Physical Therapy A Treatment Option for Individuals Suffering with Chronic Pain

There are a variety of issues that can be addressed with physical therapy. In addition to musculoskeletal and sports injuries, people that suffer with the chronic pain associated with arthritis may also receive benefit by working with a physical therapist.

Recent data shows that many adults in the United States develop some type of musculoskeletal injury every year. For roughly half of these individuals, this injury may persist for more than 3 months. Rather than prolonging this situation, scheduling an evaluation with a physical therapist may make a difference.

Over 5 million sports-related injuries occur every year in the United States, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The ACL, which is 1 of the major ligaments in the knee, is injured the most often. Each year, there are roughly 100,000 to 200,000 ACL ruptures. This can cause a considerable amount of knee pain, which is the second most common cause of chronic pain.

At any given time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that hip pain is affecting roughly 7% of the United States’ adult population. Nearly 31 million individuals in this country also suffer with low-back pain. A recent study showed that the medical costs associated with treating low-back pain were considerably lower when patients initially received physical therapy. These costs were determined to be approximately $2,736.23 lower as a result of receiving early intervention with physical therapy.

Arthritis is also commonly associated with knee pain and other types of chronic pain. Osteoarthritis, however, is the most common form of this condition. Degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis, usually affects the hips, knees, and hands. Currently, it is believed that over 30 million adults in the United States experience this type of arthritis

If you are experiencing chronic pain due to an injury, arthritis, or another condition, you may want to consider contacting a local physical therapist for evaluation and treatment. Many people that receive physical therapy have experienced a significant reduction in pain along with increased mobility and balance. Furthermore, for those individuals that would prefer not to take medication, it’s possible that these treatments can reduce or eliminate that need.