If you’re like me, then you’re still in a daze – rubbing your eyes, stepping out of the last 2 years like a sleepwalker. The last 2 years have gone by in a strange blur – many working from home, the emotional highs and lows, the elections, the pandemic, living each week as if it was Groundhog’s week… where did the time go? Equally, too, like me you’re probably thinking of ways to make 2022 better than what the last couple of years have brought us – and no, I don’t mean knitting a sweater or learning a new language or picking up a new hobby. I mean ways for you to get healthy, happy, and living the life you dream of! I’d like to help you with that, and so that’s why this post is all about making the right decisions for your health, for achieving the pain free life you deserve, and for making lasting resolutions that extend beyond January second. This year is going to be great, so let’s chat about how exactly you can live your best life, right now.
For many of you reading this, pain is a daily, ongoing struggle – you wake up in pain, go to sleep in pain, and trundle through daily activities just waiting for the next opportunity to close your eyes. What kind of a life is that? Certainly not the one I know you deserve. Whether you’re struggling with back, neck, knee, shoulder, or even sciatica related pain, things need to change. The decisions you’ve made throughout 2021 – and potentially the years before – have failed you – something has to change. The old saying, “if what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.”
Let’s look back on your pain journey… my guess is you may have taken far too many painkillers, spent a lot of time on the sofa, lost time with your loved ones, found yourself getting more and more depressed, and generally folding in on yourself under the pain, the pandemic, and external stresses exacerbated by your daily discomfort. Perhaps you never got the answers you needed, as doctors only pointed you towards medications and potential surgeries. Maybe you feel unmotivated and have given in to the pain as though it is age related or ‘runs in the family’. None of that is working, is it? And none of it is what you want. Luckily, things can change.
Let’s talk about physical therapy for a moment. Now, hang on – if you’ve heard about it, or maybe even tried it but haven’t had success, please don’t just stop reading. You might not have had the best physical therapist, or perhaps you didn’t get the right regime to suit you. The truth is, physical therapy remains the most effective, safe, and lasting way of eradicating pain. There are many reasons why physical therapy is so effective, so let’s run through a few of them:
Physical Therapy treats the root cause of the pain.
Yes, that’s right. While painkillers mask the root cause, massages give temporary relief for a few hours, and surgery may actually make matters worse, physical therapy finds the root cause safely, treats it meticulously, and focuses on the eradication of pain as a happy bonus to solving the problem itself.
Have you ever been to a massage parlor? As relaxing as it is, the masseuse doesn’t really focus on you as an individual, does he/she? Your back or shoulder is the same as the next person’s, and your pain isn’t really a focal point. Sadly, doctors sometimes act similarly – your back pain exhibits the same markers as Susan’s, Brandon’s, and Mark’s… so it must be the same, right? Wrong. Physical therapy always focuses on your pain as distinctly yours, and on your issue as a unique one. Each individual is different, thus each physical therapy application ought to be so. And that’s exactly why physical therapy succeeds in treating the problem – you are not just a number.
The treatment outlasts the clinic.
Unlike doctors’ appointments, for example, physical therapy extends beyond the treatment you receive in the clinic. Qualified, hands-on physical therapists will supply with you a tailor made exercise and stretch program that you can do at home. In other words, a permanently pain free life is something physical therapy can offer – you are supplied with the tools to maintain the quality of life you deserve.
The funny thing about physical therapy is that it teaches you so much about your body. In the treatment of your pain’s root cause, physical therapy starts teaching you about the ways in which you ought to sit, stand, walk, stretch, and even sleep! Imagine how differently you’ll approach the world around you when you know how to move effectively and pain free?
Physical therapy actually offers you so much more than temporary relief from your pain. Unlike painkillers that supply you with a few hours of drowsy relief, physical therapy can give you your life back. Picking up your grandkids, playing golf, and hiking can all be back on the cards – physical therapy is not about short terms solutions, rather, it’s about long term answers. It’s about freedom.
It’s difficult making decisions for your health, especially when they may be out of your comfort zone or when they require you to delve into the root cause of the pain, but making those choices will have incredible, long-lasting positive effects on your life. I understand you may be scared or skeptical, but the reality is that none of the decisions you have made until this point have worked – it’s time for a change.
If you make only a single New Year’s Resolution this year, let it be to become pain free. And if that is your choice, make sure you turn to physical therapy. Whether you’ve tried it before, or have never even heard of it, it’s time to give it a real go. You need the right physical therapist, and we’re here to help. No pharmaceuticals, no hassle, no fear – just freedom from pain and access to the quality of life you know you deserve. It’s time to find the right physical therapist for you so that you can make the start of 2022 a strong foundation for the rest of your pain-free life. Why not contact us to get started? We look forward to hearing from you!
