On average, it takes .67 seconds for a Google search and 6-8 months to travel to Mars. But how long will it take for physiotherapy to work? Can a sprain heal before that big sports game? And how long will those injuries from the motor vehicle accident stay with you? You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. You just need to be a great physiotherapist like Soumya Jha! Soumya is from our Body Works Brimley location and she is taking us through the topic of how long physiotherapy takes to heal your aches and pains.
Is there a set timeline for recovery in physiotherapy? It can vary from patient to patient. Whenever a patient walks into a Body Works clinic, we start with a proper assessment to find out the root cause of their pain or problem. We take a detailed health history of their ongoing concerns. We do a careful physical assessment and inspect your range of motion and skills. And depending on what we find in that assessment, we provide treatment protocol that is specific to that injury on this particular patient. No two treatment plans are the same, as every patient is unique.
We also provide each patient with a Plan of Care, which tells them what treatment options they would benefit from most as well as which problems we will be addressing. We also outline what is going on for you, whether it be a damaged muscle, injured nerve or stuck joint! Even with a detailed plan, there are other factors to consider when estimating the recovery time for a patient.
- Severity – How far damaged is the tissue we are helping with? A patient with a complete tear of the ligament will take longer than someone who has just had a minor injury to that same ligament. As far as soft tissue is concerned, most soft tissue takes six to eight weeks to heal with the right care and commitment to recovery.
- Timely care – Is this a new injury or something that has been existing for months? As physiotherapists, we plan out treatment depending on whether the injury is acute (injury within a few days), subacute (injury within the last two weeks), or chronic stage (injury 2+ weeks in the making). The back pain from last week is different from the back pain of last year!
- Compliance – In the clinic, our physiotherapists are committed to helping each patient experience pain relief, improve range of motion, and receive the tools they need to help them at home. A patient needs to regain his range of motion and also regain their strength. To do so, we need our patients to be dedicated towards their exercises in the clinic and at home. It is just as important that you go to your physiotherapist as soon as you experience an injury as it is that you take care of yourself at home. Waiting at home for your pain to go away does not work!
- Age / Fitness – The human body is quite a marvel! But a person who had a karate injury at the age of 18 is not going to recover at the same speed as a 65 year old patient who slipped on the ice. A person who is young has soft tissue that is more resilient to damage and injury. So someone who is younger tends to get better in a much shorter span of time. Fitness level also plays an important role. An athlete who sprains their ankle will recover faster than someone with less physical activity. The supporting tissues are stronger, therefore less prone to tearing and more likely to support the damaged tissue while it heals.
Next step? Injuries happen, and Body Works is here to help you bounce back. Now that you know how important it is to seek out the right care quickly, take charge of your health and wellbeing today. Looking to find the right fit for you? Body Works is here to help! You can check out our contact us page, or you can give us a call at 1-866-7PHYSIO.
