Why Physical Therapy During COVID-19 is Essential
With all the changes that the coronavirus pandemic has brought about, it can be difficult to focus on anything besides getting through each day. However, just because our normal lives have been temporarily halted doesn’t mean that our preexisting health conditions have halted as well.
If you were dealing with recovery for an injury, working on your mobility, or regaining strength after a surgery, it’s likely that you set physical therapy aside when COVID-19 hit. However, your chronic pain and injury complications will only contribute to the stress you already feel about the coronavirus. This is why continuing regular physical therapy sessions is extremely important during the pandemic.
Why Physical Therapy During COVID-19 is Essential
Physical activity is a key part of recovery and overall health. During the introduction of shelter-in-place orders, many trustworthy institutions such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control heavily encouraged the public to maintain physical activity in some form. Movement is vital for both mental and physical health and keeping up activity while physically recovering from an injury, surgery, or illness makes a huge difference in the recovery process.
Many PT clinics offer virtual sessions. If you are strictly adhering to shelter-in-place orders for the health of yourself or a family member, it doesn’t mean your physical therapy recovery process has to be halted. Online physical therapy can be just as beneficial and individualized for patients and it will allow your recovery process to continue steadily, even if it has been slowed.
Nearly all PT clinics are open safely for business during the pandemic. Physical therapy has been recognized as a part of the country’s “essential critical infrastructure” by the Department of Homeland Security. In all clinics, equipment is thoroughly sterilized between uses, patients are screened for exposure to COVID-19, social distancing is recognized unless hands-on care is required, and the amount of people allowed at once has been greatly diminished. Additionally, many clinics offer flexible hours to allow higher-risk patients to attend sessions in an empty or near-empty gym.
If you’ve been putting your physical therapy on hold during the pandemic, it’s time to start prioritizing your body’s recovery and strengthening again. Between sessions, still be sure to practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently, and stay home at the advent of any COVID-19 symptoms.
If you’re looking for a high-quality physical therapist you can trust, look no further than Cyti Clinics. We offer exceptional physical therapists as well as mental health therapists to support your entire well-being.
