Often when we injure ourselves or wake up one day with pain (such as back pain), we manage it something like this: First, we take a wait-and-see approach, thinking that maybe the pain will get better on its own or with a day or so of rest and some ibuprofen.
If after days (or sometimes even weeks), we still feel the pain, we might make an appointment with a doctor, who may tell us to continue to rest or take time off work. He or she may give us a prescription, refer us to a specialist for expensive tests, and several weeks later, might refer us to a physical therapist.
Try This Instead: A PT-first Approach
While traditional medicine certainly has its purpose and its place, what if we told you that for many of our musculoskeletal discomforts, pains and injuries, we can find success faster and resolve the trouble with less expense by first seeing a physical therapist?
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are conditions that affect our muscles, bones and joints, and include things like tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, even the back and knee pain that so many of us experience on a daily basis. And PTs are uniquely qualified to treat exactly those conditions.
“When somebody is having irritation or pain, [they can come to us because] we are movement specialists. That’s our specialty,” says Torrey Foster, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, a physical therapist and musculoskeletal specialist with Spooner Physical Therapy and Proactive MSD.
Torrey works onsite with a local manufacturing plant helping all employees there prevent and overcome musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) so they can live better and work more comfortably through healthful movement. Employees complete a routine survey to submit feedback about how their body is feeling and moving. Using their responses, Torrey is able to create individualized plans to help them deal with the discomfort or troubles they are having, and prevent them from worsening into full-blown injury.
These plans include what Torrey calls “countermeasures, which may include OSHA first aid, ergonomic instruction, and/or counseling or training to improve work tasks.” His goal is to “educate the employee on the tools and tactics available to alleviate irritation.”
For example, he might implement an “Unlock” program involving stretching and warm-up routines specifically designed to unlock the body and “prepare them to get ready for what they have to do in their day” Torrey says.
Torrey also might have the employee do “Unload” or “Unwind” exercises. Unload positions help the body reduce the force produced by a muscle or compressive forces on joints (that load or force is what produces your pain and discomfort). One example Torrey gives is lying on your back to reduce the load on your spine. Unwind exercises can be helpful if the body is always in the same position. “We want to do a reversal of what they’re frequently positioned in. We unwind to decrease the strain on muscles and joints in the body.”
Ok, but what if you don’t work for a company with an onsite musculoskeletal specialist?
Our lifestyles, work environments, and habits can all cause troubling muscle and joint pain, discomfort and dysfunction. And the good news is that you don’t have to work somewhere with a therapist like Torrey onsite.
Because Arizona is a direct access state, anyone can receive physical therapy without a doctor’s prescription or referral. At Spooner Physical Therapy, we offer free movement screens to assess how you move, and from there, we can make a plan to help your body learn to move more healthfully, which, over time and proper treatment, can help eliminate pain, and prevent or overcome injury.
Your physical therapist at Spooner can use many of the same principles Torrey uses to “unlock, unload or unwind” your body, so you can enjoy all of your daily activities without discomfort — whether you’re performing tasks at work, participating in your favorite sport, or playing with your grandkids.
Are you an employer interested in helping your employees feel better, happier, and boost productivity at work? Visit Proactive MSD and learn how we help!
Learn more about Work Injury Rehabilitation at Spooner Physical Therapy. Ready to schedule an appointment? Schedule an appointment or complimentary movement screen with a Spooner physical therapist at one of our locations throughout the valley.