When It Comes to PT, Mind Your P’s & Q’s

Mind your P’s and Q’s is an old phrase that means be on your best behavior. Now let’s be honest, can we really expect to be on our best behavior if we are sitting idle on our couches, allowing muscles to weaken and atrophy? I think not.

Physical therapy to the rescue. This of course begs the question; can formal physical therapy actually help in diminishing pain in the low back and elsewhere? It is a valid question, and the answer is yes.

Although physical therapy may not be able to get vertebrae back into their natural or original position, it can still alleviate pressure on spinal nerves by strengthening the core muscles surrounding the spine. If core muscles are allowed to weaken, the disks between the vertebrae, which act as shock absorbers, end up having to bear most of the load on the spine. This can result in disks bulging and spinal nerves getting pinched. As muscles are toned and regain their strength, there is an offloading of pressure that can alleviate pain.

Muscle stretching can result in the improvement of range of motion, as well as improving posture and minimizing the risk of injury, which in turn can lead to the improvement of pain. Simple movement and exercise can improve blood flow to the body, allowing blood to carry vital nutrients to injured areas. If you have more questions about the benefits of physical therapy, please talk to your provider or physical therapist and get those questions answered. At ASAP we feel this is a good way to mind your P’s and Q’s.