Physical Therapy is the study and practice of helping patients restore lost motor function after an injury. Physical Therapy includes techniques like dry needling, scraping (e.g. Grastin), electrostimulation, and ultrasonics. Correctional Exercises are special exercises designed to strengthen weakened muscle groups, mobilize tight joints, and improve balance. This article highlights many of the correctional exercises and assessment techniques that both personal trainers and physical therapists use.
Physical therapists in the Alexandria (and other areas of the country) build their practice around the guidelines insurance companies provide them. In most physical therapy centers, you’ll see a therapist for maybe 15 minutes and you’ll have a high school student (called a physical therapist tech) coach you through the exercises. These therapy techs are not well paid or trained (average salaries are $10-$14/hr) Fully licensed physical therapists cannot afford to see clients for the entire hour because of the pricing restrictions placed on them by insurance. Moreover, insurance will only pay for a certain number of visits (typically 8-12 depending on the injury or surgery). Primary goals of the physical therapist is to help a patient restore normal muscle and joint function particularly after a traumatic event (e.g. a broken wrist or a car accident.) Old Town, Alexandria VA has a number of great physical therapists such as Valens Physical Therapy and Solutions Physical Therapy.
The chief goal of the physical therapist is to get you functional enough for everyday tasks: showering, cooking, driving to work, etc. And while is important, some people want more.
In contrast, we don’t take insurance, and we have certified personal trainers work with you for the entire hour. That is not to say that personal training is superior to physical therapy. Rather, they are often synergistic treatments that work together. Much like massage therapy and acupuncture can be used to help the body heal, physical therapy and personal training work together.
There are many different types of personal trainers. You have your dance fitness type, your boot camp instructors, and of course your meat-head types. Our niche is in corrective exercise and restoring proper functional movement patterns. We excel in working with clients who have preexisting conditions. Clients who work with us in conjunction with physical therapists to rebuild back all the strength and range of motion he or she may have lost due to an injury.
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