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Health & Fitness

Get Well, Stay Well

Once you seek out more information and learn what you can do for yourself, you must make changes and actively work towards your health goals now while you are still healthy. Stay well!

Get well soon.  It is a simple enough statement to comprehend.  We say it when someone we know becomes ill.  Our intention is to tell the person that we wish health returns to them fast.  There is an interesting parallel to this statement and the mindset of most people.  We wait until sickness begins and then we try our hardest to “get well soon.”  Maybe our efforts would be better spent if we didn’t just sit around waiting for illness to strike.  Why not treat your potential illness now, before it can even develop?  How about changing our focus to “staying well?”  Wellness is an arena of healthcare that is finally gaining momentum by more healthcare providers.  Even in our small town, several wellness-focused centers are popping up because there is a growing public demand for these services.

I have had several patients come in to be treated in the very early stages of a problem.  For instance, one man came in for treatment of his aching shoulder.  It wasn’t bad enough to cause functional limitations or constant pain, but it was a minor ache that came and went and he wanted to “nip it in the bud.”  Throughout the evaluation, he kept saying “maybe I don’t even need to be here,” but I encouraged his prevention-focused concerns.  I encourage more people to get evaluated for treatment during the pain-free or very early stages of a problem.  Just like in this case, there are some simple treatments and education about reducing the cause of the problem that can eliminate it altogether as well as prevent future problems.  

We need the health insurance companies to realize this as well.  With more and more people having access to the information on the internet, the public is becoming very educated about their own health.  More people want to take an active role and become proactive in preventing illness, but does insurance cover this type of care?  It depends where you seek it.  If it is in a medical practice, then your chances are better.  If it is in a gym or some other non-medical center, you might have some coverage.  Some insurance companies will reimburse portions of health club membership dues, but not much beyond that.  You always have the self-pay option and many providers will work with you to make care affordable.

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Wellness can be addressed in numerous areas: balance/fall prevention, posture, work place set-up/ergonomics, foot care/shoe wear, cardiac awareness (vital signs), fitness, diet, vision, walking patterns, pregnancy, back protection, bladder control, TMJ, home safety, well baby, sports injury prevention, etc.  The first step to shifting your focus to a wellness perspective is to gain knowledge.  It is one of my goals in writing these articles to educate you and provide basic knowledge about what you can do for yourself to achieve the health you desire.  Once you seek out more information and learn what you can do for yourself, you must make changes and actively work towards your health goals now while you are still healthy.  Stay well!  

Conshohocken Physical Therapy is not an ordinary Physical Therapy clinic. We believe in changing your life. We are driven by the desire to make a positive impact, both personally and therapeutically, on every person who enters our office.

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You will experience pain relief, improved motion and a greater quality of life. Our approach is friendly, evidence-based and innovative and our Doctors of Physical Therapy have the most specialized training in treating your body.

Learn more about Conshohocken Physical Therapy by visiting us online at www.conshypt.com.

 

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