The Startling Reasons Why Physical Therapy Isn’t Working for You! by 99 Shades of Pain (2024)

FAQs

Why does physical therapy never work for me? ›

If physical therapy doesn't work, there can be a number of reasons why, including unrealistic expectations, a poor fit between the therapist and patient, not keeping consistent appointments, failure to complete a home exercise program, or even misdiagnosis.

It's possible that you may feel worse after physical therapy, but you should not have pain. Should you be sore after physical therapy? Yes. When you are mobilizing, stretching, and strengthening the affected area you are going to be required to do exercises and movements that can cause soreness after your session.

Discomfort and soreness are to be expected, because physical therapy, in order to work, must train your body. This is the same principle that applies when building strength through exercising or working out. The muscles must experience a certain amount of stress, which can lead to irritation and soreness.

Persistent or worsening pain

If your pain persists or worsens despite participating in physical therapy, it may indicate that the current treatment approach is not effectively addressing the underlying issue.

Sometimes physical therapists focus only on the part of your body that's feeling pain – this can be due to insurance limitations, taking on too many clients, or inexperience. Unfortunately, this also can lead to physical therapy being ineffective.

If there's no change to the area of pain or discomfort within two weeks of physical therapy, this might need to be a referral back to a physician. This assumes that the patient has fully participated in their treatment, and the PT is also doing their role.

If at any point you experience pain, back down. It's better to stop or modify an exercise than to further any injury. “When starting a new exercise routine, take it slow,” Kennedy says.

If you have reached a pre-injury level of fitness, you've achieved all your physical rehabilitation goals and your physical therapist grants you clearance to return to full athletic activities, it may be their recommendation that you discontinue seeking out physical therapy services.

Can physical therapy make conditions worse? ›

Many people assume that their sessions will become painful and end up feeling worse than when they started. This is totally false. Physical therapy isn't meant to cause pain. It's a treatment method that is performed within a patient's threshold for pain.

Some patients may stop showing up for their appointments because of personal events or circ*mstances. Others may be dissatisfied with their treatment. In any case, some patients never explain why they drop out, making it challenging to resolve the issue properly.

It's also important for the injury to heal properly. Otherwise, it's much easier to injure the same part of your body a second or even a third time. If you don't get the physical therapy you need, the injury won't heal properly, leaving you more vulnerable to reinjury and extreme pain over time.

Muscle: 2-4 weeks. Tendon: 4-6 weeks. Bone: 6-8 weeks. Ligaments: 10-12 weeks.

When it comes to injuries, accidents, or chronic pain conditions like arthritis, however, physical therapy is often the best first step. Physical therapy is a pain management and relief method that is safe, natural, and effective for patients of all ages and backgrounds.