When a physical therapist comes to your home to treat you, it is known as in-home physical therapy. This service is mainly designated for those who are unable to leave their homes due to their medical issues. It can, however, be given to a wide range of patients.
Is Physical Therapy at Home Effective?
Many individuals wrongly believe that the quality of physical therapy equipment determines whether or not a patient will recover. In reality, the exercises that patients do as “homework” after a treatment session play a significant influence. People frequently overlook this issue and fail to do post-treatment activities. To help patients remember to undertake their physical therapy exercises, there are resources available. Physical therapists, for example, can use the online Health app to create short films demonstrating how to complete exercises. Therapists can also deliver updates or alerts via push notifications.
Another prevalent myth is that at home physical therapy is less successful than treatment in a clinic. On the contrary, therapists can bring a variety of lightweight and portable equipment/tools to in-home physical therapy sessions. Physical therapists are also taught to make full use of all available resources in order to give patients the greatest possible therapy experience.
The effects of in-home physical rehabilitation after knee replacement surgery were investigated in a study. Some patients received in-home care, while others were treated solely as outpatients. In terms of knee movement and function, the researchers found no significant differences between the two groups. As a result, at-home physical treatment is beneficial.
Physical Therapy at Home Has Many Advantages
Physical treatment in the home is not only effective, but it also has a slew of other advantages.
1. Patient Satisfaction
The most significant advantage of in-home physical treatment is its convenience. When patients are treated in the privacy of their own homes, they feel much more at ease. Most essential, they are comfortable in their surroundings. Patients in traditional physical therapy must become acquainted with their new surroundings at their PT clinic. This would just make the rehabilitation process more difficult.
Human habituation has been studied as a crucial behavioral element. Repeated exposure to stimuli induces a reduction in reactivity over time. Simply put, we become accustomed to certain situations. And once we’ve become accustomed to something, we stop paying attention to it. On the other hand, in an unfamiliar area, we are bombarded with new sensations. These excessive stimuli can cause our brain to become distracted from our recovery and what is truly important.
During rehabilitation, our mental condition and attention are especially crucial. As a result, a comfortable and familiar atmosphere such as home might make a significant difference.
2. Resumption of Regular Activities and Routines
Patients might be treated by physical therapists based on their daily routines. Patients may need to walk up and down stairs or undertake daily tasks at home. Therapists can then provide patients with workouts and treatments that are tailored to their day-to-day activities. This personalization is far more successful than simply treating the injury itself.
Physical therapy’s main purpose is to assist patients in resuming normal activities. Therapists can gain a deeper understanding of their patients and these activities by providing in-home care. If a patient must walk to the mailbox on a daily basis, a therapist can concentrate on mobility. This level of personalization is critical for a patient’s recovery.
3. Availability of Patients
Patients do not have to go to a physical therapy center because in-home physical treatment is available. The fact that patients must attend a clinic in addition to their other obligations creates a barrier for the physical therapy business as a whole. Patients already visit their primary care physicians and may be hesitant to visit physical therapy clinics.
From a patient’s perspective, there is a lot of wasted time in clinics. Before meeting with their therapist, patients must check-in and wait in the waiting room. There’s also the daily commute back and forth. Patients can begin their sessions as soon as their therapist arrives at their home with in-home physical therapy. Patients are more inclined and likely to schedule further PT appointments as a result of this.
Accessibility can be used in a different way. Some of the patients have life-threatening disorders. They are physically unable to attend a clinic due to their injuries. They will only consider therapists who can visit them at home because they are not mobile. As a result, if you do not provide in-home physical treatment, you will lose this important group of patients.
4. Personal Relationships
It is critical for the patient and the therapist to create a personal bond. Patients will develop a link with you and your clinic as a result of personal bonds. They also help patients stick around longer. Many patients admire a doctor’s personality, especially if they will be seeing them on a regular basis, as is the case with physical therapists. Patients sometimes choose therapists who can connect with them over those with greater professional experience. We are, after all, all humans. Humans, on the other hand, want personal ties and relationships.
Physical therapy in the comfort of your own home is an excellent method to make these relationships. To begin with, patients have already invited you to their homes (technically). Visiting each other’s homes is a vital step in any relationship. Patients may also feel more at ease at home and be more open and willing to discuss their personal lives.
People of all ages benefit from physical therapy when they have medical ailments, illnesses, or injuries that impair their ability to move and function normally.
Individuals can return to their previous level of functioning with the support of a specialized physical therapy program, which encourages activities and lifestyle modifications that can help avoid additional injury and enhance overall health and well-being. Physical therapy is frequently recommended by primary care doctors at the first sign of a problem since it is considered a conservative approach to issue management. Do you know why physical therapy is so important? Here are some ways physical therapy can help you:
- Pain can be reduced or eliminated. Therapeutic exercises and manual therapy techniques like joint and soft tissue mobilization, as well as treatments like ultrasound, taping, and electrical stimulation, can help relieve pain and improve muscle and joint function. These treatments can also help to prevent discomfort from returning.
- Surgery should be avoided at all costs. Surgery may not be necessary if physical therapy helps you remove discomfort or recuperate from an accident. Even if surgery is required, pre-surgical physical rehabilitation may be beneficial. In many circumstances, if you go into surgery stronger and in better form, you will recover more quickly. In addition, avoiding surgery lowers healthcare costs.
- Increase your mobility. Physical therapy can help you stand, walk, or move more easily, regardless of your age. Stretching and strengthening activities might help you regain your mobility. Physical therapists can appropriately fit people with canes, crutches, or any other type of assistive equipment, as well as assess for orthotic prescription. Any activity that is vital to an individual’s life can be practised and altered to ensure maximum performance and safety by developing an individual care plan.
- Get back on your feet after a stroke. After a stroke, it’s usual to lose some function and movement. Physical therapy aids in the strengthening of weakened body components as well as the improvement of gait and balance. Physical therapists can also help stroke patients transfer and move around in bed, allowing them to be more self-sufficient at home and reducing their burden of care for toileting, bathing, dressing, and other everyday chores.
- Recover from or avoid sustaining a sports injury. Physical therapists are trained to recognise how certain sports can raise your risk of certain ailments (such as stress fractures for distance runners). They can create appropriate recovery or prevention exercise routines for you so that you can return to your sport safely.