“What happens if I don’t do it?”
It’s a question someone might be tempted to ask when told their injury/issue requires, say, a 6-8 week program of physiotherapy. Unfortunately, the short answer is that not doing the physio will likely have a number of negative effects and could lead to severe and long-lasting repercussions.
This blog entry will examine the serious drawbacks of not doing physiotherapy when advised to do so by your surgeon/specialist. It’s worth stating up front, though, that each physio plan from a firm such as Glenhaven Physiotherapy is custom-tailored to be manageable by the patient in question, so there’s no absolutely reason to worry that the program will be “too hard” – or to consider opting out.
Slower Recovery
One of the benefits of physiotherapy massage, exercise, etc. is that increased blood flow aids the healing process. Conversely, the decreased blood flow that may be experienced by those not undertaking any physio can have the opposite result. A slower recovery obviously means it takes you longer to get “back to normal”, which could have a financial impact (along with many social ones).
Muscle and Joint Dangers
Among the advantages of physiotherapy is the way it systematically strengthens key muscles while protecting the relevant joints. Alas, forgoing physio altogether may lead to muscles weakening and even atrophying due to insufficient use. Along with this, the failure to learn correct movement patterns from your physiotherapist may see you inadvertently putting unnecessary strain on joints.
Lack of Mental Security
Having a physiotherapist guiding your injury/issue recovery and use of devices such as casts, providing constant guidance, answering questions, modifying your program if the need arises, and reassuring you that everything is proceeding according to plan is one of the biggest rewards of physiotherapy. Those who eschew physio are denying themselves this added mental security through what can be an extremely tough time.
Not Addressing the Problem! (And More)
One of the benefits of physiotherapy you might overlook is that it represents accepting something is wrong and then taking action to fix it. Not doing physio is not addressing the problem and simply expecting the universe to make things right again. Sadly, there is no guarantee our body will heal correctly on its own.
The advantages of physiotherapy include boosting strength/stamina/flexibility/range of movement, etc. to prevent further problems or a recurrence of the same problem. Skip the physio and this very well may not be the case.
Another of the “hidden” rewards of physiotherapy is that it can alter the patient’s life for the better in terms of making them more physically active going forwards. They may not continue the exact same exercise plan beyond the prescribed period, but there’s a good chance they will maintain some sort of fitness routine…unless they never started because, for whatever reason, they didn’t give physiotherapy a go.
For All Types of Physiotherapy
The team at Glenhaven Physiotherapy is ready to assist. We’ve been providing therapy to Glenhaven and surrounding Sydney suburbs since 1991, and pride ourselves on always staying up to date with the latest methods/technology. Whether you require physio as part of accident recovery or for some entirely different reason, don’t hesitate to contact us by emailing , phoning (02) 9680 4960 or using this form.