Why You Should See A Physical Therapist About Activity-Related Neurological Disorders
Dealing with an activity-related neurological disorder requires a lot of professional help. Neurological disorders require medication and medical treatments, but there's also the matter of your physical movement. Activity-related neurological disorders affect motor skills. It's important that you see, and keep seeing, a physical therapist.
How Activity Can Lead to Neurological Disorders
Even the mildest of physical activity can sometimes lead to injury. Sports and other activities based on heavy and frequent movement increase that chance by an order of magnitude. Keep in mind that a neurological disorder isn't one thing; it's a universe of named and unnamed injuries, conditions, and diseases.
Many things can lead to an activity-related neurological disorder.
- Head wounds and concussions
- Damage to nerves from falls or physical contact
- Impacts to the back and spine
Even if all of your activity consists of nothing more than a brisk morning walk, there's potential for things to happen. Repetitive motions can injure your arms or legs. Tripping on a sidewalk crack can lead to a concussion or misalignment of your spine. If you're involved in sports of any type, you're in danger of developing a neurological disorder.
How Physical Therapy Can Help Prevent, Treat, or Mitigate Neurological Disorders
The loss or deterioration of motor skills can take you from being an active person to a sedated one. Sometimes, even the mild loss of some functionality can ruin your prospects with a particular sport. Physical therapists can help with that in several ways.
Prevention – Many people never consider it, but you can, and should, see a physical therapist without having a physical ailment. Physical therapists are also consultants. If you plan to start a physically demanding pursuit, you should speak to a physical therapist. For example, are you planning to do any of the following?
- Starting a strenuous exercise regimen
- Joining a sports team
- Training for a run or competition
A physical therapist can teach you how to minimize the impact your movements will have on your body. You can also receive an evaluation to see if your body is up to the task you're planning. In general, a physical therapist can help you safeguard your body as best you can from injuries and neurological disorders.
Mitigation – Some activities come with unavoidable impacts and damage to your body. There's no way to fully protect your body when the activity involves hard running, repetitive movements, or physical engagements.
Physical therapists can help you cope with damage and stresses to your body between activities. They can give you exercises to do when you're not playing your sport or participating in your activity. These exercises can help to strengthen particular body parts and keep the onset of injury or neurological disorders at bay.
Treatment – If you have a neurological disorder that affects your movement, physical therapy may become a requirement for your treatment of it. Even if it isn't, you can see physical therapists anyway. Physical therapy involves exercise and stimulation that serves to facilitate your movements and restore as much of your range of motion as possible.
Physical Therapy Can Help Restore or Maintain Your Active Lifestyle
Physical therapy isn't a cure, but it can certainly help you maintain your active lifestyle. Sometimes, it can help to restore that lifestyle as well if your neurological disorder has taken away your ability to move as you would like.
Of course, there's no guarantee, but every little bit of help becomes necessary when you have a neurological disorder. See a physical therapist about your strenuous activities to make sure your body is ready to deal with them.
For more information, contact ANNAPOLIS Family Physical Therapy or a similar organization.