Chronic joint and muscle pain, such as in the back and knee, are unfortunately all too common. Whether they are caused by sports injuries or a degenerative genetic condition, many people are in need of physical therapy. Physical therapy exercises can help patients to regain strength in their muscles and joints as well as heal from injuries. Knee pain, for example, can become debilitating. Physical therapy treatment can give patients ways to prevent further harm from happening to the joint as well as strengthening it to relieve current pain. Physical therapy can actually save patients money as well – one study found that those back pain patients who were in or had been in a physical therapy program actually had bills that were over $2000 less than those back pain patients that did not participate in a physical therapy program.

And back pain is a common reason to go to physical therapy, commonly referred to simply as PT. In fact, over 30 million people in the United States are dealing with some severity of back pain at any given time. Low back pain is particularly common, and can originate from something as simple for sitting in the same position at work for too long. Fortunately, physical therapy can help. Physical therapy can provide productive exercises that are not only soothing, but help to strengthen the muscles holding the joints that are in pain. Physical therapy can be similarly beneficial for knee weakness of knee pain. A physical therapist can also help to encourage and get a patient started on a more active lifestyle, which can help some problems from recurring.

Physical therapy, aside from helping with knee and back pain, can be hugely beneficial for sports injuries. In the United States, sports injuries are all too common, with over 5 million occurring every single year. In fact, around half of all adults develop some type of musculoskeletal injury every year, even if it is not necessarily related to sports. Physical therapy can provide support for these healing joints, tissues, and muscles, as well as strengthening them to prevent the affected area from becoming injured again, as well as working to protect other susceptible areas from future injury.

Be it for a chronic pain condition or a sports related injury, physical therapy can be beneficial for almost anyone who deals with pain on a regular basis. It can help to strengthen muscles, joints, and even improve overall quality of life.