Understanding Physical Therapy: A Beginner's Guide to Pain Relief and Improved Mobility

If you've experienced an injury or illness that makes daily tasks challenging, your doctor may suggest physical therapy (PT). This type of care aims to ease pain and help you function, move, and live better. Physical therapy can benefit people of all ages and treat a variety of health problems.

What Can Physical Therapy Help With?

You may need physical therapy to:

• Relieve pain

• Improve movement or ability

• Prevent or recover from a sports injury

• Prevent disability or surgery

• Rehab after a stroke, accident, injury, or surgery

• Work on balance to prevent a slip or fall

• Manage a chronic illness like diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis

• Recover after you give birth

• Control your bowels or bladder

• Adapt to an artificial limb

• Learn to use assistive devices like a walker or cane

• Get a splint or brace

What Is a Physical Therapist?

Physical therapists, also known as PTs or physiotherapists, are licensed health professionals with specific graduate training in physical therapy. As of 2016, to be eligible to sit for the national exam, you need to graduate from an accredited higher educational institution with a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and pass an additional state exam to earn a license.

PTs evaluate your condition and develop a care plan that guides your therapy. They may perform hands-on treatments for your symptoms and teach you special exercises to help you move and function better. In most states, you can go directly to a physical therapist without a referral from your doctor, but check your insurance policy to see if you need a prescription to cover the cost.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

At your first therapy session, your PT will examine and assess your needs. They'll ask questions about your pain or other symptoms, your ability to move or do everyday tasks, how well you sleep, and your medical history. The objective is to determine a diagnosis of your condition, why you have the condition, including impairments that either caused or are a result of the condition, and then develop a plan of care to address each.

The PT will administer tests to measure:

• How well you can move around, reach, bend, or grasp

• How well you walk or climb steps

• Your heartbeat or rhythm while active

• Your posture or balance

Then, they'll work with you to create a treatment plan that includes your personal goals, like functioning and feeling better, plus exercises or other treatments to help you reach them. Your treatments might include:

• Exercises or stretches guided by your therapist

• Massage, heat, or cold therapy, warm water therapy, or ultrasound to ease muscle pain or spasms

• Rehab to help you learn to use an artificial limb

• Practice with gadgets that help you move or stay balanced, like a cane or walker

Your therapist will watch your progress and adjust your treatments as necessary. You can do the exercises your therapist teaches you at home between sessions to help you stay on track and improve your fitness.

Where Can You Receive Physical Therapy?

Physical therapists work in various settings, including:

• Hospitals

• Outpatient clinics

• Sports medicine centers

• Private medical offices

• Nursing homes

• Assisted living homes

• Rehab centers

• Offices and work sites

• Schools or colleges

• Your home

Physical therapy can help you feel better and improve your ability to perform daily tasks. If you're experiencing pain or limited mobility, talk to your doctor about whether physical therapy is right for you. To learn more about physical therapy and how it can benefit your health, visit the American Physical Therapy Association, WebMD, or Mayo Clinic websites.

The Bottom Line

Physical therapy provides measurable pain relief and functional improvements through evidence-based techniques, with most patients experiencing significant benefits within 4-6 weeks of consistent treatment. Starting early—ideally within days of injury or surgery—maximizes recovery potential and prevents chronic complications. If you're experiencing pain or mobility issues and want to explore your treatment options, Doctronic can help you understand whether physical therapy is right for your specific situation.