Exercise Therapy: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Exercise therapy or physical therapy is a specialized form of treatment where certain physical movements are used to relieve pain and bring back mobility in the body’s muscle. It is often used in case injuries and other disabilities that make moving around difficult. Exercise therapy is most useful in case of very chronic and severe pain in the lower back region.

Exercise therapy may be essential to relieve pain, improve overall movement, recover from injuries related to sports activities, rehabilitation after an accident, stroke or other forms of injury. Doctors may also recommend the usage of exercise therapy to help retain balance, reduce risks associated with diabetes and heart disorders, and in some cases to acclimatize a patient to a prosthetic limb.

Not every doctor or medical professional can help a patient undergo physical therapy. It is a specialized subject and only those who pursue the course related to physical therapy can guide the patient properly. A patient may seek the help of a physiotherapist of his own accord without needing to get a recommendation from a physician. However, in case of serious conditions and injuries, a doctor and a physiotherapist will generally work together to help a patient recuperate.

An exercise therapy session usually involves the therapist taking note of the patient’s condition and formulating a plan accordingly. The entire process may take some time and additional sessions are almost always required for the best results. During the first session, the therapist will ask the patient questions that will help him/her assess the overall condition of the patient.

The therapist will judge the intensity of the pain and if any other symptoms are present, beside the pain. He/she will also enquire about the quality of sleep and whether the pain or numbness of the muscle is interfering with the patient’s ability to do everyday work.

Next, the patient will need to undergo a few physical tests, which will include the ability to move, to walk or climb stairs, and the ability to maintain proper balance. All of these tests will help the therapist formulate the kind of muscular activity needed for the patient to rehabilitate. Based on this plan, exercises will be prescribed, which the patient will need to perform.

The result of such treatment varies from one person to the next. While some may notice immediate improvement for the muscle, others may take some time to feel the effects of the therapy.

People experiencing immense muscular pain, which may be prohibiting them from performing ordinary tasks, should seek the help of an exercise therapist. Furthermore, any person who has undergone a traumatic injury recently should also consult such a therapist. In most cases, the patient’s primary physician will put them in touch with a therapist, if that doctor believes that such a therapy will help in the recovery.

There are no conditions as such that makes a person ineligible to exercise therapy. Anyone experiencing pain and limited muscle mobility can seek the same. However, the therapist will judge whether the person needs to undergo the treatment or not.

Side effects of the therapy include pain and swelling. Often, the therapist will prescribe pain medication to reduce the discomfort associated with the treatment. There are no other adverse effects resulting from the therapy and it is considered to be a safe form of treatment.

The only post-treatment guideline to follow is to remember that the treatment must be completed. It may take 10 sessions or more, but leaving the treatment incomplete may lead to complications and increase in the initial pain.

Recovery rate differs from one person to the next. For instance, one patient may complete the course in just a few weeks, whereas others may require months of exercise therapy, in order to complete recover from the injury or pain in the muscles. The tenure of treatment will also depend on the severity of the injury along with the intensity of the pain.

Exercise therapy costs, anywhere between Rs. 250 to Rs. 1,500, per session. However, several sessions are generally required for complete recovery. Depending on the number of sessions required, the complete cost of therapy may be anywhere between Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 15,000.

The effects of exercise therapy will be permanent, if the patient has undergone the complete course of the treatment and has followed the instructions of the therapist. However, future injuries to the same muscle may cause the pain to recur.

There are many alternate ways in which the pain can be avoided or reduced, besides exercise therapy. For instance, checking the intake of carbohydrates can help deal with swelling and muscle pain. Furthermore, using an oil containing lower LDL can also be helpful for recovery in patients. Acupuncture and acupressure are other pain management procedures that one can follow.