Physical Rehab

Learn what physical rehab is, what makes it unique, and how it can make a difference in your life.

What is Physical Rehab?

Physical rehab, short for physical rehabilitation, is a treatment process designed to restore physical functionality after a person is injured, falls out of shape, or otherwise experiences challenges in their mobility.

Physical rehabilitation can occur over a matter of weeks, months, or even years, depending on the severity of the conditions that are being treated.

Causes for Physical Rehabilitation

Physical rehab can be used as a form of treatment for a variety of injuries and conditions, whether they’re acute or chronic. Some of the most common issues that are treated with physical rehabilitation include:

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Broken bones

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Strokes

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Amputations

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Nerve damage

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Muscular strain

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Speech impediments

Preventive Applications

Though it’s commonly used as a response to specific injuries and illnesses, physical rehab can also be used as a preventive method of care. By using medical equipment to treat afflictions and equipping patients with tools they can use for long-term physical health (including good posture, proper exercise form, at-home exercises, and more), physical rehab can be quite effective when it comes to preventing health and mobility issues down the line.

More Common Than You’d Think

Most people don’t consider physical rehab until something happens that requires them to seek it out. That means that most people are surprised to find out just how widespread the demand for effective physical rehab really is. Let’s take a look at some statistics that help put it into perspective:

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50% of adults

in the United States will develop a muscular, nervous, or skeletal issue in their lifetime that will persist for 3 months or longer.

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46% of people

who seek out physical therapy are looking to target spinal pain.

Despite its scientifically backed effectiveness at providing long term relief, physical rehab is only fully adhered to (from beginning to end) by 35% of patients.

A Holistic Alternative

One of the biggest appeals of physical rehab–and the many types of treatment it encompasses–for patients is that, often, it presents an effective alternative to relying on prescription medications to manage pain.

Though it’s important to follow your physician’s advice and take medications when prescribed, it’s reasonable for patients to be averse to taking prescription pain medications indefinitely.

Physical rehab targets the root cause of pain, discomfort, and mobility limitations in order to help patients feel relief from pain, decrease dependence on pain medications, and improve their overall quality of life.

Physical Rehab vs. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy falls under the umbrella of physical rehab. While physical rehab encompasses a variety of specialties, professionals, treatment plans, and injury types, physical therapy focuses on movement.

Physical therapists focus on rehabilitating their patients’ mobility. Typically, this means assessing a patient’s current movement capabilities (or limitations), setting goals, and coming up with a treatment plan that focuses on restoring as much of that movement as possible. This treatment plan can include stretching, strengthening exercises, and passive modalities like manual therapy.

How Chiropractic Care is Different

Chiropractic care is another type of treatment that falls under the umbrella of physical rehab. Chiropractors specialize in the neuromusculoskeletal system, which is broken down into the following parts of the body:

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The nervous system

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The skeletal system

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Muscles, tendons, and ligaments

The Goals of Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care, falling under the umbrella of physical rehab, shares its goals of reducing pain, bolstering mobility, and restoring physical function. With a chiropractor, this is done by focusing on alignment, spinal decompression, and on removing undue stress and strain from the body.

Physical Alignment

Alignment is the term for how the different parts of the body line up with each other. Over time, factors like wear and tear, injury, and chronic pressures can cause different parts of the body to become misaligned.

When the alignment of one body part is off, excess stress is placed on other parts of the body. This, in turn, can lead to pain, weakness, limited mobility, and further complications down the line.

Manual Manipulation

A good chiropractor will determine which areas of your body are affected by misalignment, then use a variety of physical manipulations in order to realign them. Your chiropractor can also instruct you about how to maintain alignment through good posture, healthy form when exercising, and ongoing treatment.

Spinal Decompression

Your spine is composed of a series of discs and vertebrates. When one of your spinal discs becomes herniated, degenerated, or bulges out of place due to strain over time, it can lead to serious discomfort and pain.

Chiropractic care targets spinal pain through a treatment called spinal decompression, which removes excess pressure from the spine to reduce these adverse effects and promote healthy alignment.

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Physical Therapy and Exercise

Some chiropractors, like the Essential team, may offer physical therapy and exercise as part of your treatment plan. This is because physical rehabilitation isn’t one size fits all. Promoting long-term health and wellness may require physical training, and coming up with healthy habits that prioritize strength and mobility is a key part of effective chiropractic care.

What to Expect from Essential ChiroCare

At Essential ChiroCare, our goal is to maximize your well-being by coming up with a course of treatment that’s tailored to your unique needs. We will work with you to address the underlying causes of your pain and discomfort.

We don’t believe in putting a Band-Aid over your symptoms. We believe in true physical rehabilitation, instilling healthy habits, promoting physical alignment, and equipping you with the tools you need to see long-term success. If you’ve been experiencing pain or mobility limitations, our goal is to work with you to make sure they’re gone for good.

Schedule Your Consultation

Whether your pain and discomfort is longstanding or new, we are a Tampa chiropractor who will work with you to get to its root cause so that you don’t just feel well, but are well. Set up a consultation with us to get started.