Recovering from an injury can take several weeks, months, or longer, and spending just the right amount of time working with a physical therapist can shorten this process and improve your likelihood of reaching a full recovery. Your physical therapist will work with you to determine how often should you go to physical therapy, how long each session should be, and what the total length of your treatment is likely to look like.
Injuries and Conditions That May Require Physical Therapy
Physical therapy plays an important role in helping muscles, bones, and the rest of your musculoskeletal system regain strength and functionality following various types of injuries or other health conditions. It may also be used to speed up the recovery process following certain types of surgery, particularly those that directly affect the musculoskeletal system. Physical therapy may be used on its own or in combination with medications or other treatment options. Some common types of injuries and chronic conditions that frequently benefit from physical therapy include:
- Sprains, strains, ACL injuries, rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow, and other common sports injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, muscle strains, and other work-related injuries
- Fractures
- Acute back or neck injuries or chronic pain
- Osteoporosis, arthritis, sarcopenia, and other chronic conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system
- Dislocations, bursitis, or other joint problems
Typical Duration of Physical Therapy Programs
Your physical therapist will carefully evaluate the type and extent of your injury and its starting condition to determine the most appropriate plan of care.
Most patients attend approximately 10-12 physical therapy sessions over a few weeks to a few months. Sessions are about 45 minutes. The type and severity of your injury are the most important factors in determining what your individualized treatment plan should look like. Your physical therapist will typically provide instructions for exercises to work on at home between sessions, and your diligence in this area will have a significant impact on whether your therapy progresses at the rate that it should.
Frequency of Physical Therapy Sessions
Your muscles, bones, and joints usually need more attention to recover efficiently than one session per week can provide. This is especially true shortly after your injury. We generally recommend starting with two to three sessions per week, depending on the type and severity of your injury. This estimate is usually the most likely to provide an adequate balance between moving your injury frequently enough to obtain long-term results and avoiding overworking it enough to cause additional problems. Some patients may benefit from three sessions per week, while others may be able to reduce their attendance to one session per week once their injury is close to healed.
Start Your Recovery at Middle Park Health’s Fraser Campus
Middle Park Health’s new Fraser Campus location significantly expands our service area to better serve the Grand County area. From helping patients with skiing injuries and work-related injuries recover to managing chronic pain and improving healing after surgery, we are here to help Colorado residents regain strength and movement as quickly as possible. Contact us today to learn more about creating your personalized physical therapy treatment plan or to schedule your initial visit!
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