World Physical Therapy Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the critical role of physical therapists and chronic pain therapies in keeping people healthy and fit. The day marks the unity and solidarity of the global physiotherapy community. Physical therapists attempt to treat an injury or deformity, educate patients about healthy behaviors, and restore lost or damaged functionality. Chronic pain is linked to a variety of medical diseases, including low back pain, cervical and thoracic pain, shoulder pain, headache problems, cancer, fibromyalgia, muscular dystrophy, and osteoarthritis.
Physical therapy can help:
- Strengthen your muscles, reducing the strain on your joints
- Improve balance and/or mobility
- Relieve joint pain
- Prevent injury
- Restore function, stability and mobility after an injury
Not only can a physical therapist help correct an injury or pain a person is already experiencing, they are also trained to identify and address subtle issues that could lead to pain or injury in the future. Additionally, there are several sub-specialties of physical therapy, including sports, pediatrics, geriatrics, neurology, cardiac and respiratory physical therapy.