When most patients think of recovering from an injury, or recovering from surgery, they think of treatments like pain medications, ice, and using crutches or a sling. All of those treatments are important. But in terms of speeding up recovery after an injury or surgery, or making sure you don’t do anything to make it worse, physical therapy can be extremely important.

Working with a physical therapist can be one of the best ways to ensure a safe and quick (or as quick as possible) recovery. Sure, you can go to the gym and do your usual exercise, but those exercises might not work the muscles that stabilize the injured area. Rest and exercises on your own might not be enough to resolve your pain and swelling or help you walk normally.

In this video, I explain these and other reasons why you should consider physical therapy as part of your recovery.

Remember, always talk to your doctor for specific questions about recovering from your particular injury.

Also read:
Exercises for piriformis syndrome to help you recover quickly
Exercises for a rotator cuff tear to help you recover quickly