People are smart these days and it may seem obvious to some, not so forward thinking to others that preventative care is pretty straight forward.  Preventative care can occur in any medical discipline; it can mean getting baseline blood testing done, getting vaccinated, having your blood glucose levels checked, or partaking in regular and daily exercise.  Preventative care can also mean going to see a chiropractor, physical therapist or primary care doc for a physical/check-up.

Specifically, how does a physical therapist contribute to the cause of preventative care?

Answer: orthopedic and neurological screening assessments, joint manipulation/mobilization, flexibility and mobility treatments and dynamic movement training to name a few.

Example: I personally compete in triathlons and am always working and training to get faster.  I just so happen to have a pretty acute kinesthetic awareness and know when a particular joint, muscle group or body segment is not functioning properly (ie: my right hamstring always feels tight and gets more sore than the left after workouts.  My low back aches tremendously after being on the bike for any time greater than one hour.) What could I do?

I could go to see a physical therapist to have my spine and hip mobility checked, get my hamstrings stretched (way better having someone else do it), get some myofascial release (and massage) and have the PT check my dynamic hip strength.  My biggest obstacle in getting to a PT is time.  As a full time clinician, a business owner, triathlete, and a significant other at home it’s tough to fit another part time job into my schedule.  What I also know at the same time is that even though I don’t suffer from daily pain, I’m completely neglecting the basic maintenance my body needs to be able to perform at a high level.

I’m skipping out on the preventative care factor.  Yet I eat healthy, I exercise and I have medical and dental check-ups.  Why is going to see a physical therapist any different?? It’s not.  Physical therapists just don’t market themselves in the preventative care realm enough.  It’s absolutely indicated to see a physical therapist if you’re a high functioning person who moves on a daily basis.  Even more so if you exercise or are a competitive athlete.

Preventative care is forward thinking and is a proactive approach to being physically healthy.  Prevention is what keeps us going and allows us to continue to do what we love.  Taking something for granted, especially our bodies and our health is not the way to stay injury-free.