7 Key Benefits of Physical Therapy

Injuring your foot or ankle can be a real setback and a difficult recovery. The good news is that you can recover from this, but it doesn’t typically happen on its own. Because this is National Physical Therapy Month, in today's post, Chad Knight, DPM at Knight Foot & Ankle in Edmond and Jones, OK, shares 7 ways physical therapy can benefit you following a foot or ankle injury.

Physical therapy is an important part of sports medicine. Injuries to your feet or ankles can make walking almost impossible, let alone participate in sports. The goal is to resolve issues that are common after an injury.

Here are 7 Key Benefits of Physical Therapy.

1. Pain reduction: Many patients find it disheartening to experience a lot of pain after a foot or ankle injury, but the healing process can be painful, too. Some patients rely on pain relievers to ease the pain, but physical therapy can help. And while the exercises may hurt a bit at first, they will benefit you in the long run.

2. Strengthening: Strengthening your foot and ankle can prevent injuries from reoccurring. Many injuries occur because your feet or ankles aren’t sturdy enough to endure what you put them through. Boosting your strength can help shield you against strain and stress.

3. Stabilization: After a foot or ankle injury, it may feel like they become less steady to walk on. Physical therapy will help steady your foot and ankle, decreasing your risk of suffering another injury.

4. Better range of motion: After a foot or ankle injury, you’ll probably find that your range of motion is limited. Physical therapy can improve and ultimately reestablish your range of motion. 

5. Increased blood flow: When you get injured, the blood flow to your feet and ankles is diminished, which can extend your healing process. Physical therapy increases blood flow, accelerating the healing process.

6. Staying physically active: It’s important to stay physically active for several reasons, the most important being how it benefits your overall health. Physical therapy will help you get exercise, even if you can’t participate in your former activities right away.

7. Relevant motions: If you hurt your foot or ankle, you want to ensure you can participate in your previous activities at some point. If that is playing a sport, the motions you make are exclusive to that sport, and physical therapy will ensure that you can still execute those motions.

Physical therapy also has other benefits, like improving your gait (the way that you walk) and decreasing swelling. If you’ve recently experienced a foot or ankle injury, contact Chad Knight DPM at Knight Foot & Ankle in Edmond and Jones, OK, to schedule a visit. Call us at (405) 513-0385 or click here to schedule your visit online.

EXCITING NEWS! We have officially moved our Edmond office to 3125 N Sooner Road, Suite 100, Edmond, OK 73034. We now have two locations to serve you – our new Edmond office and our Jones location at 12950 East Britton Road, Suite 105.