The Benefits of a Holistic Approach to Physical Therapy

Physical therapists may be missing out on an opportunity to more effectively treat their patients if they focus on a single condition or a single form of rehab. How often do you have a patient who comes in to receive therapy for one difficulty only to find out there are other problems occurring in other areas of the body? This could – and should – definitely change how you think about possible treatments. Here is why it’s important to take a holistic approach to physical therapy.

Physical Therapy Treatments Require Balance

Many patients come to a physical therapy for rehabilitation of a specific muscle. It may be they injured their back while playing golf over the weekend. You might see a patient who complains of balance issues that make him prone to falling. Then again, someone with knee flexion contracture might come into your office. Do you simply treat the primary complaint or do you delve deeper to consider other problems that may be the actual source of pain – or contribute to the primary condition? The golfer could be experiencing more than just back pain; his inability to enjoy full range of motion could cause additional, related problems in his ankles or knees. The patient with balance issues might need to work on strengthening her core and adopting proper posture. The person with knee problems could be compensating for a limited range of motion by overusing the back or throwing out the hips so he will need more extensive musculoskeletal rehab.

Restoring Whole Health

With a holistic approach to therapy, you can employ several methods of rehabilitation that target various parts of the body. Along with traditional exercise and rehab of specific muscles, it could be useful to use the FIT Bodywraps® in your practice. The FIT Bodywrap® system can cover specific portions of the body or the whole body, depending on what type of rehab is necessary. It is beneficial to use an infrared body wrap before physical therapy in order to loosen the joints and improve circulation before exercise. It’s also an excellent way to relax the patient after therapy. Depending on an individual patient’s needs, FIT Bodywraps® could provide the missing piece of your holistic approach to care by providing pain relief, muscle relaxation and improved mobility in stiff joints. When it comes to whole patient care, physical therapists should take a holistic approach to treatment. Don’t forget to look for underlying or associated issues that may be causing undue pain or hampering rehabilitation efforts. One of the best ways to improve overall health for nearly patient is the FIT Bodywrap® system. Try infrared body wraps yourself and see what a difference it makes in patient satisfaction and your clinic’s bottom line.