Terra Gegg opened Enhance Physical Therapy in 2021 with the goal of helping every client live the lifestyle they want to live without limitations. Her passion for long-term wellness compels her to empower clients with confidence and motivation to achieve their goals. Terra shares keys to maximizing success during sessions. To get started, call 417-812-5729
Who can benefit from physical therapy?
Physical therapy is generally thought of as rehab, a post-surgical intervention, or for someone who has had an injury. But anyone experiencing any kind of impaired movement can benefit – incontinence with jumping or running, difficulty getting up and down off the floor, or quick heart rate spikes with movement or exercise. And for those with no limitations in their movement, regularly engaging in exercises that maintain mobility and optimize strength allow you to avoid injury as you get older.
How can patients stay motivated between PT sessions?
When we stop seeing big jumps in improvement, it’s harder to stay motivated. So, keep your goals in mind and remember that even the small things are important and beneficial. It’s also important to look beyond day-to-day progress, regularly reflecting on how far you’ve come in recent weeks or months. Another way to stay motivated is to combine things you love doing with your at-home exercises. Finding an activity you enjoy and doing it with family or friends makes the work you put in at home something you’ll look forward to.
What are some common mistakes clients make that can limit their results?
Physical therapy isn’t just about the “physical.” In our sessions, we talk about drinking the right amount of water, getting enough quality sleep each night, and looking at our day-to-day nutrition to make sure those needs are getting met. If these things, our basic functions, are out of whack, our body can’t fully heal. We also talk about movement throughout the day. Physical therapy once a week doesn’t do anything if you aren’t active the rest of the week. It isn’t a 30-minute part of our day either, we need to be moving throughout the day.
How can physical therapy aid in overall wellness?
In the long run, when we maintain our mobility and strength, we maintain our ability to be independent. This means we can live our lives the way we want to and engage in activities we enjoy, even as we age. Preventative work through physical therapy allows us to live life without physical limitations or fear of getting hurt. It may not seem like what we do in our 30s has much of an effect on what we will be able to do in our 80s, but it matters.