped scoliosis curve in my spine. For those of you unfamiliar with scoliosis, often people either have a “C” shaped or “S” shaped spinal curvature that ranges from minor and hardly noticeable, to very painful and requiring surgery. Unfortunately, mine was caught after I’d finished growing, so bracing my spine wasn’t an option, but it wasn’t quite at the severe-enough-to-operate stage (knock on wood it stays that way)It hasn’t gotten much worse in terms of the degree of curve, but as I’ve gotten older I definitely find my back gets sore easily after bouts of intense exercise, and sometimes painful if I’ve slept on it funny or tweaked it somehow.
Over the past month, my partner has been seeing a Physical Therapist for a herniated disc and shoulder mobility issues. Her nightly regimen of an hour-long series of strange movements has proven to be incredibly beneficial in reducing pain and improving her range of motion. I’ve been to PTs in the past and was told that the only thing I could do to help my back was maintain flexibility and a strong core. Seeing how much my partner was benefiting from her prescribed exercises, I decided it was time to get myself back in to see a physical therapist that clearly knew what they were doing! And I’m SO glad I did! This PT performed a thorough evaluation of my walking and functional movement patterns, and then gave me my very own, detailed and tailored exercise routine to perform every night over the next few weeks and a warm-up to do before running or hiking to activate the proper muscles and protect my back.
I’ve only been doing the exercises a few days now (happy to provide updates as I go!), but already I feel like my muscles are working differently and my body is all around more aligned. I hope to stay active and relatively pain-free for as long as possible, and that means being proactive. I encourage you to do so as well! That may mean taking an extra workout class this week, meeting with Olivia or Paula for advice on diet and nutrition, or even just continuing your current fitness schedule. Personal training is also a great option for learning modifications for common exercises. If you have a serious injury or ailment, talking to your Doctor and getting a referral for a physical therapist might be just what you need. Visits to a physical therapist are often covered by insurance. Whatever it means for you, I encourage you be proactive and reflect on what your body needs to stay healthy.