Even COVID-19 hasn’t knocked heart disease off the top of the list as the leading cause of death and disability. Taking care of your heart is important. When it comes to heart health, most people think about things like eating right, avoiding smoking, and exercising regularly. What most people don’t think about is calling their physical therapist (PT). If you’re regularly keeping active, like going for a run or swimming laps, you may not need help from your PT, but 3 out of 4 adults are not exercising regularly. For those folks, a PT may be just the person they need.
Getting injured is the #1 reason one stops his/her physical activity routine and getting back into it is not an easy task; especially when flying solo. A physical therapist can help with the old injury and design a plan to safely return to regular activity. It’s also not uncommon for one to try to increase their activity on their own, only to stir up pain somewhere – like their back, hip, or shoulder. A PT can help with that too. They’ll figure out the cause of the pain, help correct it, and implement a plan to help that person reach their goals. Physical therapists can also help to safely increase activity levels after a major medical issue like a heart attack, stroke, or even cancer. Recent research has shown improvements in cardiovascular fitness, fatigue levels and even pain levels in cancer patients who participate in a personalized physical fitness plan from a PT.
Whatever barriers to being physically active exist, a physical therapist can likely help overcome them. As movement experts, physical therapists are trained to address a variety of conditions. They can help you work around whatever issues you are facing so you can safely elevate your heart rate and keep cardiovascular disease away.
About Jerome/Wendell Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine
Founded in 2006, Jerome Physical Therapy & Wendell Physical Therapy are fully functioning physical therapy and sports medicine clinics, offering physical therapy services of all types to all of Jerome and Gooding counties including the cities of Hagerman, Bliss, Shoshone, and smaller outlying areas. As a hometown physical therapy clinic, personal and individualized care is very important to our staff. Specializing in sports medicine, occupational health, and orthopedic care, our offices continue to emphasize volunteerism in our communities and schools. We recognize the benefit of assisting our community in maintaining healthy lifestyles, while keeping our health care costs controlled.
